local
Top developers are pivoting from chatbots to physical AI
By Matt O'Brien, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC)
· June 23, 2026
· 5 min read
Computer scientist Louis Castricato was in his eighth year studying large language models — the artificial intelligence technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude — when he started to feel like he was hitting a dead end.“We basically have passed the point of doing real fundamental LLM res...
Key takeaway “We basically have passed the point of doing real fundamental LLM research," Castricato said.
Why this matters in The Piney Point
As tech entrepreneurs like Louis Castricato pivot from chatbots to "world models," Piney Point Village residents can expect to see the impact of this shift in the local business landscape. With trillions of dollars being invested in AI development, it's likely that some of this funding will trickle down to the Houston area, potentially creating new job opportunities and attracting innovative startups to the region. The concept of "world models" has the potential to revolutionize industries such as robotics and manufacturing, which have a significant presence in Harris County. As researchers like Fei-Fei Li and Yann LeCun continue to advance the field of world models, Piney Point Village may become an attractive location for companies looking to develop and implement this technology, bringing new economic growth and development to the community. The village's proximity to Houston's major tech hubs and research institutions makes it an ideal location for entrepreneurs and researchers to collaborate and bring this technology to life.
About this story
Original reporting by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . The Piney Point surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: June 23, 2026 ·
Source: KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) ·
Reading time: 5 min
Get more The Piney Point stories like this
Free weekly briefing covering local and other local news. Curated by our editorial team. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy . Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Computer scientist Louis Castricato was in his eighth year studying large language models — the artificial intelligence technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude — when he started to feel like he was hitting a dead end.“We basically have passed the point of doing real fundamental LLM res...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 23, 2026 by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) and curated for The Piney Point readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Matt O'Brien, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC). To learn more about how The Piney Point selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Piney Point, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
← Back to all news
More local →
Today’s briefing
Subscribe to newsletter