Caterpillar and CoreWeave shorten the learning loop for physical AI

What happened

Demand for new data centers (a building full of computers that runs online services), power plants and highways is fueling a construction boom, even as the industry wrestles with declining productivity and a shortage of skilled machine operators. Physical AI, which lets machines perceive their surroundings and act on them, is emerging as one answer.

has years of experience with autonomous equipment […] The post Caterpillar and CoreWeave shorten the learning loop for physical AI appeared first on SiliconANGLE . UPDATED 22:13 EDT / OCTOBER 06 2026 AI Caterpillar and CoreWeave shorten the learning loop for physical AI by Jonathan Anthony Demand for new data centers, power plants and highways is fueling a construction boom, even as the industry wrestles with declining productivity and a shortage of skilled machine operators.

has years of experience with autonomous equipment in mining. Extending that technology to construction requires systems that can adapt to more variable conditions, according to Brandon Hootman (pictured, right), vice president of physical AI platforms and construction autonomy at Caterpillar.

“Once that mine site gets instantiated, it does change, but it doesn’t change frequently,” he said. They discussed why physical AI reshapes the infrastructure behind autonomy and how the two companies are shortening the learning loop for construction machines.

Key facts

• Extending that technology to construction — requires: systems that can adapt to more variable conditions, according to Brandon Hootman (pictured, right), vice president of physical AI platforms and construction autonomy at Caterpillar