Podcast Summary: NVIDIA AI Podcast

Episode: Superhuman Surgery with Moon Surgical and Maestro (Ep. 272)
Date: September 3, 2025
Host: Noah Kravitz
Guest: Anne Osdoit, CEO of Moon Surgical

Main Theme / Episode Overview

This episode centers on how Moon Surgical’s Maestro platform is reimagining minimally invasive surgery by augmenting surgeons with intelligent, AI-driven robotic assistance. The conversation explores the company’s origins, the practical workings and impact of Maestro, how AI and NVIDIA technologies empower this innovation, and the future prospects for superhuman surgery.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Origins of Moon Surgical and Platform Vision

[01:25 – 03:39]

• Moon Surgical’s roots extend to work pioneered by Professor Gayet in Paris, focusing on augmenting—rather than replacing—surgeons, with the aim to make them “super surgeons.”
• The core challenge: how to leverage existing surgical standards and surgeon expertise, while making technology easy to implement, teach, and adopt for broader accessibility.
• Early prototypes inspired Anne Osdoit, highlighting pain points like staff shortages and the need for more tailored, efficient, and empowering solutions for both surgeons and patients.
• Quote [02:32, Anne Osdoit]:
  “Wouldn’t it be greater or easier to implement if you could essentially just turn the surgeon into a lot more powerful surgeon, and leverage on the standard of care that has been developed in surgery over many decades?”

2. Personalized Nature of Surgery

[03:54 – 05:46]

• Surgical techniques are structured, but execution is highly individual:
  • Each surgeon follows unique preferences (“preference cards”), including instrument setup and procedural steps.
  • Each patient’s anatomy and circumstances create further variability.
• Quote [05:15, Anne Osdoit]:
  “Each patient is unique...the execution is incredibly variable.”

3. How Maestro Works and Redefines Surgery

[06:13 – 09:22]

• Maestro empowers surgeons with two additional AI-guided robotic arms, focusing on critical support roles:
  • Providing and maneuvering the internal camera (vision)
  • Managing tissue exposure and access
• Traditionally, these tasks fall to a human surgical assistant, which introduces inefficiency and variability. Maestro gives the surgeon direct, intuitive control—freeing the human assistant for higher-value, anticipatory tasks.
• Quote [09:14, Anne Osdoit]:
  “Surgeons absolutely love the fact that they’re in control of all these different elements because no one is ever going to better assist them than themselves.”

4. The Role of AI and Collaboration with NVIDIA

[09:56 – 15:08]

• AI was foundational from the outset, especially in personalizing the system to each surgeon’s working style and preferences.
• AI and machine learning enable the Maestro arms to anticipate and learn from each surgeon, providing increasingly seamless support.
  • This is “physical AI” in motion, where machine learning drives the mechanics in real time.
• Collaboration with NVIDIA:
  • Moon Surgical joined NVIDIA’s Inception Program early on, integrating powerful medical-grade GPUs for real-time sensing and edge computing—future-proofing the platform.
  • Close partnership enabled rapid prototyping, regulatory compliance, and expansion of training and simulation capabilities.
• Quote [10:50, Anne Osdoit]:
  “This is really where the concept of physical AI came into play before it even existed, probably, which was: hey, how about we...actuate our Maestro arms and control them?”

5. Impact on Surgical Outcomes and Operations

[16:08 – 19:24]

• Maestro streamlines the surgical process:
  • Surgeons can operate more efficiently, autonomously, and tailored to their style, requiring fewer staff resources and resulting in greater consistency.
  • Especially well-suited for high-throughput environments—addressing real-world hospital constraints.
• Early clinical results show reduced variability in procedure times and enhanced surgical quality.
  • AI automates many assistant tasks, making the process fluid and reliable.
• Quote [18:34, Anne Osdoit]:
  “At the minute that the driver has control over the gearbox, the brakes, the steering wheel and the vision, it is, of course, a lot smoother, a lot faster, and a lot more consistent... It’s a similar concept.”

