Tesla hires former Cruise executive as AI director: Report
Tesla has hired former Cruise executive, Henry Kuang , as the automaker's AI director, according to a report by news website Electrek on Thursday, as the company looks to expand robotaxi operations in the United States.Kuang was the head of autonomy at General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise, till last year, according to his LinkedIn profile.His appointment comes at a time when Tesla has seen a series of high-profile departures in the past year, including the resignation of two senior executives on Thursday.Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, while Kuang could not be reached.While Kuang's role at Tesla is not clear, Ashok Elluswamy, who was the first engineer hired for Tesla's Autopilot team in 2014, has largely been leading the company's self-driving initiatives.Omead Afshar, a top Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant, left the electric-vehicle maker along with North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.Tesla is going through sweeping company-wide restructuring, during which the electric vehicle maker has laid off thousands of employees and shifted its strategic focus toward AI-driven self-driving technology and robotics.The company rolled out a small batch of its Model Y robotaxis in Austin, Texas on June 22, ferrying paying passengers in a small area of the city and CEO Elon Musk has pledged to expand into several U.S. cities by next year.Musk said last month Tesla will deliver its first car autonomously from factory to customer in June.General Motors said earlier this year that it had completed the full acquisition of its Cruise business to focus on developing the autonomous technology for personal vehicles, not robotaxis.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Tesla CEO Elon Musk on jobs that AI can not replace: ‘There will be…'
Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes that while artificial intelligence (AI) is set to transform many industries, some jobs may remain uniquely human. In a response to a question posted by Peter H. Diamandis – Executive Chairman @XPRIZE on X (formerly Twitter), Musk said: 'There will be a premium for human experiences'. Diamandis, in the X post, asked the following question: 'Which jobs will AI not be able to automate?'. Musk's comment highlights a growing concern about the future of work as AI technologies become more advanced. Many experts predict widespread automation could replace jobs in sectors like manufacturing, customer service, and data entry. Although Musk did not list specific roles, it is likely that jobs involving storytelling, art, caregiving, teaching, and other deeply human experiences may retain their importance. Industries such as entertainment, therapy, education, and hospitality could be among those where people remain central. In another news, Musk has once again raised alarms about plummeting global fertility rates, asserting that a 2.7 children per woman average is needed for population stability, higher than previously thought. In a recent post on X, the Tesla CEO responded to claims that women need an average of 2.7 children per woman to maintain population stability, significantly higher than the previously accepted 2.1 replacement rate. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo "People who have kids do need to have 3 kids to make up for those who have 0 or 1 kid or population will collapse," Musk wrote, sharing his mathematical calculation for maintaining global population levels. The entrepreneur's latest comments came in response to alarming fertility statistics showing the United States currently at 1.66 children per woman, while countries like Italy and Japan lag even further behind at 1.29 and 1.30 respectively. These figures fall well short of the newly proposed 2.7 threshold, which factors in variables like childlessness rates and gender distribution. Google Search AI Mode launched in India: Does it really make your search smarter?
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Starlink to soon get regulator's final approval for India entry
US satcom major Starlink is set to clear the final regulatory requirement for offering services in India with space regulator IN-SPACe issuing a draft document for signing to the Elon Musk-owned company, people aware of the details told ET. Once Starlink signs the document-which is akin to a letter of intent and appears to be a formality-the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) will also sign and issue the authorisation. "The authorisation to Starlink will be issued soon," said a person privy to the details. After this, Starlink will be on a par with rivals Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite in terms of regulatory approvals. The company was granted a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) permit last month, becoming the third satcom player in the country that can offer commercial satcom services. However, despite securing the regulatory approvals, it will take more time for the company to start offering commercial services. The company now needs to set up earth stations or gateways and control centre in India, which is a prerequisite for players to offer satcom services. After setting up the ground infrastructure, the company has to demonstrate the services for security compliance and once the nod is given by security agencies that the company can launch commercial services. Getting a security go-ahead is crucial for satcom players, failing which the firms won't be allowed to offer commercial services, despite them holding the requisite permits. OneWeb got the satcom permit in 2021 while Jio satellite did in 2022 but both the companies are yet to secure the security compliance nod. These companies were given trial spectrum last year by the department of telecommunications (DoT) to test their services and also demonstrate to security agencies. The trial spectrum has now been extended for another six months by the DoT. The situation can be critical for Starlink as security agencies had earlier raised concerns over misuse of Starlink terminals in India, particularly in the border areas of Northeast region. ET had earlier reported about Starlink not cooperating in sharing details with the security agencies. This had forced the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to write to the DoT in March to investigate the matter. As per rules, satcom licence holders have to monitor all traffic, establish satellite earth station gateways, set up a control and monitoring centre in India, and all the traffic originating or terminating in India shall pass through Indian gateways. The companies are also required to create buffer zones along the international order. The DoT is soon expected to give trial spectrum soon to Starlink to demonstrate the security compliances. A few days back, communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had met top officials of SpaceX, which is the holding company of Starlink, to discuss collaborative opportunities for powering the country's digital ambitions through transformative satellite technologies. The DoT is soon expected to finalise the pricing and rules for allocating satellite spectrum administratively after receiving recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The regulator had recommended administrative allocation of satcom spectrum for five years for a fee pegged at 4% of the licence holder's adjusted gross revenue. Satcom companies offering services in urban areas would have to shell out an additional ₹500 per subscriber annually, but nothing for rural users. There won't be any upfront charge or allocation price for satellite spectrum, as per its suggestions.
Economic Times
10 hours ago
- Economic Times
Cryptocurrency Live News & Updates
28 Jun 2025 | 12:35:11 AM IST Metaplanet Inc. has transformed from a struggling hotel firm to Asia's leading Bitcoin proxy, boasting a 7,500% stock increase and surpassing Tesla in BTC holdings with 12,345 BTC. Metaplanet Inc. has made headlines by becoming Asia's largest corporate Bitcoin holder, surpassing Tesla with 12,345 BTC after a remarkable stock surge of 7,500%. This shift to a Bitcoin-first treasury strategy has revitalized the company, which previously struggled in traditional industries. Meanwhile, Dogecoin is consolidating between $0.15 and $0.23, with low trading volume indicating a potential accumulation phase. Bitcoin is currently testing resistance at $108,000, with traders cautious amid geopolitical events and a significant options expiry that may induce volatility. Ethereum remains below key resistance levels, while XRP is poised for potential gains as Ripple plans structural changes. Additionally, the U.S. core inflation is expected to remain low, which could influence market sentiment. As Metaplanet's ambitious plans unfold, including a target of 210,000 BTC by 2027, the broader cryptocurrency landscape is also reacting to these developments, highlighting the interconnectedness of market dynamics. Show more
