A coffee with… Scott Williams, CEO of Xbot Robotics

At CES 2025, TechInformed met Scott Williams, CEO of XBot Robotics, the company behind AI-powered coffee-making robots that are switching up the retail and hospitality experience. We had a quick chat over a coffee — made by a robot, of course.

With a career spanning retail, technology, and even legacy entertainment, Williams brings a wealth of expertise. From venture capital to working for the late Marvel Comics founder Stan Lee, Williams shared his vision for the future of automated retail, where robots fuel local café culture.

What inspired you to lead a robot coffee maker like Xbot?

I lived in Asia for many years, most recently in China, where I worked in venture capital. Xbot was a client but hadn’t entered the US, and I was so impressed by them that I put my hand up to lead them in the US market. I bought the first unit before the company hired me as CEO.

When it comes to this technology, North America is so far behind. We all talk about it and are excited about it, but we’re way behind in terms of presence and installation. But this wave is coming.

How do you think this technology is going to revolutionise the hospitality sector?

The biggest problem the big coffee retailers have is keeping good labour. After eight-hour shifts, the baristas are tired and don’t want to work full-time, five days a week.

But more important than the impact automation has on labour is that young people are hybrid entrepreneurs. They work remotely and are figuring out ways to make money at home.

You can buy one of these robotic units, and if you are in the right location, it can make $300,000 a year; you never have to be there. It’s like buying an ATM.

We’re not just reducing labour; we’re providing more convenience and allowing entrepreneurs to do very well. There are around 80,000 coffee shops in the United States. If we get 2-3% of the market, we’ll be doing great.

You’ve had a career spanning the entertainment, technology, and venture capital sectors. How does that experience influence how you lead your company today?

My background is in logistics — FedEx, DHL, and Nokia. But I started my career in banking and finance and ended it in venture capital. So, all those different facets allow me to position myself with a good gut feeling about what works.

I used to work for [Marvel founder] Stan Lee at the end of his life in Beverly Hills. I learned a lot about how to position yourself for excitement and what the consumer really wants. Everyone knows about Stan Lee and Spider-Man, the Hulk, etc. And I learned a lot from that, from Hollywood, knowing what’s needed for customer excitement.

If it’s just a vending machine, it’s a walk-by. But if the theme is “my local personal Cafe avatar barista”, I keep the culture, but it’s digital. It’s in my neighbourhood. I know exactly what I can get, and I know I can get it quickly.

What is your prediction for the future of your industry?

Man, we’re just on the front edge. We all know that AI will be a big, big part of our lives. It’s moving so fast on the hardware side in robotics — faster than anybody dreamed it would be. I spend about an hour daily talking to AI, just asking general questions. It’s fascinating.

If you take all the big coffee retailers and the physical shops, there are thousands across the US. The people that are working there are entrepreneurs. They’re smart people. They will figure this out for themselves.

In the long term, are we all on universal welfare? I guess so. But before that happens, entrepreneurship will blossom, grow, and expand, and robotics is a great way to become an entrepreneur.

If you could have a coffee with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?

On a personal basis, it would be my late father; to sit down with him with a cup of coffee. But professionally, I’d sit down with Elon Musk and ask him, “What do you think? How are we doing? Are we on the right track?”

Whether or not a robot makes it, how do you take your coffee?

A Cortado (an espresso with steamed milk). My son introduced me to these, but for about a month, I went around asking people for a Mercado (Spanish for market). And they said, “What?” I said, “Mercado? Come on, I just said it so clearly!” Anyway, I like Cortados.

Watch the video below to see XBot’s coffee robot in action at CES 2025 in Las Vegas.

Got another sip left? Visit the A Coffee With… page and fill your cup.