Elon Musk recently claimed that Tesla is the leading artificial intelligence (AI) company. AI is regarded as one of the driving forces of innovation and development in the world today. More and more companies are studying how AI-powered tools can be utilized to solve basic and complex challenges. Tesla has made significant progress in widening the possibilities of AI-driven technology with the announcement of Optimus, a human-sized robot designed to undertake repetitive human tasks like grocery shipping, and Tesla's Autopilot program.

The autopilot program is a suite of driver-assist features that improve driver safety and deliver a favorable experience. Although the California-based automaker isn't the only automaker offering autopilot mode for its models, its package is arguably one of the best in the market today. Tesla's autopilot package currently comprises the basic autopilot feature, the Enhanced Autopilot feature and the Full Self-Driving mode. FSD mode is the most autonomous autopilot mode, with its unique features, Traffic and Stop Sign Control and Autosteer on city streets. However, the former is still in the beta testing phase, while the latter is yet to arrive. However, Tesla's autopilot program is yet to offer complete autonomy. Hence drivers are asked to be alert whenever autopilot is initiated.

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At the 2022 Qatar Economic Forum, Musk was interviewed by John Micklethwait, Chief Editor at Bloomberg, with discussions on a plethora of issues. Towards the end, Musk affirms that Tesla is more than a regular car manufacturer and would be viewed as a leading AI company. In Musk's interview with Bloomberg, he mentioned that Tesla is the leading AI company because of its constant investments in AI-led technology. To back his claim, he highlighted the Tesla AI Day, which is a platform for the company to demonstrate its advances in AI-driven technologies and possibly woo investors and talent. Vehicles with self-driving functionality are real-life examples of AI, and this explains why Tesla is constantly developing its autopilot package. Although Tesla EVs have recorded multiple autopilot-related crashes, the company is hopeful of actualizing autonomous driving.

 Is Tesla The Leading AI Company Today?

Photo of a Tesla Model 3

Over the years, Tesla has led the march for efficient vehicles and innovative tech. Musk's claim is a bold one that's backed by some impressive applications of AI. However, most of Tesla's AI applications are still being developed. For instance, the Tesla Bot that was shown at last year's Tesla AI Day is not yet ready for use despite the responsibilities Tesla claims it can undertake. The Bot, weighing 125 pounds with a height of 5'8" and a top speed of five mph, comes with a screen-like head that shows critical information.

According to Musk at the event, the robot is designed to be friendly and helpful. The robot will be programmed in a manner that allows humans to overpower it if the need arises to eliminate concerns about public safety. Other highlights of the events include the unveiling of the computer chip built to train Tesla's supercomputer, Dojo. Interestingly, Dojo is expected to operate Tesla's FSD mode. Around 100,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada have enrolled in the FSD beta program, with Tesla projecting that figure to hit one million at the end of 2022. Elon Musk may have made a bold statement in the Bloomberg interview, but Tesla's AI technologies will have to demonstrate their capabilities in real-time to convince people.

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Sources: Bloomberg, Tesla/Youtube