"press here" is sponsored in part by storage solutions that simplify i.t. city national bank providing loans and lines of credit that help california businesses. from ubers on the street to robots in hardware stores, automation is everywhere these days. politicians work to save jobs, but can they until a robot ceo, does he speak? my guest this week. plus a venture capitalist defends her very peculiar hire. our reporters sarah lacey and laura mandara, west coast editor of "usa today" this week on "press here."

good morning, everyone. donald trump has told silicon valley companies he wants more jobs here in america. on wednesday trump met with tech execs including apple ceo tim cook to push for those jobs. apple's been talking with the supplier about moving some of its assembly jobs from shenzhen to america. the biggest threat to american jobs in the future isn't the chinese, it may be robots. american factories make twice as much as they did 30 years ago but they do it with 1/3 fewer workers thanks to automation and automation is expanding. mcdonald's is using kiosks. the home improvement chain lowe's introduced robots. charming customer service robots that seem like no threat at all. in fact, your kids might enjoy a stop at lowe's on a saturday afternoon. one guy whose job will always be safe is marco macaro because he makes the robots.

he's ceo of fellow robotics. makes the lowe's boots joined by sarah lacey and laura mandaro of "usa today." thank you for being here today. >> thank you. >> i don't know if this is much of a threat to u.s. workers because your robot doesn't have any arms? >> how can we help in a better way the customers coming into the store? we're seeing a lot of innovation happening in that space. how can we tell not just by greeting people with a handshake but how can we use that data? >> presumably this could have been done by someone standing at the door. >> walmart greeter. >> what did they think of a robot greeter in the store? >> what we have seen is they are pretty happy about it. they've seen that actually the robots are helping them make better decisions. for example, we know exactly what all the items they are looking at.

these stores have more than 100,000 different products. the robot knows exactly where everything is in the store and it helps them by sending them information to a phone say, hey, you know what, hammers are in this location. it can help better the customers when they come through the store. >> maybe the lowe's bot isn't a threat to jobs. robots have taken a lot of manufacturing jobs and created the kind of angst that elected donald trump. i found the meeting with tech leaders kind of ironic since tech companies primary function is displacing a lot of jobs, whether you're taxi drivers or whether it's the new amazon go stores which aren't going to have people at checkouts. where does it go from the lowe's bot, which may be -- you know, we all buy the argument that's not displacing a job and it's nonthreatening, to something we should be concerned about when you see the people in red america who genuinely are displaced and cannot pay their bills and are freaked out.

>> we thought back in the day that it was smart to do that, or a micro wave, people thought the micro wave was not going to replace a kitchen. it's a tool. we're seeing these the same way. robotics come here, it takes a lot of time for the people to be on the floor when actually they can be helping customers in a better way. with more data we can make better decisions where we station them and what products the customers might be looking into. >> what does the robot do that you wished it did but it doesn't? >> that would be great, that didn't work. >> yeah, i think one of the things is conversation. if you comment to the robot, siri, hey, i'm looking for this specific thing, it's still not there. there's a lot of things that need to happen in order to have a robot that is conversational, but that's exactly when the human conversation. there is something very complex that the human is asking and the robot cannot answer. there you go. someone can help you. we have cases of people coming saying, hey, i have my broken

pot, what should i use to fix it. perfect. the robot isn't going to be able to tell you that but can call someone and say, we need help here. >> how did you come up with the design? we're thinking they're cute, harmless, you see them with the big heads and eyes. they look way too human like androids than they look scary. so i notice yours doesn't have arms, it kind of shuffles around. was this intentional that it wouldn't scare people? >> that was the point, actually. we wanted to make it as simple as possible. the goal is not to have arms. it's more like information kiosk, gather data, helping customers and employees. for that you don't need that in the robot. you need something simple that does the job that's going around and helping with basic questions or gathering information from products on the chef. for that you don't need a robot that does that. >> do you need a robot? why not have a static kiosk?

