Nabeel Hyatt, a general partner at Spark Capital and early investor in companies like Discord and Cruise, predicts that robotics will fundamentally reshape the gig economy. His latest focus is Instawork, a gig-work platform under CEO Sumir Meghani that has recently launched a robotics division. The company is developing Instacore, a data-collection device designed to solve a critical challenge in artificial intelligence: gathering the diverse, real-world data required to train robotic systems. This marks a significant shift from software-only models trained on internet content to physical AI that must learn from the complexities of the physical world. According to Hyatt, robotics companies face a "messy" reality where environments vary widely. Kitchens, warehouses, and storage facilities all differ in layout, lighting, and workflow. Unlike standardized internet data, there is no universal consensus on what constitutes high-quality training footage for robots. Some companies need egocentric video, others require teleoperation data or 3D mapping. Consequently, the industry needs massive variety to ensure models work outside the lab. Instawork is uniquely positioned to meet this demand due to its existing network of millions of workers who operate in diverse real-world settings. Regarding the future of work, Hyatt argues that robotics will not simply replace human labor but will instead create a blended workforce. In the near term, robots will generate new jobs for humans, such as mapping facilities before bot deployment, training staff to collaborate with machines, and performing maintenance when hardware fails. Historically, technological shifts often follow this pattern. For instance, the automotive industry replaced horse care jobs but created far more roles for car mechanics and drivers. While long-term automation will occur, the net result will be a shift in job types rather than a total disappearance of employment. Instawork's transition into hardware was driven by necessity rather than a strategic pivot. With millions of workers already in place, the company realized it could deploy humans to collect the specific data AI firms require. The hardware devices are tools to facilitate this data collection. Currently, Instawork focuses heavily on data collection, which comprises about 80% of its robotics efforts, with the remaining 20% dedicated to field operations like robot deployment and servicing. Over time, these functions are expected to converge. The ultimate vision is a platform where humans and robots work as an integrated team. Whether a restaurant chain or a warehouse deploys robots, Instawork provides certified professionals who understand both the technology and the physical environment. Hyatt emphasizes that Instawork's true advantage lies not in the technology itself, but in its operational capability to deploy a vast workforce into emerging categories of work, effectively managing the human side of the robotic revolution. This approach suggests a future where gig platforms evolve to manage the symbiotic relationship between human labor and intelligent machines.