On December 11, 2025, the Coordination Committee Education Program met at the ZHAW School of Engineering to discuss a forward-looking topic: physical AI and robotics in education.
Dr. Jorge Peña Queralta from the Centre for Artificial Intelligence at ZHAW provided representatives from UZH, ZHAW, ZHdK and PHZH with insights into current developments in physical AI, from robots that learn through human demonstration to advanced humanoid systems. He posed the question whether robotics is approachung its ChatGPT moment. His assessment: not yet. The field remains fragmented, many demonstration videos often only show individual tricks, and significant technical as well as infrastructural challenges persist.
The subsequent discussion centred on the role universities should play in teaching physical AI literacy. Precisely because the technology is still emerging, it is important to engage with it now: higher education institutions can help shape the field, prepare future professionals, and address ethical considerations before physical AI becomes widely adopted. Jorge Peña Queralta also presented ongoing research projects at ZHAW that illustrate the breadth and diversity of the topic.
Each university can contribute to the topic from its own specific perspective. Interdisciplinary collaboration is key to integrating physical AI responsibly into educational contexts. Applications of physical AI across different education levels (from primary and secondary school to vocational training and higher education) were discussed, as well as the need for accessible and inclusive approaches.
The ZHAW robot KAI impressed not only with a kung fu routine, but also with a dance performance. (Music: first d provided by mobygratis).
About the Coordination Committee Education Program
The committee supports Zurich’s universities in strengthening their network. It consists of representatives from the DIZH universities and meets regularly to foster synergies and the exchange of ideas.
Curious to learn more about Physical AI and see robots in action?
The Davos Tech Summit, a forum on physical AI with partners such as ETH Zurich, the municipality of Davos, and the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons, will take place for the first time from July 1 to 4, 2026. There, the ZHAW will showcase applications of autonomous robotics in real-world environments.