Why can ChatGPT write your emails, but robots still can’t fold your laundry? The answer isn’t hardware—it’s data.
On today's episode of THE PEOPLE'S AI, presented by Vana, we speak with Bayley Wang, co-founder of PrismaX, a startup building the “base layer” for real-world robotics.
PrismaX connects user-generated video data—like clips of people folding sheets or restocking shelves—with robotics companies that are desperate for this kind of input. Think of it as the data DAO for training robots.
We explore the real reasons robotics has lagged behind generative AI, why teleoperation is suddenly a $50/hour job, and how decentralization could be the missing ingredient in bringing useful robots into everyday life.
Topics include:
– Why software, not hardware, is holding robotics back (0:45)
– The failure of rule-based systems in real-world AI (3:56)
– How videos of everyday tasks are used to train robots (19:15)
– Incentive models: from passive video uploads to paid robot control (17:18–27:06)
– Web3 infrastructure: tokens, DAOs, and decentralized data marketplaces (28:52)
– The robot-in-every-home future (36:23)
PrismaX recently came out of stealth at the A16Z Demo Day, and in this conversation, we unpack what that launch means and what’s next for robotics powered by real-world data and open protocols.
Want to get involved? Learn more at PrismaX.ai
And a big thanks to our partner, Vana, whose mission is to enable user-owned AI through user-owned data -- starting with an ecosystem of Data DAOs and decentralized data marketplaces.
About Vana:
Vana on Twitter/X:
Vana ecosystem: vana.com
Subscribe to The People's AI on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnLiYlJulQIcmvCjnVRYotw
Jeff Wilser on Twitter/X:
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