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Rivian Boosts AI Strategy with Cohere CEO’s Board Appointment

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(Credit: Rivian)

Rivian has strengthened its AI strategy by appointing Aidan Gomez, co-founder and CEO of generative AI startup Cohere, to its board. Gomez’s appointment was announced through a regulatory filing. The move underscores Rivian’s ambition to lead in automotive software and AI-driven autonomy.

Gomez is a data scientist and AI expert. He launched Cohere in 2019, focusing on AI foundation models for enterprises like Oracle and Notion. Gomez will be on Rivian’s board until 2026. His appointment expands Rivian’s board and aligns with the company’s $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group to develop software. The venture leverages Rivian’s electrical architecture expertise, licensing intellectual property, and may sell tech to other firms in the future.

Gomez’s expertise is a strategic fit, with CEO RJ Scaringe stating the AI expert’s “thinking and expertise will support Rivian as we integrate new, cutting-edge technologies into our products, services, and manufacturing.”

Rivian’s AI efforts include an AI assistant for its EVs, which has been under development since 2023, according to the automaker’s Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid.

“The AI work, which is specifically on the orchestration layer or framework for an AI assistant, sits outside the joint venture with VW,” Bensaid told TechCrunch.

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Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas sees Rivian’s value in its AI and autonomy potential, not just its EVs. “We see scope for Rivian to play a more important role in AI-enabled autonomy with potential milestones in 1H25,” Jonas said, highlighting the upcoming period as “consequential to determining Rivian’s place in the autonomous vehicle race.”

Jonas believes Rivian stands out as a non-Tesla, U.S.-based “software-defined” company with a fully integrated, AI-driven autonomous platform fueled by advances in generative AI and large language models.

Gomez’s board role positions Rivian to capitalize on AI innovations, enhancing its software leadership and autonomous vehicle development. As the EV maker navigates its Volkswagen partnership and internal AI projects, Gomez’s expertise could drive breakthroughs, reinforcing Rivian’s dual identity as an EV manufacturer and a tech innovator in a competitive landscape.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at [email protected] or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla is building Cortex 2.0 supercomputer facility in Giga Texas

The site was listed as the Central Campus Support facility, but recently, the filings have been updated as Cortex 2.0.

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Credit: @JoeTegtmeyer/X

Tesla may already have a supercomputer cluster in the Giga Texas complex, but it seems like the electric vehicle maker is not done with its supercomputer plans just yet. Based on images taken of the Giga Texas complex recently, it appears that work is now underway to construct a new facility for Cortex 2.0, a companion to the site’s existing Cortex supercluster.

New Giga Texas Facilities

As per longtime Tesla Gigafactory Texas watcher Joe Tegtmeyer, Tesla has been constructing a facility on the North side of the complex for a few months now. Initially, the site was listed as the Central Campus Support facility, but recently, the filings have been updated as Cortex 2.0. So far, work is underway for the Cortex 2.0 building shell, though permits have already been filed for other parts of the upcoming facility.

The speed of the buildout for the Cortex 2.0 facility is rapid, with the drone operator estimating that the location may be operational as early as late this year. It would also not be surprising if Tesla ends up ramping its activities at Gigafactory Texas’ Cortex 2.0 supercomputer cluster sometime next year.

FSD Training and Beyond

Tesla’s heavy investments in its supercomputer clusters are expected to help the company develop and refine its self-driving system, which is currently deployed in non-autonomous form as Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised. Tesla is expected to launch a robotaxi service in Austin in a few weeks, though these vehicles are expected to use FSD Unsupervised, which would be fully autonomous.

Apart from FSD, Tesla’s Optimus program will likely require a substantial amount of computing power as well. Elon Musk has stated that Tesla should be able to build its first “legion” of Optimus robots this year, with production ramping next year. Considering these ambitious timelines, perhaps Giga Texas’ Cortex 2.0 facility would be fully busy as soon as it becomes operational.

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Check out a recent drone flyover of the Giga Texas complex in the video below.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Optimus dance video showcases the company’s quick progress

Elon Musk shares a new video of Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, dancing with improved flexibility and control.

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(Credit: Tesla)

Elon Musk recently shared a Tesla Optimus dance video, showcasing the humanoid robot’s light feet and the company’s quick progress.

