Tesla CEO Elon Musk Envisions Robotaxis for Extraterrestrial Applications in Distributed Computing
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, recently shared his vision of incorporating the company’s robotaxis into applications related to distributed computing, including initiatives like the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). Musk expressed his contemplation of integrating his AI chatbot, known as ‘Grok,’ with Tesla’s electric vehicles. This integration would allow the fleet of robotaxis to run inference for Grok queries during times when they are not being used for transportation purposes.
Musk explained that while the robotaxis are not in use for commuting, they could be utilized for distributed inference, similar to how personal computers can contribute to distributed computing when not in use for other tasks. This would allow the vehicles to contribute significantly to the compute power required for activities such as SETI, potentially making Tesla the provider of the most usable inference compute on Earth.
Even when Tesla’s robotaxis become fully operational in the future, Musk estimates that they would be used for commuting purposes only one-third of the time in a week. This would leave two-thirds of the time available for distributed inference tasks, further expanding their potential contributions to initiatives like SETI.
Musk has been advocating for the deployment of fully autonomous Tesla vehicles as robotaxis since 2019. In April 2022, he predicted that Tesla would achieve volume production of robotaxis by 2024, leading to substantial growth for the company.
Apart from his interest in self-driving cars, Musk has also showcased a keen fascination with space and extraterrestrial life, given his role as the CEO of SpaceX. Although he previously stated that he didn’t believe there were aliens in our sector of the galaxy, he suggested that there might be some in distant areas. He also humorously mentioned that if evidence of aliens were found, it would likely result in increased revenue for SpaceX, emphasizing his ongoing interest in the field.
In addition to his ventures in the automotive and space industries, Musk recently released Grok, a rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Grok utilizes live data from X, enabling it to provide real-time insights and responses. Musk plans to make Grok accessible to all X Premium Plus subscribers once it exits its early beta phase, making it a prominent feature of the newly introduced premium subscription level by X.
This development showcases Musk’s commitment to merging cutting-edge technologies and expanding their potential applications. With the integration of robotaxis into distributed computing initiatives like SETI, Tesla aims to contribute to the advancement of scientific and technological endeavors beyond the scope of transportation.
As Musk continues to push the boundaries of innovation, his vision of a future where electric vehicles not only revolutionize transportation but also serve as powerful tools for scientific discovery grows increasingly tangible.
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