Beyond LLMs: Transformative Applications of AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) has swiftly become a cornerstone of technological progress, driving efficiencies, improving decision-making, and unlocking new capabilities. While Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini have captured much of the spotlight, AI’s transformative impact extends far beyond natural language processing. At La Honda Advisors, we view non-LLM applications as a significant area of innovation, with numerous companies competing for customers, enterprise partnerships, and market traction. This paper explores three key segments where AI is driving advancements: Computer Vision, Autonomy/Robotics, and FinOps.
Computer Vision
Computer vision is reshaping industries by enabling smarter, more efficient processes and improving customer experiences. AI-driven solutions are redefining several key sectors:
Retail
Innovations such as automated checkout systems, customer behavior analytics, and real-time inventory management are streamlining retail operations. These advancements optimize supply chains, mitigate shrinkage, and significantly boost store efficiency.
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies benefit by optimizing shelf placement, tracking key performance indicators, and improving in-store execution. Innovative firms like RadiusAI (Bellevue, WA), ParallelDots (Seattle, WA), and Autonomo (Hamburg, Germany) are at the forefront, providing cutting-edge tools that revolutionize in-store security and analytics, delivering actionable insights for retailers.
Agriculture
Precision farming is leveraging computer vision to monitor crop health, optimize irrigation, and detect pests. These technologies not only improve yields but also enhance resource efficiency, addressing critical global food security challenges. As a result, growers and legacy OEMs are increasingly adopting these innovations, often realizing immediate returns on investment.
Leading the charge in this industry transformation, Stout (Salinas, CA) and Verdant Robotics (Hayward, CA) are deploying AI-driven solutions that address labor shortages and operational inefficiencies. Monarch Tractor (Livermore, CA) integrates computer vision into autonomous electric tractors, enabling real-time field assessments to improve productivity and sustainability.
Other notable contributors to agricultural innovation include Farm-ng (Watsonville, CA), Agtonomy (San Francisco, CA), and Robotics Plus (Tauranga, New Zealand), each bringing unique advancements to enhance agricultural efficiency.
Security
AI-powered surveillance systems are revolutionizing security by detecting anomalies, performing facial recognition, and tracking movements in real time. These systems analyze visual data to identify potential threats, such as weapons or unauthorized access, with greater accuracy and speed than traditional methods. This advancement is enhancing safety and regulatory compliance across a wide range of applications, from weapon detection to secure access control in high-security facilities.
Driving these enhancements are companies like IronYun (Stamford, CT) and ZeroEyes (Conshohocken, PA), which are at the forefront of developing advanced AI-based video analytics platforms. Their scalable, proactive solutions address both public safety and enterprise security needs, setting new standards for how threats are detected and managed.
In the home security space, Deep Sentinel (Pleasanton, CA) is making an impact with AI-powered systems that leverage computer vision to detect potential threats and engage with intruders in real time. These systems ensure immediate action and provide homeowners with enhanced peace of mind. Meanwhile, Clearview AI (New York, NY) employs cutting-edge facial recognition technology to support law enforcement agencies in identifying individuals from vast public image datasets, significantly strengthening investigative capabilities.
As security threats evolve in complexity and scale, these technologies are continuously advancing, providing more adaptive and reliable security infrastructures that safeguard people, businesses, and public spaces alike.
The adoption of computer vision is transforming markets by enabling machines to process and interpret visual data at scale. Companies leveraging these capabilities improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and unlock new value propositions. As demand grows, industries are increasingly integrating these AI solutions to remain competitive.
Autonomy and Robotics
AI-powered autonomy is revolutionizing industries, with robotics, autonomous vehicles, and drones spearheading the transformation in how tasks are performed. These systems leverage advanced AI capabilities to operate independently, intelligently, and with remarkable precision. As Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang stated at CES 2025, “The ChatGPT moment for general robotics is just around the corner,” signaling an imminent wave of innovation that will redefine autonomy across sectors.
Robotics
Autonomous robots are transforming businesses by streamlining operations, reducing costs, and enhancing productivity. In logistics, robots revolutionize warehouse operations by efficiently sorting, picking, and transporting goods, enabling faster and more accurate order fulfillment.
