Robots With Wallets: OpenMind’s Vision for Physical AI & On-Chain Coordination | Fully Diluted with Messari Research

On this episode of Fully Diluted, Messari’s Dylan Bane and Chris Davis sit down with Yan, founder/CEO of OpenMind (and Stanford engineering professor on sabbatical), to unpack the near-future of physical AI—LLMs embodied in robots that can navigate homes, talk, learn, and even pay for services.

00:00 – Introductions

01:58 – Robotics & AIState of robotics, near-term use cases (security checks, eldercare prompts, math tutoring), why start with quadrupeds vs. humanoids, form-factor tradeoffs and safety/insurance.

19:05 – Data & SecurityReal-world deployment frictions (liability, public perception, unions) and deep dive on privacy: on-device face processing, edge AI, and confidential computing for cloud inference.

26:32 – Crypto in RobotsWhy robots use crypto rails (identity, payments, tasking, proof-of-location), “robots with wallets,” agent payments, and machine-to-machine economies.

35:08 – Manufacturing & PolicyWho can build millions of robots (auto OEMs, Asian supply chains), how the U.S. catches up, and the role of government vs. private sector.

42:48 – Social ImpactJobs, aging populations, productivity tradeoffs, and how rapid AI progress stresses education and labor markets.

51:46 – Business ModelOpen-source core + enterprise SaaS endpoints (healthcare, spatial RAG), rev-share with manufacturers, and data/micropayment services.

56:38 – Future PlansHome pilots of autonomous quadrupeds, target markets/timeline for broader rollouts, building charging/payment networks.

58:44 – Conclusion

Hosted by Dylan Bane of Messari

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This episode and its contents do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Messari, Inc. Hosts and guests may hold cryptocurrencies discussed in this content. This content is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as investment advice. You should conduct your own research, and consult an independent financial, tax, or legal advisor before making any investment decisions. Nothing contained in this content is a recommendation or suggestion, directly or indirectly, to buy, sell, make, or hold any investment, loan, commodity, or security, or to undertake any investment or trading strategy with respect to any investment, loan, commodity, security, or any issuer. This content should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security or commodity. Messari does not guarantee the sequence, accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information provided in this content.