>> we tested that a little bit at the very beginning. it was stationary for a little bit. we found customers and employees were more engaged when it was moving. when it was roaming around, slow speed to help people. >> you're educated in mexico. you've worked in germany. you've worked in japan. who's doing it best? as you look at this new robot revolution, japanese seem like a natural fit. germans have great engineering. america has great innovation. who's the best? >> every country has been great in terms of robotics innovation. we've seen a lot how quickly the technology is evolving. we're starting to see a lot of different explanations affecting it in a positive way. what companies do before, now a couple of people interact. no matter where they are, we're

starting to see a lot of what's going into it. >> now you're obviously a fan of robots. a lot of people are freaked out by robots. if you look out 10, 20, 30 years what do you want to see robots doing and what would terrify you? >> that's a great question. in japan robots they see as a threat. here in america -- >> i don't think the west world has helped. >> and there's a great example. japanese, robotics are helpful.

they complement things a lot. >> that's what terrifies people. were you terrified? >> what have i done? >> we are always trying to help the people and i think that's what we're talking about. how can we develop technology that empowers people for good causes improving the health industry, robotics in surgery, things that humans cannot do. robotics can do surgeries at a very, very small level humans cannot do. >> appreciate you. >> thank you very much. up next on "press here" something unusual. back in a moment.

welcome back to "press here." i received a press release that made me do a double take. a venture capital firm in chicago, this company has hired mr. hall. mr. hall is a very, very successful internet businessman sta selling his first company yahoo! for $300 million. he was a teenager. he would create more companies. he is also an abuser. in 2014 he pled guilty to two counts of misdemeanor battery. he was placed on probation. he attacked a second woman and sentenced to one year in jail pending an appeal. that's why i did the double take. i was surprised to see him get a

job offer. i asked the person if she would come and answer some questions. i had my second question because she said yes. linda runs the company. he sits on your board of advisors. i assume you invited him and why don't you explain to me what the thought process was. he was an unusual hire to say the least. >> well, i believe the very first comment that we made, i shouldn't be talking about it in details, but i personally find him to be a thorough gentleman. as far as the technology, that's why we have him on board. i'm not sure if you're familiar with the data, but the traditional tech industry has been on the decline. >> there is no question he is

brilliant at ad tech. he's had two or three companies. he's sold them and generated two or three million. ad tech and the two or three things you're trying to accomplish there. you still have to convince me about the hire. let's start with the simple thing. what does he do for you? >> he sits on our advisory board. he's in the ad tech industry and gives us his experience in the ad tech industry and he is a perfect fit in our board. i find him to be a thorough jampt for me, you know, i'm very comfortable having him as a board advisor in my firm. >> now earlier this year we saw pretty disturbing allegations about a sequoia partner, mike gogan. a lawsuit was brought by a woman who said she had been his sex slave. he admitted he had an affair with him. his partners were stunned.

there was no evidence, there was no videotapes, there was nothing that proved these allegations were true and yet sequoia, the top venture firm who i think entrepreneurs would go to probably no matter what immediately fired him because they felt like in this day and age they could not employ someone like that at their firm given where we are as an industry with treatment of minorities and women. i think that is has been escala when a man has had several women treat them in a certain way and women feel like their claims of abuse don't matter, aren't heard. why did you feel that a level sequoia held themselves to was not a level you needed to hold yourself to as a firm. >> you are what you see in people and situations to be very honest and i am a true believer

it's all about value add, value creation. like i mentioned before, i find him to be a thorough gentleman. so to me in gentleman like form. >> he has been convicted and i think he's sentenced to jail so i guess my question -- i have two questions. one, what is the real up side? is it just his experience? is he opening doors and somehow are those doors opening despite his sentencing? and how do you go into a meeting and say, i want to invest -- this is my board, i mean, his reputation is well known, and he's headed to jail. >> well, that's a question that you need to ask his legal department. i'm in no position to comment on any of that. >> what do you say to the companies you want to invest in or want to partner with given that background? do you put a spin on it? do you defend it and say that conviction was wrong? he pled guilty but i don't

believe him? how do you go out there? what do you get out of it exactly? is it his brain power or is it his connections or is he investing? >> he's not an investor. however, i personally feel -- we had put out a press release a couple of weeks ago now. we have received positive feedback from the investment community and even the television community so personally i think maybe because i'm a woman i'm not facing the kind of questions that a typical person would and like i said, you know, i have known him long enough to have him on our board and feel comfortable. >> that's my point i think if a man who is a vp hired jahal, in some ways we would be giving him even a more hard time. with you you hear more the

confusion in our voice, a woman who runs a venture capital firm. let's start with the very basics. we can move on to something else in a second. but you knew when -- did you invite him to the board? >> i did. >> okay. when you invited him to the board you were aware of the allegations and in some cases the actual plead that were against him, right? >> yes. i -- i -- i personally think i have read a lot of stuff in the media and i choose to take my own stand based on my personal experience with him. >> you're not worried that you're somehow air brushing his situation? you're a female vp. somebody might say, he's not that bad because this professional woman is giving you some kind of public backing. you're now in some way a public face of what he's doing. it's pretty convenient for him one would think, but i question whether that -- how does that

put your situation? >> my views are avery contradictory views. i feel very differently than what i'm seeing. to me what you're saying is coming as a surprise. why would i not have him on a board? >> because he can make you a lot of money? >> i think he's a perfect fit for our board in general. if you look at his track record -- >> oh, phenomenal. he's a phenomenal businessman. >> there are a lot of people with great track records who are not headed to jail for abuse. he's not the only person -- >> headed to jail. let's clarify, headed to jail for violating probation on a charge of abuse. >> right. fair point. but this is not something -- this is not just an allegation that has been -- you know, that's out there and we don't really know. i mean, this is one of the more extreme cases.

>> he pled guilty. this wasn't a media story. >> well, like i said, i'm in no position to comment on that. his legal department would be the right person to reach out to. i can only speak of our firm. >> you're a small firm. are you comfortable with this being the first impression a lot of people know of of your firm? >> people that have known us, it's not like i rolled out of bed i've been in the industry long enough. people that know us believe that -- genuinely disrupting technology and they're disrupting multiple industries. >> what investment have you made that has paid off or that you're most proud of? let's get to your venture capital side of it. what are you proud of? >> first of all, i think i'm really proud of what it means. disrupting the --

>> using crowd funding? >> yes. in 2008 what happened is the financial meltdown led to liquidity crisis for entrepreneurs, companies. >> i promise you my viewers are extremely familiar with the credited investing and i promise that they are. i have a limited amount of time and we've kind of hammered you so i want to give you the opportunity. when it comes to what you're most proud of in what you're doing, whether it's investments or what you've accomplished, what sort of things would you want people to say don't think of me as the woman connected to jahal. think of me as the woman who did? >> think of me as the woman who invested in disrupted technology. >> fair enough. >> thank you. >> i'd like to point out we did let mr. jahal's defense attorney noah head of time that we were going to do this interview and we asked for any sort of comment and we did not get any.

"press here" will be right back.

welcome back to "press here." one of the most interesting executives here is selina lo. she rang the bell for ruckus. she's decisive, independent, a standout. ruckus was bought by brocade.

