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John Hanke

Founder & Executive Chairman, Niantic Spatial, Niantic

Search every verified John Hanke interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. John Hanke, CEO of Niantic, has been discussing the company's shift toward building large geospatial models designed for artificial intelligence, which he described as "a new kind of map made for AI" that allows AI systems to understand and reason about the physical world. He stated that this approach is grounded in real-world data and is distinct from generative world models that create fictitious environments. Hanke expressed optimism about the potential for robotics, saying he is "very long on robots" and that humanoid robots "are coming" and will need to navigate physical space using tools like Niantic's geospatial models. He also reflected on the company's history, including the launch of Pokémon Go, and noted that Niantic's mission has been to encourage people to go outside, exercise, and connect with others. Hanke has also spoken about the importance of play and community, describing play as a mindset of "self-motivated, self-driven engagement" and emphasizing that technology should help people "thrive as humans and connect together with other humans." He discussed Niantic's work on a 3D map of the world built from player-contributed data, which he said can be used for applications beyond gaming, such as precise navigation for delivery and logistics. Hanke contrasted Niantic's vision of a "real-world metaverse" with dystopian depictions of virtual worlds, stating that technology should draw people into the physical world rather than isolate them from it.

Recent appearances

Notable quotes

“I'm very long on robots — robots making life better for humans, improving city livability and safety; the first wave of deployed real-world robots is out there and companies like Starship and Tesla envision millions of them, and Jensen Wong said it could be the next $3 trillion industry.”

“I'm very long on robots. I think there's a massive opportunity for robots to improve all of our quality of life, to make our cities more livable and our streets safer.”

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