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Elon Musk says he isn't ruling out merging xAI and Tesla
Business Insider· 2025-05-21 00:00
Elon Musk said on Tuesday that he isn't ruling out merging his AI startup with Tesla. "Well, I guess anything is possible," Musk told CNBC show host David Faber in a two-part interview, when asked whether Musk would ever consider merging xAI into Tesla as a way to gain more control over the EV company. "There are no plans to do so," Musk said. "It's not out of the question, but obviously it would require Tesla shareholder support." Musk launched xAI as a startup in 2023. The company acquired X, his social p ...
Google turns to Warby Parker to develop smart glasses, competing with Meta's Ray-Bans
Business Insider· 2025-05-20 23:15
Core Insights - Google is launching a new line of AI eyewear to compete with Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, emphasizing personal style and customization [1][4] - The new glasses will be part of Google's Android XR platform, developed in partnership with Samsung, and will support augmented reality and AI features [2][3] Product Development - The first line of smart glasses featuring multimodal AI is expected to launch after 2025, with additional products planned in collaboration with Warby Parker [3] - Google has committed up to $150 million to this partnership, with $75 million allocated for product development and commercialization [4] Market Context - Warby Parker's stock rose nearly 15% following the announcement of the collaboration with Google [4] - Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses have seen sales triple over the past year, with prices ranging from $300 to $500, and a new version with a built-in display is expected to launch later this year [6][7] Competitive Landscape - Meta is also developing a more advanced line of AR glasses, codenamed "Artemis," aimed for release by 2027, while Google is working on its own "Project Aura" glasses [8] - Google has been exploring smart glasses for over a decade, with previous attempts like Google Glass being discontinued in 2023 [9] Technology Demonstration - A live demo of the Project Aura glasses showcased features such as messaging, appointment scheduling, and live language translation, although the demo experienced some glitches [10]
Elon Musk says Tesla robotaxis will be geo-fenced and avoid some intersections after being asked about FSD running a red light
Business Insider· 2025-05-20 22:25
Core Insights - Tesla's robotaxis will be geo-fenced to specific areas in Austin, avoiding intersections deemed unsafe by the company [5][6] - Elon Musk criticized a recent Business Insider report that highlighted a critical error in Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, stating that the test compared supervised and unsupervised versions of the technology [3][4] - The company plans a gradual rollout of its robotaxis, starting with a limited number of vehicles and increasing to potentially 1,000 within a few months [6] Summary by Sections Tesla's Robotaxi Launch - The launch of Tesla's robotaxis is scheduled for June in Austin, with a focus on safety by limiting operations to certain areas [5] - The robotaxis will avoid intersections unless the company is confident in their performance at those locations [5] Response to Business Insider Report - Musk described the Business Insider test as flawed, arguing that it compared different versions of the FSD software [3][4] - The report indicated that Tesla's FSD ran a red light during a test, while Waymo's technology successfully avoided the same intersection [2][5] Rollout Strategy - The initial deployment will consist of approximately 10 robotaxis, with plans to scale up to 1,000 vehicles in a few months [6]
Elon Musk says there's 'no need' for Tesla to buy Uber since Tesla owners could one day join its autonomous fleet
Business Insider· 2025-05-20 22:23
Core Viewpoint - Elon Musk has dismissed the idea of Tesla acquiring Uber, stating that Tesla can operate independently with its own autonomous vehicle fleet [1] Group 1: Tesla's Autonomous Vehicle Strategy - Musk envisions a future where users can summon an autonomous Tesla instead of using rideshare services like Uber [1] - Tesla plans to allow its car owners to rent out their vehicles for autonomous ride-hailing, similar to how Airbnb operates [2] - The company aims to launch its robotaxi service in Austin next month, starting with a small fleet and scaling up to 1,000 vehicles within a few months [3] Group 2: Technology and Fleet Readiness - Musk believes Tesla has all the necessary technology and fleet capabilities to support a large-scale robotaxi service [4] - Tesla's upcoming robotaxi fleet will utilize its Full Self-Driving software, which does not require a driver [3] Group 3: Competitors' Strategies - Uber and Lyft have shifted away from developing their own autonomous vehicles but plan to offer robotaxis through partnerships with self-driving technology companies [4] - Uber has already integrated Alphabet's Waymo into its app in select cities, while Lyft has partnered with several companies to introduce autonomous vehicles by summer 2025 [5]
Elon Musk says he'll still be Tesla CEO in 5 years 'unless he dies'
Business Insider· 2025-05-20 13:58
Elon Musk has said he will still be CEO of Tesla in five years' time —unless he dies. In a video interview at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on Tuesday, the billionaire said he was committed to leading Tesla until at least the end of the decade, and would only stop "if I'm dead."His comments come as doubts have emerged about Musk's future at the EV giant, which has become a target for protests and vandalism over Musk's work cutting the federal workforce with DOGE. In a combative interview with Bloomberg ...
