Autonomous systems' (robots, cars, satellites...) capabilities will be driven by Physical AI, Energy efficiency is not the only key constraint for future physical AI chips, as safety and robustness are extremely critical for autonomous operation To tackle the compound challenge, we need to aggressively optimize efficiency, leveraging specialization across all levels of the chip design hierarchy, pushing into domain-specific design automation tools and methodologies, while at the same time accounting for the increasing reliability concerns in advanced IC technology. In this talk, I will give concrete examples of how RISC-V enables deep domain specialization, for efficient and safe, reliable Physical AI, emphasizing the strategic importance of an open-platform approach.