Aidan Gomez Joins Rivian’s Board of Directors, Bringing AI Expertise

[comtns]

investors...technology company narrative

The question on investors' minds is whether Rivian can make that difficult transition to mass production and mass sales. Not narratives.

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[comtns]

Waymo only operates in 4 or 5 warm weather cities and only started testing on highways last year

Cities are the hard part. Google had vehicles on highways from early on. Waymo's cautious rollout has proven better than some that fell off after bad incidents.

 

[COdogman]

Cities are the hard part. Google had vehicles on highways from early on. Waymo's cautious rollout has proven better than some that fell off after bad incidents.

I appreciate their cautious approach, especially when compared with the current competition that forces all of us to be part of the experiment. But let’s pump the brakes on the “10 x safer than a human driver” stuff without providing the necessary context.

 

[captainjp]

But it doesn't get to why Rivian should do this, rather than just building vehicles, and licensing AI from the winner of the AI battles? Why shouldn't AI be left to AI companies? Just license a good system, like you'd buy a part from a supplier? The winners in AI will likely invest hundreds of billions of dollars, way past what Rivian has. A mediocre, vastly underfunded effort just wastes money, needed for the company's single shot at profitable volume production.

For that matter, why didn’t rivian just purchase licensing for software from another company instead of building their own? That would have been short-sighted and they’d be reliant on another company to maintain their software stack. Oh let’s not forget the little joint venture and influx of cash created as a result of their decision to keep it in-house.
Leave the decisions to the big boys who know what they’re doing.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

If you need AI to figure out if the Rivian app is close enough to the vehicle to unlock it, you’re doing it wrong.

Self Driving getting better, yes.

But what’s the point of your vehicle isn’t built well enough to actually drive. Or spends more time in service than on the road, if you can get service.

I don’t need AI to tell us service times are long because they can’t staff it correctly.

Keep the thread on topic. There’s plenty of threads for you to whine like an 8 year old in already. Stick to those.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

But it doesn't get to why Rivian should do this, rather than just building vehicles, and licensing AI from the winner of the AI battles? Why shouldn't AI be left to AI companies? Just license a good system, like you'd buy a part from a supplier? The winners in AI will likely invest hundreds of billions of dollars, way past what Rivian has. A mediocre, vastly underfunded effort just wastes money, needed for the company's single shot at profitable volume production.

Because Rivian already built a software stack worth 5B dollars to VW. Clearly they are going after more of that sort of business. Why buy someone else’s product when you can make the product others want to buy.

 

[RivianRiverRat]

But it doesn't get to why Rivian should do this, rather than just building vehicles, and licensing AI from the winner of the AI battles? Why shouldn't AI be left to AI companies? Just license a good system, like you'd buy a part from a supplier? The winners in AI will likely invest hundreds of billions of dollars, way past what Rivian has. A mediocre, vastly underfunded effort just wastes money, needed for the company's single shot at profitable volume production.

Probably for the same type of reasons that CarPlay isn’t offered

 

[comtns]

I appreciate their cautious approach, especially when compared with the current competition that forces all of us to be part of the experiment. But let’s pump the brakes on the “10 x safer than a human driver” stuff without providing the necessary context.

It does suggest that Waymo's fundamentally cracked it, though. Others don't have publicly available data showing similar.

 

[socaladam]

Totally get the sarcasm, but you're kind of conflating basic tech convenience with the much bigger picture of what AI brings to car innovation (and tech innovation broadly and globally).

AI is about things like predictive maintenance, autonomous safety systems, smarter energy use, and adaptive driving environments. Just because your truck works fine now doesn’t mean innovation stops there. That’s like saying smartphones were unnecessary because rotary phones made calls just fine. AI isn’t replacing the button, it’s redesigning what the whole experience can be.

I want to see Rivian plan and innovate for the future and what can be (especially as other automotive companies are doing just this, especially in China).

Imagine a vehicle that learns your driving habits and adjusts performance or cabin settings based on your mood, schedule, or even stress levels. You may not want that specifically, but you can be sure future drivers will come to expect those kinds of innovations built into a modern car.

Or how about AI that detects mechanical issues before they happen, saving you time, money, and breakdowns on the side of the road. Or smart traffic navigation and route prediction in AI systems that analyze real-time traffic, weather, and historical driver behavior to optimize routes dynamically, not just getting you there faster, but reducing fuel use and emissions along the way (or maximizing battery health and energy use broadly).

I can see the use of AI-enhanced manufacturing and QC in the factory, so that an AI systems can use computer vision to inspect parts for micro-defects with greater precision than humans can now, reducing recalls and improving long-term vehicle reliability before it ever reaches the road. We see that in various sectors of manufacturing today and Rivian factories can be part of that innovation with the right people making it happen.

In my work, I engage with AI models on a variety of levels and platforms and it's simultaneously overwhelming, dystopian, and magical. I agree with another member who posted they are tired of AI chatbots. No argument from me (who am I to tell someone what not to be annoyed with or how they feel), but the whole world needs to adapt to this new technology and the companies that see the potential and are prepared to move with consumer expectations about what the cars of the future can and should be will be the ones that survive and the ones that don't, won't. I want Rivian to be one of the companies that not only survives, but thrives.

A sarcastic comment about a 2017 door lock and talking to a real human feels too "Ok, Boomer" for this moment if we're talking about an innovation title wave that will separate true winners and losers, not just today, but in 20 years.

Like it or not, AI is the future. It may not be our future, but any 10-year-old kid today will see a much different reality in 30 years when they are making decisions about mobility and how they participate in their own transportation. Decisions the Rivian Board makes today will impact that reality. Many of us on this forum will be dead by then, but the company will (hopefully/possibility) live on. Company boards need to make decisions for today's needs and challenges and to prepare for future generations of buyers and users and I think bringing on an AI expert is an excellent move, even though it doesn't immediately make the door locks work smoother or shorten the Service Center queues.

Am I tho?

While AI might be able to do all those things, does Rivian have the software development team to help code all those items? What will they use, agentic AI? Do they have a LLM already to support the agentic agents?

What I’m saying is the company need to prioritize customer satisfaction right now. Building out an AI development team is great for the future of this company, IF and only IF Rivian can survive the next couple of years.

I’m also saying if Rivian can’t attract new customers because people aren’t willing to wait 3 months for a service appointment, what’s the point of building AI, which will likely take 2 years to develop, and another to refine.

FWIW, I work in the software/AI industry.

 

[captainjp]

what’s the point of building AI, which will likely take 2 years to develop, and another to refine.

Rivian already has an active AI along with a neural network. Take a look at the upload data for the vehicle when on your home WiFi. This stuff is well underway.

 

[socaladam]

Keep the thread on topic. There’s plenty of threads for you to whine like an 8 year old in already. Stick to those.

Talk about not staying on-topic…That’s rich coming from a K-pop Rivian fan girl who sees nothing wrong with anything this company does. Look at me, look at meeee, I have more posts than you do, I’m more important here than you are…

You must wear really really big shoes, because you’re a clown.

 

[CosmicRivian]

What I’m saying is the company need to prioritize customer satisfaction right now. Building out an AI development team is great for the future of this company, IF and only IF Rivian can survive the next couple of years.

I couldn't agree more.

If, and only if, Rivian survives, it better be well poised to make cars with the latest technology-enhanced features (and others) that I mentioned in my post. Agentic AI? Maybe. Who knows what buyers in 5-10 years will expect from their modern vehicles, but if what we are seeing in other sectors is any indication, the companies that are preparing for an AI-dominated future are the ones like to survive. I imagine you of anyone on this forum see that first hand in your current work.

I am just saying the complaining about Rivians not being as reliable as a 2017 truck FOB (and suggesting AI doesn't belong at the company in the form of an AI expert board member) is a silly criticism.

I think what we all agree on is that Rivian needs to improve and innovate to survive longterm. I see the addition of Aidan Gomez as part of that equation. As I said, him joining the board isn't going to magically reduce SC queue waits, but it's part of the larger equation of advancing the company.

 

[COdogman]

It does suggest that Waymo's fundamentally cracked it, though. Others don't have publicly available data showing similar.

I would disagree they have "fundamentally cracked it", but I agree they are headed in the right direction and I do appreciate they share the data they collect while testing. More than half the country experiences 3-4 seasons of weather. When they can be trusted all year in all states, I will get excited.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Talk about not staying on-topic…That’s rich coming from a K-pop Rivian fan girl who sees nothing wrong with anything this company does. Look at me, look at meeee, I have more posts than you do, I’m more important here than you are…

You must wear really really big shoes, because you’re a clown.

Calling me K-Pop when you’re the one crying like a 13 year old girl is pretty amusing. Maybe instead of derailing threads with your whining you should sell your Rivian and move on.

 

[COdogman]

Talk about not staying on-topic…That’s rich coming from a K-pop Rivian fan girl who sees nothing wrong with anything this company does. Look at me, look at meeee, I have more posts than you do, I’m more important here than you are…

You must wear really really big shoes, because you’re a clown.

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