Home Depot won't be raising prices due to tariffs, CFO says
Business Insider· 2025-05-20 11:23
"We feel great about our store readiness and product assortment as spring continues to break across the country," he said. Home Depot maintained its full-year guidance of a 2.8% rise in total sales and an approximately 1% increase for comparable sales. Retail analysts told Business Insider that Walmart's move gave other retailers air cover to follow suit. McPhail's comments come as Home Depot posted a 9.4% rise in first-quarter sales to $39.9 billion, although comparable sales fell by 0.6% due to the impact ...
Honda plans a $20 billion pivot to hybrids as EV sales slow
Business Insider· 2025-05-20 11:03
Core Insights - Honda is reducing its EV investment by 30% from $69 billion to $48.4 billion through the 2031 fiscal year to stabilize its future in a slowing EV market [1][2] - The company will focus on increasing its hybrid lineup due to changes in environmental regulations and a slowdown in EV market expansion [2] - Honda's expected EV sales ratio for 2030 is now projected to fall below the previously announced target of 30% [2] Investment Strategy - Honda plans to launch 13 new hybrid models globally starting in 2027, aiming to sell 2.2 million hybrids annually by 2030 [4] - Despite the shift towards hybrids, Honda remains committed to achieving 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2040 [4] Market Context - In the first four months of 2025, EV sales in North America increased by only 5%, compared to 25% in Europe and 35% in China [3] - The International Energy Agency indicated that higher tariffs could further increase EV prices and slow down sales growth [3] Organizational Changes - Honda is mandating US employees to return to the office at least 80% of the time by October, emphasizing the importance of in-person work in a rapidly changing business environment [5]
Jamie Dimon still won't say who'll succeed him as JPMorgan's CEO, only that there's a 'very deep bench'
Business Insider· 2025-05-20 09:13
Group 1 - The company's board is considering succession planning, but no specific successor has been named yet [1][4] - CEO Jamie Dimon emphasized the importance of maintaining the company's culture during the transition of leadership [2][3] - Dimon mentioned that the board has been interviewing several exceptional candidates for the CEO position, although no names were disclosed [4] Group 2 - Dimon indicated that he may remain in his role for several more years, suggesting he has the energy to continue leading [5] - The company has a deep bench of talent, which is crucial for a smooth transition when the time comes [1][3]
Microsoft CTO says the number of people using AI agents doubled in the last year
Business Insider· 2025-05-19 20:30
Core Insights - The focus of Microsoft's recent Build conference was on the development and potential of agentic AI, with a significant increase in daily active users of AI agents noted by Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott [1][2] Group 1: Definition and Evolution of Agentic AI - Microsoft defines agentic AI as systems that allow humans to delegate tasks, with ongoing improvements expected in their capabilities and cost-effectiveness [3] - The tech industry anticipates 2025 as a pivotal year for agentic AI, with Microsoft leading the charge in defining and developing these technologies [2] Group 2: Microsoft’s AI Tools and Features - Microsoft announced various AI updates and partnerships aimed at creating an "agentic web," leveraging its Azure platform for cloud computing tools [4] - The introduction of the Azure SRE agent for site reliability engineering, integrated with GitHub Copilot, emphasizes the role of AI agents in alleviating developer challenges [5] Group 3: GitHub Copilot and Coding Agents - The new coding agent within GitHub Copilot is designed to autonomously handle tasks such as bug fixes and code maintenance, enhancing productivity for developers [6] - OpenAI's Codex, introduced by CEO Sam Altman, represents a significant advancement in agentic coding, allowing for true task delegation in software engineering [7][8] Group 4: Collaboration and Integration - Microsoft plans to expand AI models on Azure, integrating xAI's Grok 3 and Grok 3 Mini, showcasing collaboration with other AI leaders [9] - The introduction of "Copilot Tuning" aims to create customized agents that utilize organizational knowledge, enhancing the functionality of AI tools [10] Group 5: Broader Impact and Vision - Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella highlighted the company's commitment to applying AI across its software development stack, aiming to create opportunities that empower users [11]
Walmart just made it even easier for everyone else to raise prices
Business Insider· 2025-05-19 20:04
Core Viewpoint - Walmart's announcement of price increases due to tariffs may benefit other retailers by providing them with the opportunity to raise their prices without facing immediate backlash from consumers [1][2][3]. Group 1: Impact on Retailers - Walmart's price hike sets a benchmark for other retailers, allowing them to raise prices in response to rising costs without significant consumer resistance [2][3]. - Retail analysts indicate that all retailers, regardless of size, are facing similar cost pressures and are likely to follow Walmart's lead in increasing prices [2][3]. - Experts believe that Walmart's transparency regarding price increases could foster open discussions among retailers about pricing strategies [4]. Group 2: Political Influence - President Trump's criticism of Walmart for raising prices may create caution among other retailers in how they communicate about price increases related to tariffs [5][6]. - Trump's previous warnings to companies about discussing tariff-related price hikes have sent signals to the retail industry, potentially influencing their pricing strategies [6]. - Retailers may opt to avoid public discussions about rising costs and instead allow price increases to be reflected directly on shelves [5][6]. Group 3: Walmart's Position - Walmart, as the largest retailer, is better positioned to absorb some of the impacts of tariffs compared to its competitors due to its scale [7]. - The company's ability to manage pricing changes effectively may provide it with a competitive advantage in the current retail landscape [7].