6. Patient and Hospital Benefits

[19:24 – 21:44]

• Patients benefit from higher consistency, timely care (even in emergencies), fewer postponements, and, ideally, improved outcomes.
• Surgeons gain more autonomy and can provide minimally invasive care even when staff is limited—potentially reducing invasive open surgeries.
• Quote [19:26, Anne Osdoit]:
  “Everything we do is ultimately about delivering better care for patients...it’s about access to the best quality care.”

7. Addressing Surgeon Fatigue and Well-Being

[21:44 – 23:22]

• Significant reduction in both mental and physical fatigue was reported.
  • The system alleviates taxing coordination efforts and reduces physical strain from suboptimal ergonomics—leading to better moods and work-life balance.
• Hospitals benefit from more sustainable staffing models; surgeons and assistants avoid burnout.
• Quote [22:13, Anne Osdoit]:
  “It’s about both the physical and the mental load...operating rooms are short staffed...so yes, we absolutely have many reports from surgeons telling us about their fatigue.”

8. Future Prospects for Surgery and Maestro

[25:00 – 30:55]

• Already, Maestro has achieved regulatory firsts—such as FDA clearance for self-evolving AI algorithms in a surgical setting.
• Next steps:
  • Automating broader workflow efficiencies—dynamic OR scheduling, resource and inventory management, automated case notes, and real-time feedback for continuous improvement.
  • Expanding the platform to provide actionable insights for surgeons, staff, and hospital administrations—creating ongoing training loops and performance analytics.
• Maintaining the right balance:
  • Surgeon remains at the center, with full manual override and direct instrument control at all times.
  • Regulatory and safety constraints are deeply respected, with innovations deployed in surrounding (non-invasive) workflows for greater flexibility.
• Quote [28:52, Anne Osdoit]:
  “The surgeon is still...operating with their two hands. We’re assisting and enhancing them, but they’re there with their traditional instruments and training.”

9. Final Thoughts and Words of Inspiration

[31:13 – 31:52]

• Moon Surgical is charting a new paradigm for both performing and teaching surgery, making advanced care accessible to more patients and hospitals worldwide.
• Call to action for listeners:
  • “Get excited and see what’s coming with Moon very shortly.” – Anne Osdoit [31:49]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Wouldn’t it be greater...if you could essentially just turn the surgeon into a lot more powerful surgeon, and leverage on the standard of care that has been developed in surgery over many decades?”
  – Anne Osdoit [02:32]
• “Surgeons absolutely love the fact that they’re in control of all these different elements because no one is ever going to better assist them than themselves.”
  – Anne Osdoit [09:14]
• “This is really where the concept of physical AI came into play before it even existed...”
  – Anne Osdoit [10:50]
• “Everything we do is ultimately about delivering better care for patients...”
  – Anne Osdoit [19:26]
• “The surgeon is still...operating with their two hands. We’re assisting and enhancing them, but they’re there with their traditional instruments and training.”
  – Anne Osdoit [28:52]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:25: Origins and vision of Moon Surgical
• 04:11: Individuality and variability in surgical procedures
• 06:13: How Maestro works in the operating room
• 09:56: The role of AI from the outset and relationship with NVIDIA
• 15:29: Clinical impact and what Maestro delivers
• 17:29: Results – reduced procedure time variability and quality improvements
• 19:24: Patient-centered benefits and hospital perspective
• 21:44: Physician fatigue and quality of work life
• 25:00: Future vision—workflow, continuous improvement, and AI-enabled efficiencies
• 28:52: Balancing innovation and surgical human touch
• 31:13: Call to action and closing inspiration

Takeaways

• Moon Surgical’s Maestro platform is not about replacing, but empowering the surgeon—making surgery more precise, personal, and efficient, thanks to AI and robotics.
• By collaborating with NVIDIA, Moon Surgical future-proofed its system with cutting-edge computing power, enabling real-time adaptation and evolution.
• Surgeons retain central control, while AI provides seamless assistance—reducing fatigue, improving outcomes, and opening doors to continuous learning and enhanced care.
• The regulatory and practical milestones achieved signal a future where the operating room is smarter, more human-centered, and accessible.

Find out more:

• Visit Moon Surgical on LinkedIn
• Listen to more episodes at: NVIDIA AI Podcast