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☆ 2 New Jersey restaurateurs turned a Cybertruck into a mobile pizza oven — and they want to cook for Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-27 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The owners say they're huge Tesla fans, and want to one day cook pizza for Elon Musk. AdvertisementA pizzeria in New Jersey has transformed two Cybertrucks into pizza trucks, using one of the Tesla vehicle's most futuristic features to cook pizzas on the go. They wanted new vehicles to relieve the strain on their gasoline pizza truck, which the two partners say was frequently booked months in advance. Now, they say they are facing a huge wave of demand for their Cybertruck pizza trucks, which they've modified to cook pizzas at parties and events. Like other electric vehicles, including the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Cybertruck has bidirectional charging, allowing it to become a mobile power source for appliances and even other electric vehicles.

Persons: Tesla, —, Fabio Antonio Arbelaez, Ryan McDermott, McDermott, Elon Musk, Hurricane Helene, Elon, Arbelaez, aren't, I've Organizations: Elon, Service, Columbia, Ford, EV, Tesla, Austin Locations: Jersey, New Jersey, Columbia, Florida, Hurricane, Colombia, Texas

☆ What Harris and Trump are proposing for the economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-27 | by ( Tami Luhby | Katie Lobosco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have laid out a broad array of ideas aimed at making life more affordable and strengthening the economy, which rank at the top of voters’ concerns. Both Trump and Harris have rolled out pricey provisions without specifying how they would cover the cost. Though his campaign hasn’t released details on the proposal, Trump has indicated that he would eliminate both federal income taxes and payroll taxes, which fund Social Security and Medicare. Around half of beneficiaries – mainly those with higher incomes – pay federal income tax on their Social Security payments. Harris’ plan would also accelerate the speed of Medicare’s drug price negotiations so that the costs of more medications come down faster.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, hasn’t, Harris, Harris ’, Trump, Joe Biden’s, Biden, Sen, JD Vance, Trump’s, ” Harris, USMCA, ” Trump, He’s, Elon Musk, John Deere, ” Vance Organizations: CNN, Trump, Yale University, Security, Social Security, Center, Social, Rescue, Medicare, GOP, Biden, Republican Party, ” Invest, America, Federal Reserve, American Locations: Nevada, Las Vegas, Mexico, Canada, Texas, Florida, Harris, Midwest

☆ People paid $50,000 to reserve Tesla's new Roadster nearly 7 years ago. Its launch date remains a mystery.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-27 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk recently said Tesla's Roadster takes a back seat to more pressing projects. Nearly seven years after first unveiling the new Roadster, its release date remains a mystery. During Tesla's third-quarter earnings call, Elon Musk thanked the "long-suffering deposit holders," many of whom paid $50,000 in 2017 to reserve the much-delayed electric sports car. Related storiesMusk first announced the new Tesla Roadster in November 2017 and said it would be "the fastest production car ever made, period." The interior design of the Tesla Roadster was shown off in November 2017.

Persons: Tesla's, Elon Musk, —, Tesla, Musk, weren't, Kate Leaman, Leaman, it's, Jacob Bourne, Bourne, Dan Ives, Don Lemon, Peter Thiel Organizations: Analysts, Service, Wall Street, Business, Tesla, Base Roadster, SpaceX

☆ UFC CEO Dana White wants to fix the sport's ranking system, and has asked Mark Zuckerberg for help.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-27 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

UFC CEO Dana White wants to change the sport's ranking system. White said he talked to Mark Zuckerberg about how artificial intelligence could help. AdvertisementMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg could help improve the UFC's ranking system, which has become a point of contention for UFC CEO Dana White. The ranking system is generated by a voting panel comprised of media members from select outlets. White has criticized the UFC's ranking system in the past, including during a press conference earlier this month.

