AI may feel software-driven on the surface — models, prompts, APIs — but beneath it all sits a rapidly evolving hardware stack that determines what’s possible, what scales, and what wins.
The Hardware of AI brings together founders, investors, and operators building and backing the physical systems behind modern AI: compute, chips, sensors, networking, power, cooling, edge devices, and advanced manufacturing.
Hosted at Google’s San Diego office, this event is designed to move past hype and into the real constraints, tradeoffs, and opportunities shaping AI’s next decade.
Speakers:
Prasad Modali – Google, Tensor Silicon
Alan Benjamin – GigaIO
Jesse Seed – Google, Silicon
Naveen Rao – Unconventional AI
Why This Matters Now
As AI adoption accelerates, bottlenecks are shifting from algorithms to infrastructure:
– Compute demand is exploding faster than supply
– Energy, cooling, and latency are becoming first-order design constraints
– Specialized hardware is reshaping performance, cost, and defensibility
– Edge AI and real-world deployment require new system architectures
– Understanding AI today means understanding the hardware stack that makes it real.
What We’ll Explore
Expect a candid, high-signal conversation around:
Where hardware innovation is most critical in the AI stackTradeoffs between general-purpose vs. specialized systemsThe role of custom silicon, accelerators, and edge computeHow hardware choices affect AI reliability, security, and scaleWhat founders should be designing for now vs. what’s coming next
Format
Short framing discussion to set contextModerated conversation with builders and operatorsCurated networking between founders, funders, and technical leadersFood, drinks, and time to go deep with the right people
This is intentionally designed to encourage real conversations, not surface-level networking.
Who Should Be in the Room
Founders & Operators
Building AI-enabled products that touch the physical worldWorking on hardware-software systems, not just modelsOperating in robotics, autonomy, sensors, compute, networking, or edge AIScaling infrastructure-heavy or capital-intensive platforms
Investors & Strategic Partners
Focused on AI infrastructure, deep tech, or hardtechInterested in defensible systems and long-term moatsExploring how hardware shapes AI outcomes and economics
Technical Leaders
Hardware engineers, systems architects, and platform leadsTeams working on silicon, data centers, edge devices, or embedded AIOperators thinking about scale, reliability, and performance in production
Google San Diego
Hosting this conversation at Google underscores a simple reality: the future of AI depends as much on infrastructure and systems engineering as it does on algorithms.
This event is about learning from that perspective — and connecting people building the next layer of the stack.
Rising Tide Partners
Rising Tide Partners (RTP) is an investment and ecosystem platform focused on backing founders building the next generation of technology-enabled systems.
RTP operates at the intersection of capital, community, and real-world execution — convening founders, investors, operators, and institutions around critical technologies that shape how industries are built and scaled.
Through curated gatherings, strategic partnerships, and early-stage investments, RTP helps founders access the right capital, expertise, and networks needed to move complex technologies from concept to real-world impact.
Request an Invite
Attendance is curated to relevant AI founders, funders, and builders to keep the conversation high-signal and relevant.