In manufacturing, collaborative robots (cobots) work alongside humans, boosting efficiency while maintaining high safety standards. The healthcare sector is another frontier where robots assist in surgeries, conduct patient care tasks, and enable better outcomes through enhanced precision and reduced human error.
Propelling this progress, leading companies such as RGo Robotics (Caesarea, Israel), Bear Robotics (Redwood City, CA), Dusty Robotics (Mountain View, CA), and Built Robotics (San Francisco, CA) are advancing navigation, industrial automation, and construction site productivity. Each is playing a crucial role in transforming how industries operate and adapt to increasing demands for efficiency and automation.
In the retail space, Simbe (San Francisco, CA) has redefined inventory management with robots capable of real-time monitoring and analysis, significantly improving operational efficiency. Expanding into the product development domain, Mobot (New York, NY) is making strides in automated app testing on physical devices, seamlessly integrating hardware and software to streamline innovation processes.
Further pushing the boundaries of robotic capabilities, Duality Robotics (San Mateo, CA) accelerates development through simulation platforms for autonomous systems, while Realtime Robotics (Boston, MA) provides dynamic motion-planning solutions, enabling safer and more efficient robotic interactions. Canvas (San Francisco, CA) specializes in robotic drywall finishing, automating labor-intensive construction tasks to enhance productivity and ensure consistency in large-scale projects.
Altogether, these advancements are not merely optimizing existing processes but are fundamentally reshaping industries. They are setting the stage for entirely new business models and unlocking unprecedented levels of automation, underscoring the transformative potential of robotics in the modern era.
Vehicles
AI is fundamentally altering transportation with autonomous vehicles, presenting opportunities to significantly reduce traffic incidents, improve energy efficiency, and transform mobility systems. These vehicles integrate advanced AI technologies—including computer vision, sensor fusion, and decision-making algorithms—to navigate complex environments with remarkable accuracy.
Industry leaders Waymo (Mountain View, CA) and Zoox (Foster City, CA) are at the forefront of redefining urban mobility with ride-hailing services and freight transportation solutions. Foretellix (Ramat Gan, Israel) ensures safety through comprehensive testing and validation frameworks.
Building on these efforts, Axitech (London, United Kingdom), HAAS Alert (Chicago, IL), and Phantom AI (Mountain View, CA) are driving further progress by enhancing safety and operational efficiency in transportation. Meanwhile, Pronto (San Francisco, CA) and Real-Time Innovations (Sunnyvale, CA) are pioneering autonomous navigation and decision-making systems, enabling vehicles to perform reliably across diverse environments and scenarios
Expanding the scope of AI in mobility, Valerann (London, United Kingdom) leverages AI to optimize traffic management and enhance smart infrastructure, making cities safer and more efficient. Similarly, LILEE Systems (San Jose, CA) is transforming urban transit through AI-powered autonomous public transportation systems, demonstrating the potential of AI to revolutionize how cities move.
Adding to this momentum, Faction (San Francisco, CA) specializes in right-sized autonomous electric vehicles, optimizing urban delivery and reducing environmental impact by combining advanced AI with compact vehicle design. Qibus (San Francisco, CA) targets commercial vehicle applications, integrating advanced AI systems and teleoperation, while COAST Autonomous (Pasadena, CA) focuses on autonomous shuttles, offering safe, eco-friendly mobility in pedestrian zones, campuses, and urban centers.
Together, these innovations are not only making transportation safer and more efficient but also redefining the possibilities of mobility in the AI era.
Drones
Autonomous drones are altering the landscape of industries such as logistics, security, agriculture, and military operations. In logistics, drones streamline last-mile deliveries by reducing costs and expediting processes. In the security sector, they provide enhanced surveillance and situational awareness, enabling more effective threat detection and response.
Precision farming has benefited significantly from drones that analyze soil, monitor crops, and manage irrigation. Military applications leverage autonomous drones for reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision strikes, offering strategic advantages on the battlefield.
Leading these advancements, Skydio (San Mateo, CA) is pioneering drone autonomy by leveraging AI for obstacle avoidance and precision navigation. SkySafe (San Diego, CA) enhances drone security with counter-drone technologies, ensuring safe and compliant airspace operations. Additionally, Psionic (Hampton, VA) develops AI-powered navigation and sensing solutions that improve the reliability and safety of drone missions.