In 2021, Tesla announced it would develop a humanoid robot during AI Day. At the time, the company didn’t even have a prototype. To celebrate the announcement, a human dressed as a humanoid robot came out and danced for the crowd at the event. Fast forward a few years, and Tesla’s Optimus bot finally has some moves to show off.

The first time anyone got a real preview of Optimus was in 2022, when Tesla debuted semi-functional prototypes at AI Day. One Tesla Optimus bot walked on stage while another performed some arm movements. At the time, critics noted the Tesla Optimus bot’s reliance on teleoperation for some tasks.

By 2023, Tesla unveiled Optiumus Gen 2, demonstrating advanced tasks like sorting colored blocks, maintaining yoga poses, and some dancing. Tesla also noted that the robot’s hands improved to 11 degrees of freedom (DoF). Tesla Optimus hands in production units have 22 degrees of freedom.

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Late last year, Tesla Optimus robots attended the company’s “We, Robot” event, performing tasks like serving drinks and interacting with people in the crowds. Teslarati played rock, paper, scissors with Optimus at “We, Robot.” The Tesla bots danced in synchronicity at the event with their arms and torsos.

Tesla’s progress with Optimus has been quite a ride over the past few years. Now Optimus can add to its dance moves with more flexibility and control over its legs. The recent Tesla Optimus dance video marks the beginning of the next phase for the humanoid robot: production.

According to Tesla’s Q1 2025 updated letter, the company has already started limited production of the Optimus bot at Tesla’s Fremont Factory. Elon Musk announced plans to produce over 1,000 units of Tesla Optimus for internal use in 2025 and external sales by 2026.

Elon Musk claims Tesla Optimus could be “more significant than Tesla’s vehicle business,” with a potential market value of $25 trillion. By automating low-skill, repetitive jobs, the Tesla bot could reshape economies, which Musk believes could lead to an “age of abundance” where goods and services are cheaper.

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Investor's Corner

Rivian stock rises as analysts boost price targets post Q1 earnings

Rivian impressed with smaller-than-expected losses & strong revenue, pushing analysts to raise price targets.

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(Credit: Rivian)

Rivian stock is gaining traction as Wall Street analysts raise price targets following the electric vehicle (EV) maker’s first-quarter earnings report. Despite a dip after the announcement, optimism surrounds Rivian’s cost control and upcoming lower-priced cars.

Last week, Rivian reported a better-than-expected Q1 gross profit, surpassing Wall Street’s forecasts with adjusted losses of $0.48 per share against expectations of $0.92 per share. The company also reported a revenue of $1.24 billion compared to the $1.01 billion anticipated.

However, the EV automaker cut its 2025 delivery forecast and capital spending due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. It explained that it is “not immune to the impacts of the global trade and economic environment.” RIVN stock dropped nearly 6% post-earnings, closing at $12.72 per share.

Wall Street remains upbeat about Rivian, citing progress toward launching lower-priced vehicles in 2026 and effective cost management. On Monday, Stifel analyst Stephen Gengaro raised his RIVN price target to $18 from $16, maintaining a “Buy” rating. He highlighted Rivian’s “solid progress” toward key milestones.

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Conversely, Bernstein’s Daniel Roeska gave RIVN a “Sell” rating. However, Roeska also lifted his Rivian price target to $7.05 from $6.10, acknowledging “better” Q1 results. He warned that profitability remains distant and hinges on multiple product launches by the decade’s end.

Overall, Wall Street’s average price target for RIVN climbed from $14.18 to $14.31, a modest 13-cent increase reflecting positive sentiment. About one-third of analysts covering Rivian rate it a Buy, compared to the S&P 500’s average Buy-rating ratio of 55%.

On Monday, Rivian stock rose 2.7% to $14.64, slightly trailing the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average, which gained 3.3% and 2.8%, respectively. The uptick may also stem from broader market gains tied to news of a temporary U.S.-China tariff suspension.

As Rivian navigates trade challenges and scales production at its Illinois factory, its Q1 performance and analyst support signal resilience. With lower-priced EVs on the horizon, Rivian’s strategic moves could bolster its position in the competitive EV market, offering investors cautious optimism for long-term growth.

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