Persons: Dana White, White, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, —, Ilia Topuria, Max Holloway, David Zalubowski, Joe Rogan, Khai Wu, Elon Musk Organizations: Service, UFC, TNT Sports, Saturday, Meta, Business Locations: Abu Dhabi

The Madison Square Garden event follows a precedent set by campaigns past. President Franklin Roosevelt makes a campaign speech at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 31, 1936. APRepublican presidential candidate Herbert Hoover is seen at Madison Square Garden on October 22, 1928. APThe crowd responds with a Hitler salute as uniformed members of a German American Bund color guard march at a gathering in Madison Square Garden on February 20, 1939. None of them, however, are on the speaker’s list released by the Trump campaign for the Madison Square Garden rally.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Kamala Harris, “, ”, Grover Cleveland, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D, Roosevelt, John F, Marilyn Monroe, Franklin Roosevelt, George Wallace, It’s, Billy Joel, Elton John, Ronald Reagan, George Pataki, Elise Stefanik –, Republican –, Elise Stefanik, Elizabeth Frantz, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Elon Musk, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Mike Johnson, Stefanik, Rudy Giuliani, Tucker Carlson, Danya Gainor Organizations: CNN, Madison, Garden, New, Democratic, Republican, GOP, AP Republican, German, German American Bund, AP, Nazi, Communist Party, Trump, New York, Fox News Radio, New York GOP, Nassau Coliseum, Trump and New York, Fox News Locations: New York City, Coachella, Long, Chicago, America, Las Vegas, Madison, German American, Alabama, Midtown Manhattan, New York, Trump and, Concord , New Hampshire, – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada , North Carolina , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, “ It’s, York City

☆ Elon Musk’s X is boosting election conspiracy theories with AI-powered trending topics
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Is A Tech Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

On Monday, Grok uncritically repeated debunked allegations of wrongdoing related to the voting machine company Dominion Voting Systems. It created a “story for you” repeating unfounded allegations by X users that she used cocaine in the White House, and it created a “story for you” repeating allegations by X users that she attended parties hosted by Sean “Diddy” Combs, who’s facing federal sex-abuse charges. In recent weeks, dozens of X users have posted about “explore beta,” and the vast majority of the posts have been negative. Some X users who browse the app’s trending topics see only ranked lists of popular subjects, with no AI-generated text. It’s also not clear if X plans to expand the Grok summaries from a beta test to a standard feature.

Persons: Elon, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Musk, Grok, Grok uncritically, Grok’s, ”, Harris, Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, Combs, Misa Hylton, it’s, Joe Biden, Biden, It’s, X Organizations: NBC News, Voting Systems, Dominion, Fox News, Local, Democratic, Grok, SpaceX, Bloomberg, Trump, Trump voters, NBC, Dominion Voting Systems, Twitter, Associated Press, Reuters, soccer team Locations: Maricopa County , Arizona, Tarrant County , Texas, Pennsylvania

☆ Elon Musk defends $1 million giveaway after Justice Department warning
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Is A Tech Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Tech billionaire Elon Musk defended the legality of his super PAC’s $1 million daily giveaway to registered voters in swing states, days after the Justice Department sent a letter warning that the lottery-style contest might be unlawful. The PAC is also offering $100 to Pennsylvania registered voters who sign the petition. Musk’s daily drawing for $1 million is open to registered voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Musk took a harsher tone toward the Justice Department on two other subjects during the online town hall. He attacked the criminal prosecutions of Trump, saying they were for “political reasons,” and he criticized the Justice Department for intervening in a lawsuit in Virginia related to immigration and that state’s voter rolls.

Persons: Elon Musk, It’s, ”, Musk, Donald Trump, he’s, George Soros, “ Dennis ”, ” Musk, Trump Organizations: Tech, Justice Department, Musk’s America PAC, SpaceX, Bloomberg, Trump, Soros, NBC News, Musk’s Locations: United States, Pennsylvania, America, Arizona , Georgia, Michigan, Nevada , North Carolina , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia

☆ Biden says Elon Musk was an 'illegal worker' when he began U.S. career
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

President Joe Biden called out Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, now a Republican megadonor and Trump campaign surrogate, for hypocrisy on immigration on Saturday, saying Musk launched his long career in the U.S. as an "illegal worker" before becoming the world's wealthiest man. The president made these remarks at a campaign event to support Democrats that took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Labeling Musk as former President Donald Trump's wealthy new "ally," Biden said, "That wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker here when he was here," referring to Musk. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on Biden's remarks. Musk had arrived in the U.S. with the stated intention of attending grad school at Stanford in the mid-90s.

