Adam Jonas, long known as one of Morgan Stanley’s most influential auto analysts, has taken on a striking new role: the bank’s first “global embodied AI strategist,” focused on robotics, autonomous vehicles, drones, and even flying cars. Jonas compares his research approach to a lobster fisherman placing traps in overlooked corners of the market, searching for ideas others dismiss as too unlikely or too far away. His appointment reflects Wall Street’s growing interest in private markets, where investors want deeper insight into high-profile companies long before they go public.
Jonas argues the world is approaching a “Cambrian explosion of bots,” where automation expands rapidly across industries and daily life. He predicts annual robot sales could reach 1.4 billion by 2050, producing $25 trillion in global revenue. In his view, anything that can be automated eventually will be, and nations that fail to lead will fall behind competitors.
Famous for bold Tesla calls and provocative earnings questions, Jonas now aims to give clients a “punch in the brain” through reports like The Robot Almanac. While optimistic, he acknowledges risks such as job displacement and ethical questions about human identity. Personally, he has even ordered a $20,000 home humanoid robot, sparking privacy concerns at home.
Full Story in WSJ.
Discover more from Forecasting Strategy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.