Best Podcast Episodes About Waymo
Everything podcasters are saying about Waymo — curated from top podcasts
Updated: Mar 26, 2026 – 19 episodes
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Ridealong has curated the best and most interesting podcasts and clips about Waymo.
Top Podcast Clips About Waymo
“… started with the one thing everybody could probably agree on. Boston's streets, the battleground here, were barely fit for human driving, let alone Waymo. Boston is one of the oldest major cities in the country, with narrow one-way streets, alleys, and the lack of a traditional grid system. It's really, really difficult to drive. You look at the map, it looks like a child's drawing, you know. We also have issues with double parked cars, ride shares, delivery vehicles. After lambasting Boston streets a while longer, the people here get to the issue that'll actually dominate these hearings. Jobs. …”
“And so Boston, for me, was a test case. Are we capable? Were our politics ready? So here's how things began. Bostonians were here today to talk about something contentious, jobs. But they started with the one thing everybody could probably agree on. Boston's streets, the battleground here, were barely fit for human driving, let alone Waymo. Boston is one of the oldest major cities in the country, with narrow one-way streets, alleys, and the lack of a traditional grid system. It's really, really difficult to drive. You look at the map, it looks like a child's drawing, you know. We also have issues with double parked cars, ride shares, delivery vehicles. After lambasting Boston streets a while longer, the people here get to the issue that'll actually dominate these hearings. Jobs. In particular, union jobs. We need to address potential layoffs for our union drivers with the introduction of self-driving cars. I think it's important that, you know, we listen when we hear Teamsters and the Carmen Union, SEIU and countless residents. who feel blindsided by this. The App Drivers' Union, Abdi Aziz's union, were the stars of the …”
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In a heated discussion in Boston, unions are rallying against the introduction of self-driving cars, fearing job losses for drivers. The episode from the Search Engine podcast highlights the passionate testimonies of union members, particularly from the App Drivers' Union, as they advocate for their right to unionize and protect their livelihoods against companies like Waymo. As Boston's streets pose unique challenges for autonomous vehicles, the city's strong union culture plays a pivotal role in this ongoing debate.
“… decade ago and seeing where that would have been by now is just hard to think about. Yeah. And so Uber is valued at $150 today, something like that. Waymo was valued in February of this year at $126 billion. And so, yes, Waymo has been working on self-driving longer, but you have to imagine that there's another 50 billion of market cap if you have a serious play. What would Waymo be valued if Travis was the CEO? You would get some type of Travis premium on it. Just the market would say you have this sort of one-of-one entrepreneur in the seat. A hundred percent. And just to sort of recap where …”
“… and Dara has answered this question, you know, thousands of times right now. The strategy is to invest in self-driving companies, partner with self-driving companies. But not the same as having developed their own internal IP and product starting a decade ago and seeing where that would have been by now is just hard to think about. Yeah. And so Uber is valued at $150 today, something like that. Waymo was valued in February of this year at $126 billion. And so, yes, Waymo has been working on self-driving longer, but you have to imagine that there's another 50 billion of market cap if you have a serious play. What would Waymo be valued if Travis was the CEO? You would get some type of Travis premium on it. Just the market would say you have this sort of one-of-one entrepreneur in the seat. A hundred percent. And just to sort of recap where things stand. I mean Shervin Peshavar has been on the show as well We had like everyone from this saga in the TBP in orbit Both Travis and Bill Gurley have been on the show Shervin's been on the show. Emile Michael's been on the show. We've talked to a number of people that have been around this story, and it's a fascinating one. It's one of the most …”
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Benchmark's leadership decisions may have cost Uber a potential $500 billion in market value. The debate centers on whether the ousting of CEO Travis Kalanick was a mistake, with some arguing it destroyed the firm's reputation and future opportunities. This discussion draws parallels to the philosophical Ship of Theseus, questioning if Benchmark can still be the same entity after significant changes in leadership.
“… Uber and start running their direct competitor self-driving car program, that's when you get in trouble. And that's when what's technically called Waymo at this point, Google's program, sues Uber and puts Anthony at the center of an enormous legal battle between these tech giants.”
“… maybe if he had stayed there, this is the kind of thing Anthony would have done and he would have been like, oh, it's just so I could have access to it somewhere else and he probably would have gotten away with it. But when you then go and work for Uber and start running their direct competitor self-driving car program, that's when you get in trouble. And that's when what's technically called Waymo at this point, Google's program, sues Uber and puts Anthony at the center of an enormous legal battle between these tech giants.”
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In a shocking turn of events, Uber's self-driving program emerged as a direct threat to Google's autonomous vehicle initiative, Waymo. After experiencing a wake-up call from a ride in Google's prototype, then-CEO Travis Kalanick realized Uber had to dive into the driverless car race, leading to a legal showdown over stolen technology. This rivalry escalated when Uber hired key talent from Google, igniting a fierce courtroom battle that would define the future of self-driving technology.
“… 911. one. When the first responder arrived, they administered NACAN. Had I not seen him enacted quickly, he may have died. To me, a person, to Waymo, an obstacle to avoid. You had union members who drove UPS trucks, ambulances. And while these Teamsters were not immediately under threat from Waymo's robo-taxi service, they knew that driverless technology was not going to stop there. We see the writing on the wall. We know that driverless car and truck companies are salivating at the idea that they could eliminate Teamster jobs. Nationally, the Teamsters actually sat out the last …”
“He was unconscious and unresponsive. And it became clear that he had overdosed. I stayed with him, flagged down a homeowner who called 911. one. When the first responder arrived, they administered NACAN. Had I not seen him enacted quickly, he may have died. To me, a person, to Waymo, an obstacle to avoid. You had union members who drove UPS trucks, ambulances. And while these Teamsters were not immediately under threat from Waymo's robo-taxi service, they knew that driverless technology was not going to stop there. We see the writing on the wall. We know that driverless car and truck companies are salivating at the idea that they could eliminate Teamster jobs. