As AI continues to expand beyond the digital world into real-world applications, AAVI recently sat down with AEye to discuss the growing role of perception in the era of physical AI, in an exclusive interview first published in the April 2026 issue.
Please describe your company?
At AEye, our focus is simple – we give machines sight. Just as systems like ChatGPT unlocked the value of digital intelligence, physical AI depends on the ability to perceive and understand the real world. We’re building the technology that enables that – delivering ‘vision’ optimized for machines.
Our platform allows systems to see far beyond human capability, at greater distances and in challenging conditions like low light or high speed. That level of perception is foundational to making intelligent systems safer, more reliable, and ultimately more useful.
You mentioned ‘physical AI’ – what does that mean, and why is it important now?
For years, AI has been focused on digital environments – processing text, images, and data in the cloud. Physical AI brings that intelligence into the real world. Think about vehicles, infrastructure, or industrial systems. Before AI can make a decision, it needs to understand what’s happening around it. That starts with perception. The more accurately and earlier a system can detect and interpret its environment, the better decisions it can make. That’s what allows machines to operate safely, improve efficiency, and unlock entirely new capabilities across industries.
Where does sensing technology fit into that evolution?
Sensing is the foundation. Without high-quality input, even the most advanced AI can’t perform effectively. Most people are familiar with cameras and radar, which are widely used today. But as systems become more advanced, those technologies alone aren’t always enough—especially when you need precise 3D understanding at long distances or in complex conditions.
That’s where lidar comes in. It provides highly accurate spatial data, allowing machines to build a detailed, real-time model of their environment.
AEye is known for long-range performance – why does range matter?
Range directly translates into time – and time is critical for safety. At highway speeds, the ability to detect an object even moments earlier can make a meaningful difference in how a system responds. That additional time enables smoother, safer decisions. This is especially important not just for passenger vehicles, but also for trucking, rail, aviation, and defense – any application where speed and distance are key factors. Our approach is focused on delivering what we call “ultra vision”—giving machines the ability to see farther and react sooner than ever before.
What differentiates AEye’s approach?
A key differentiator is the system’s software-defined architecture, which enables adaptability and performance optimization over time.
Traditional sensing systems are largely fixed in how they operate. Our approach allows us to dynamically adapt how the system focuses, what it prioritizes, and how it performs based on the application.
That flexibility enables us to optimize perception for real-world conditions—whether that’s long-range detection on a highway or targeted sensing in complex environments. It’s about delivering the right data at the right time to support better decision-making.
What impact do you see this having long term?
As physical AI continues to scale, perception will become one of its most critical building blocks.
When machines can see farther and understand more, they can operate more effectively, delivering improved safety, productivity and security across a wide range of applications. Ultimately, this technology isn’t just about autonomy – it’s about enabling smarter systems that better support people in the real world.
At AEye, we’re focused on advancing that vision – quite literally – by giving machines the ability to see the future.
Any final thoughts?
As AI moves from software into the physical environment, sensing technologies are becoming the backbone of intelligent systems. Under Matt Fisch’s leadership, AEye is positioning itself at the forefront of that shift – developing lidar platforms designed to help machines See Farther, Think Faster and Act Sooner.
The future of AI won’t just be something we interact with on screens – it will be embedded in the infrastructure and vehicles that move the world around us.
This interview was first published in the April 2026 issue of ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle International magazine – subscribe to receive future issues, here.