Expanding the logistical capabilities of drones, GoShare (San Diego, CA) integrates AI-driven platforms for route optimization and delivery efficiency. Their approach supports the seamless coordination of drones and vehicles, creating more efficient supply chain operations and unlocking new possibilities for industrial and commercial applications.
As these developments continue to evolve, drones are not only optimizing current processes, but also opening doors to innovative applications across industries. Their growing versatility and efficiency underscore their role as indispensable tools in reshaping industrial and commercial landscapes.
AI-powered autonomy drives a paradigm shift in many industries. Autonomous systems and robotics enable machines to perform tasks with precision and intelligence, reducing human error and increasing productivity. As adoption accelerates, these systems are set to redefine business operations, delivering substantial cost savings and efficiency gains. Moreover, they pave the way for entirely new business models and opportunities, solidifying autonomy’s role as a cornerstone of innovation in the AI era.
FinOps
The rise of cloud computing has introduced new financial challenges for companies, particularly in managing escalating costs. AI-driven FinOps solutions address these challenges by optimizing cloud cost management:
Proactive Cost Analysis
AI-powered tools monitor cloud usage in real-time, identifying inefficiencies and cost-saving opportunities before they escalate. Sedai (Pleasanton, CA) stands out in this domain, providing autonomous operations that optimize cloud applications and help companies mitigate rising expenses.
Finout (Tel Aviv, Israel) further enhances cloud cost management by consolidating cloud spend into a single, unified view, enabling organizations to make data-driven decisions and avoid hidden expenses. These systems also leverage predictive cost forecasting and dynamic budgeting, ensuring that organizations can anticipate expenses with greater accuracy and adjust budgets in real time to avoid overspending.
Resource Optimization
Predictive analytics tools enable companies to optimize resource allocation and workload scheduling, ensuring cost-efficiency without compromising performance. Zesty (Tel Aviv, Israel) is a prominent player in this space, providing real-time cloud cost management and dynamic resource scaling solutions.
Building on these enhancements, Densify (Richmond Hill, Canada) leverages advanced AI-powered resource management to proactively optimize cloud and container resources, minimizing waste while enhancing performance. By minimizing waste while enhancing performance, Densify ensures that organizations can operate at peak efficiency. Vega Cloud (Liberty Lake, WA) takes this a step further by offering a holistic approach to cloud cost management, integrating AI-driven tools with personalized support to streamline cost tracking and resource planning across multi-cloud environments.
Beyond this, AI-driven multi-cloud orchestration ensures optimal placement of workloads across providers, balancing performance, compliance, and costs seamlessly.
Anomaly Detection and Problem Resolution
AI systems excel at autonomously identifying anomalies in cloud environments, swiftly analyzing root causes, and implementing resolutions to maintain operational efficiency while controlling costs.
Ternary (San Francisco, CA) stands out with its collaborative FinOps platform, which empowers teams to proactively detect and address anomalies, accurately forecast budgets, and align cloud spending with strategic business objectives, ensuring seamless and cost-effective cloud management.
Intelligent Purchasing Strategies
Advanced algorithms analyze consumption patterns and recommend the best mix of reserved, on-demand, and spot instances, helping companies reduce cloud expenditures while maintaining flexibility.
FinOps solutions empower large enterprises to reduce expenses by forecasting cloud consumption and identifying cost-saving opportunities. Startups, on the other hand, leverage these innovations to maintain lean operations while scaling their businesses. By streamlining cloud cost management with AI, organizations can achieve enhanced financial agility and scalability in an increasingly cloud-dependent economy. These AI advancements not only drive operational efficiency but also establish a foundation for more resilient and intelligent financial operations.
AI’s transformative potential extends far beyond LLMs. From enabling precision and efficiency in industries like retail and agriculture to driving innovation in robotics and cloud cost management, these technologies exemplify AI’s versatility and significance. As advancements continue, the possibilities for AI to reshape industries are boundless. Companies that harness these capabilities will not only drive innovation but also position themselves for sustained growth in an AI-driven future.