Persons: Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Musk, Donald Trump's, Biden, He's, Trump, Zip2, Tesla, Kamala Harris, it's, Brennan, —, Rebecca Picciotto Organizations: SpaceX, Republican, Trump, America PAC, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Washington Post, Stanford, Forbes, Twitter, Democratic, Brennan Center for Justice Locations: U.S, Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, United States, Pennsylvania, Musk's

☆ Tesla ends the week on a high fueled by earnings 'surprise'
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla stock has surged since the company reported earnings on Wednesday. AdvertisementTesla's stock price has been on a tear in the two days since the carmaker reported quarterly earnings that exceeded expectations. AvaTrade's chief market analyst, Kate Leaman, told BI that Tesla's earnings were a "surprise beat, which always gives the stock a push." Ahead of the earnings report, analysts had concerns about waning EV demand and the impact of Tesla's price cuts on its profitability. Dan Ives, a Tesla bull and an analyst at Wedbush Securities, called Tesla's earnings figures a "Goldilocks quarter."

Persons: Jacob Bourne, —, Elon Musk, Tesla, Kate Leaman, Tom Narayan, Dan Ives, Emarketer's Bourne, Tesla's Cybercab, Bourne, Chowdhry, Donald Trump, Narayan, Musk Organizations: Wall Street, Service, Wall, Business, RBC Capital, Wedbush Securities, Global, Tesla Locations: Texas, California, Bay

☆ I tried Elon Musk's Starlink WiFi on its first Qatar Airways flight. Making video calls at 36,000 feet is a game changer for business and leisure.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I was on board Qatar Airways' first flight featuring Elon Musk's Starlink internet. AdvertisementQatar Airways launched its first flight featuring Elon Musk's Starlink WiFi on Tuesday — and Business Insider was invited to the event. I was flying in the QSuite business class for this media event, but Starlink WiFi is free for passengers in every cabin. By contrast, the Starlink WiFi was as high as 215 megabits — faster than most home internet speeds. Crucially, there's almost no downtime as Starlink operates gate-to-gate, while standard inflight WiFi is only activated at cruising altitude.

Persons: Elon Musk's, —, Elon, Starlink cupcakes, Pete Syme, Tom Boon, Thom, laud Organizations: Qatar Airways, Service, Business, Doha's Hamad International Airport, Skytrax, Airlines, United Airlines, Air Locations: Doha's, Qatar, London, Europe, Instagram, Air France, Persian

☆ Tesla is offering a Cybertruck accessory that it can't fully install
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some Cybertruck owners seem to be getting their hands on the light bar accessory — but there's a catch. One YouTuber said he had to finish installing the light bar on his Cybertruck himself. AdvertisementTesla Cybertruck owners will have to do some DIY if they want to equip their vehicles with one of its most eye-catching accessories. The Foundation Series "Cyberbeast" version of Tesla's futuristic electric truck comes with an off-road light bar — an LED light fitting that sits above the front windshield. Brownlee said the light bar was also not connected to the internal harness that allows it to get power.

Persons: YouTuber, —, Tesla, YouTuber Marques Brownlee, Brownlee, Elon Musk Organizations: Service, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, Business

☆ VCs are 'hedging their bets,' backing competing LLMs like Anthropic and OpenAI, breaking a long-standing venture taboo
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( Ben Bergman | Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Venture firms are increasingly investing in competing LLM startups like OpenAI and xAI. Some VCs argue investing in multiple LLMs is strategic, while others see it as unethical. AdvertisementWhen venture firms pull out their checkbooks, there has traditionally been an unspoken rule: Do not back a competitor. Sound Ventures and Wisdom Ventures backed both OpenAI and Anthropic. There is also the matter of money, with only a handful of firms capable of writing the colossal checks required to fund LLM companies.

Persons: VCs, —, Joe Aaron, — Sheel, Andreessen Horowitz, Elon Musk's XAI, Ilya Sutskever, Umesh Padval, Padval, Anthropic, OpenAI, Gregg Hill, they've Organizations: Service, Sequoia Capital, Fidelity, Ark Invest, Sound Ventures, Wisdom Ventures, Thomvest Ventures, Parkway Venture, Madrona Ventures, NASDAQ Locations: OpenAI, Canadian

☆ NASA astronaut hospitalized after return from space station
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A NASA astronaut was flown to a hospital with an unspecified medical issue on Friday shortly after returning to Earth from a nearly eight-month mission on the International Space Station, the space agency said. The astronaut, who NASA did not name for privacy reasons, had splashed down off Florida’s coast at 3:29 a.m. ET on Friday aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule with three other crew members — two NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut. Their 235 days in space made it longer than the usual six-month ISS mission duration and marked the longest stay in orbit for SpaceX’s reusable Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Elon Musk-owned company remains the only U.S. option for NASA astronaut trips to and from the ISS.

Persons: SpaceX’s, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, Alexander Grebenkin, “, Roscosmos, Elon, Starliner, Richard Jones, Jones, William Gerstenmaier Organizations: NASA, Station, SpaceX, ISS Locations: Russian, Pensacola , Florida, Houston, Ascension, Pensacola, U.S, Gulf of Mexico

As Elon Musk continues to aggressively share conspiracy theories and misinformation about elections on X, election officials are fighting back. In three instances in the last month, Musk's posts highlighting election misinformation have been viewed over 200 times more than fact-checking posts correcting those claims that have been published on X by government officials or accounts. False claims he has posted this month routinely receive tens of millions of views, by X’s metrics, while rebuttals from election officials usually receive only tens or hundreds of thousands. “He is at least implicitly telling people: don’t trust the people that are running elections, trust me, trust x.com, trust Donald Trump. “You’re constantly building up a kind of armor against rationality, against fact-finding, and against the idea that election officials and responsible media can even be credible,” he said.

Persons: Elon Musk, they’re, Barb Bynum, ” Bynum, Donald Trump’s, Biden, Musk, Bynum, Musk’s, —, Jocelyn Benson, Benson, Bonnie Cash, Kate Conger, Ryan Mac, Seth Bluestein, Bluestein’s, ” Bluestein, Donald Trump, Hitler, ”, Kamala Harris, Eddie Perez, ” Perez, “ You’re Organizations: Corrections, NBC News, Michigan, Bynum ., Twitter, New York Times, Republican, Trump —, Atlantic, Henrico, OSET Institute Locations: Musk’s, Michigan, U.S, Bynum . Michigan, Washington ,, Philadelphia, Republican Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Henrico County , Virginia, Virginia

☆ Far-right congressman suggests N.C. Legislature should consider handing electors to Trump on Election Day
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ali-Vitali-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Ali Vitali | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

“In North Carolina, that makes a lot of sense,” Harris said to Raiklin during the Q&A in front of dozens of GOP attendees. “In North Carolina, I mean, it’s legitimate. Currently, voting is going well in western North Carolina,” Harris said before pointing blame at Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., for voicing doubts about whether he would vote to certify a Trump election victory if there are anomalies. What happens when Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson all call on this? “It’s really important to understand the mainstream Republican goal — to make Donald Trump President whether or not he wins the election,” tweeted Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Andy Harris, Donald Trump, Hurricane, Harris, Reagan, Ivan Raiklin, Trump, Raiklin, Harris ’, ” Harris, ’, Thursday’s, “, I’ve, Jamie Raskin, Bob Good, Joe Rogan —, ”, ” Raiklin, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Tucker Carlson, —, Sen, Chris Murphy Organizations: Caucus, North, Republican, Republican Party, Maryland GOP, Trump, GOP, Tea, White, House Republicans, Lincoln, SPAN, Republicans, Senate Locations: Carolina, Maryland, Talbot, Lincoln, North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina , New Hampshire , Nebraska , Arizona, Wisconsin, Nebraska, it’s

LANCASTER, Pa. — Josh Shapiro sits atop what may be one of the most important states this election, and he said he’s doing everything he can to make sure Kamala Harris wins in Pennsylvania. SHAPIRO: I’m not sure I would agree with the characterization. I’m sure you saw the Department of Justice letter yesterday. And that’s OK, folks can express their opinions, and I’m sure he’ll continue to do that. SHAPIRO: I think he is far more unstable and erratic than he was eight years ago.

Persons: Josh Shapiro, Kamala Harris, “, I’ve, ” Shapiro, Harris, Tim Walz, Shapiro, wasn’t, Joe Biden, He’s, Elon Musk —, Donald Trump’s, —, Democrat John Fetterman, Trump, SHAPIRO, It’s, I’m, they’ve, Philly, we’re, Donald Trump, We’re, Al Schmidt, Elon Musk, Sen, John Fetterman, Fetterman, it’ll, “ Geez, Arnold Palmer Organizations: NBC News, Democratic, Minnesota Gov, NBC, Steelers, Democrat, Politico, Republican, Trump, Force, Elon, Department of Justice, Twitter Locations: LANCASTER, Pa, Pennsylvania, Wilkes, Barre, U.S, Lancaster, I’m, Philadelphia, Philly

☆ Tiger Grandcubs on AI: How investors Dan Sundheim and Mala Gaonkar are thinking about the space
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Bradley Saacks | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

D1's Dan Sundheim and SurgoCap's Mala Gaonkar spoke about investing in AI a Chicago conference. Sundheim said it won't be private companies leading this tech change for once. Gaonkar said the most promising industry for short-term AI advances is the medical technology field. Sundheim, whose portfolio has billions invested in both public and private companies, believes the best way to tap into the AI frenzy is through public companies. PitchBook notes that the firm has made 228 investments in private companies since six years ago.

Persons: Dan Sundheim, Mala Gaonkar, Sundheim, Gaonkar, —, Lone, medtech, Julian Roberston's, Elon Organizations: Service, D1 Capital Partners, Tuesday's Invest, Kids, Business, Lone Pine, SurgoCap Partners, Institutional Investor, Tiger Cub, Viking Global, Tiger, Elon Musk's SpaceX, D1 Locations: Chicago

☆ Elon Musk’s super PAC awards $1 million prizes to 2 registered voters, despite DOJ warning
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Elon Musk’s super PAC awarded two $1 million prizes to registered voters in Michigan and Wisconsin on Thursday, after being warned by the Justice Department that the payments might be illegal. Musk, the CEO of Tesla and the richest man in the world, launched the sweepstakes on Saturday and his super PAC had named a winner each day – until Wednesday. The group has not provided any public explanation for the apparent one-day pause, and a spokesperson for the super PAC declined to comment. Federal filings show Musk has given nearly $119 million – including about $44 million in October – to America PAC, the super PAC he helped form to reelect Trump. He has said he hopes the sweepstakes will boost registration among Trump voters.

Persons: CNN — Elon, Donald Trump, Tesla, It’s, Musk, Josh Shapiro, reelect Trump, Trump, Betsy DeVos, Kamala Harris ’, CNN’s David Wright Organizations: CNN, CNN — Elon Musk’s, Justice Department, PAC, Trump, ”, Pennsylvania, Democrat, America PAC Locations: Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, –

☆ Senators call for DOJ probe into Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway to registered voters has raised legal questions. AdvertisementTwo Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are calling on the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into Elon Musk. AdvertisementThey noted that Musk's giveaway, which requires participants to be registered to vote in order to participate, may violate laws that forbid paying people to vote, or register to vote. Welch and Blumenthal argued that Musk's giveaway is "explicitly designed to induce people to register to vote." Spokespeople for America PAC and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Elon Musk's, —, Musk, Donald Trump, Peter Welch of Vermont, Richard Blumenthal, General Merrick Garland, Welch, Blumenthal, Garland, Spokespeople, Read Organizations: of Justice, DOJ, Service, Department of Justice, Elon, America PAC, Sens, Senate Locations: Connecticut

☆ Former U.S. ambassador to Russia criticizes Elon Musk's reported contact with Putin
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFormer U.S. ambassador to Russia criticizes Elon Musk's reported contact with PutinMichael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, and Victoria Coates, Heritage national security and foreign policy president, join 'The Exchange' to discuss the reports of Elon Musk's contact with Vladimir Putin, CEO relationships with world leaders, and much more.

Persons: Elon Musk's, Putin Michael McFaul, Victoria Coates, Elon, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Former U.S, Heritage Locations: Russia, U.S

A day after its sharpest rally since 2013, Tesla's stock on Friday headed for its highest close in more than a year as investors and analysts continued to applaud the electric vehicle company's third-quarter results. Tesla shares rose 2.8% on Friday morning to $267.79, putting the stock on pace for its highest finish since September 2023. The firm, which already had a buy rating on the stock, said it was increasing its 12-month price stock prediction to $315 from $310 "to reflect higher deliveries and higher margins." Still, Tesla's stock remains about 35% below its all-time high reached in 2021. WATCH: Tesla's price war is over

Persons: Elon Musk, Mark Read, Piper Sandler, Tesla, FactSet, Musk, Larry Ellison, Li Auto, Bernstein Organizations: Cannes Lions, JPMorgan, Forbes, Tesla, Ford, General Motors Locations: Cannes, France, FSD, California, Texas, China, U.S

☆ Alphabet's self-driving unit Waymo closes $5.6 billion funding round as robotaxi race heats up in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Waymo has closed a $5.6 billion funding round to expand its robotaxi service in and beyond Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix, where it operates today. In a statement to CNBC, Waymo co-CEOs Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov said the funding would go toward expansion and advancing the Waymo Driver for business applications. The series C funding brings Waymo's total capital raised to $11.1 billion after it raised $3.2 billion and $2.5 billion in two earlier rounds. Waymo now conducts more than 100,000 weekly trips for passengers in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco, who can hail their robotaxis via the Waymo One app. More recently, Waymo partnered with Uber to launch its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas — home of would-be rival Tesla's headquarters.

Persons: Waymo, Andreessen Horowitz, Perry, Rowe Price, Tekedra Mawakana, Dmitri Dolgov, Uber, Ruth Porat, Elon Musk, Tesla, Timothy B, Lee . Organizations: Google, Fidelity, Tiger Global, CNBC, Tesla's, GM, Cruise, Pew Research Center, Hyundai Locations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Waymo, Silver, Austin, Atlanta, U.S, Austin , Texas, Texas, California, Korean, New York, Michigan

☆ Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale on Musk-Putin conversations, state of 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPalantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale on Musk-Putin conversations, state of 2024 electionJoe Lonsdale, Palantir co-founder and 8VC founding partner, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss reports of Elon Musk's secret conversations with Vladimir Putin, state of the 2024 election, and more.

Persons: Joe Lonsdale, Palantir, Elon, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Musk

☆ Elon Musk is going 'founder mode' in his bid to get Donald Trump elected
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Musk is now deploying his trademark intensity, money, and norm-smashing to elevate a brand beyond his business empire: Donald Trump. Musk going Founder Mode is compelling to many. It could mean more of them become invested in Trump's campaign than might have otherwise, Ferrari Braun said. Ferrari Braun said Musk uses his celebrity to get people to buy into a vision. "He's trying to do the same thing for the election," Ferrari Braun said.

Persons: Elon, Donald Trump, Musk, —, Elon Musk, Brian Ott, Trump, Harris, It's, Agustin Ferrari Braun, Ferrari Braun Organizations: Pro, Trump America PAC, Service, Twitter, Trump, Business, Department of Communication, Media, Journalism, Missouri State University, The New York Times, Siena, University of Amsterdam, Tesla Locations: Pennsylvania, America, Swatara Township, Butler , Pennsylvania

☆ Putin once asked Elon Musk to not activate Starlink over Taiwan as a favor to Xi Jinping: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Vladimir Putin asked Elon Musk to withhold Starlink from Taiwan as a favor to China, per The Wall Street Journal. Musk has been in regular contact with Putin since 2022, the Journal reported, citing officials. AdvertisementRussian leader Vladimir Putin once asked Elon Musk to withhold Starlink access from Taiwan as a favor to China's Xi Jinping, The Wall Street Journal reported. AdvertisementThe Journal reported that in late 2023, Musk received his first request from the Kremlin to refrain from activating Starlink over Taiwan. Musk, SpaceX, the Pentagon, and NASA also did not respond to similar comment requests.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Elon Musk, Musk, Putin, —, Xi, Defense Department —, Ian Bremmer, Per Bremmer, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Musk's, Donald Trump, Karoline Leavitt, there's, it's President Trump, Leavitt, Trump Organizations: Street, Service, Street Journal, SpaceX, Pentagon, NASA, The New York Times, Defense Department, Business, New York Times, Eurasia Group, Kremlin, Putin, Trump, it's, Republican Locations: Starlink, Taiwan, China, Moscow, Beijing, Europe, Russia, Russian, Washington, Ukraine, Crimea

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