the outspoken leader is in a place where she's not used to, in the middle of the organizational chart. it's on the state of wireless. your own father calls you bossy -- i have it here. she was a ring leader and bossed everyone around. this is your dad who said this. can you manage having a boss who has a boss? >> yes. yes. i always have a boss even when we were an independent company. the board was my boss and the investors were my boss so, you know, it's just new direction. >> i've known you for a while so when you were an independent company you did what the board told you or the board did what you told them? >> always negotiations just like with any boss. >> i want to ask you. you grew up in hong kong. i've seen some research from silicon valley bank that women in china have double the percentage of c level jobs in the tech industry. the president is the only company, uber, we have seen time after time after time again

these powerful tech companies have women at the c level. when you were growing up in hong kong was there something in this environment however you described her, empowered, in the middle of it. >> bossy. >> i'm putting the positive spin or i'll get hit from cheryl. like that thing we all want our daughters to be? >> well, i think coming from a very asian upbringing but also being in hong kong, it's a british colony when i was growing up, you learn to go with the system but learning to work within the system and at the end learning to get what you want. and so i think we all had a little bit of that training, but i do agree with you, in china and in a lot of asian -- asian countries with heavy chinese population, we see a lot of female cfos in the united

states. >> sitting at the power play, i'd love to hear your take on the tech center at trump tower. how the whole thing unfolded but who got invited, where people sat and, you know, what -- to you was there anything substantive or was this kind of a show and, you know, maybe the leader sort of calling people in to say, i've got the upper hand, you have to come in, even if you hated me? >> you know, we -- i wouldn't give you my personal opinion about this. >> you just did. >> your face did it. >> don't play poker. >> you're right. but i would say that part of what we have to do as women and as executives and as adults and as citizens is to participate no matter what the condition is. >> did you have a choice not to go? >> i think the -- you know,

there's a bit of protest that we need to do and we need to be able to make sure that our voices are heard, but at the end of the day if we are absent from the table, we wouldn't get the choice. so i would say that begrudgingly we have to participate but we have to make sure that our agenda's represented. >> so what is the thing that you're most worried about with the incoming administration? you know, the chinese trade, immigration, very opposed to that. all of the things that affect the industries and the people of the area. >> potentially including a diplomatic situation with china that we have not had for decades and decades and decades. >> yeah, that's always complicated, but the one thing that worried me about watching the whole election process was how much security or the lack of internet security, you know, can

change the course of something that is so important. we're not talking about stealing credit cards and things like that which, you know, is bad enough, but the leakage of mail, whether it's true or not, the leakage of news, whether it's true or not, and the manipulation of all of that has changed the course of the election and that's something for us to think about. >> is that what you're saying, getting to wireless in your business, is that what you're seeing customers are more worried about? security over speed? speed was everything a few years ago. >> we all slaved to connectivity and i think a lot of times people when they see an open network, they can't help themselves. oh, lazy, maybe i just -- >> do this one thing and i'll be done. >> yeah. check my bank balance. >> you do the wicked fast wireless in silicon valley. when you go online, that's you. >> we do wicked fast wireless in san jose. we do the wireless in san diego, in a number of bay area cities

and in san francisco in all the parks. >> i have to throw out the last question because i'm up against the clock. >> yes. >> are you finding that some of your customers are repeat customers who need to upgrade or are you still spreading? in other words, wireless needed to get faster and you can provide that? >> both, but the spreading part, you know, it's amazing. >> we're still spreading. >> yeah, we are. >> selina lo, we were up against a bit of the clock. i appreciate you being here. "press here" will be back in a moment.

that's our show for this week. our thanks to our guest. if you missed the talk about robots, every show is available online at pressheretv.com. so we would love it if you like it. i'm scott mcqueary.

thank you very much for making us part of your sunday morning. damian trujillo: hello and welcome to

"comunidad del valle." i'm damian trujillo, and today, a local artist, plus an educator who's getting the job done, on your "comunidad del valle." male announcer: nbc bay area presents "comunidad del valle" with damian trujillo. damian: we begin today with the health of our children. dennis acha is with the department of public health in santa clara county. he's with us here on "comunidad del valle." welcome to the show. dennis acha: thank you very much. damian: so, tell us, first of all, before i ask you some of my specific questions, what are you here to announce or what do you want to spread the word about? dennis: i'm here specifically to alert families with children that if they are denied for coverage from medi-cal and covered california that it's not too late. there are additional options, county options, that they could sign up for to obtain the healthcare services.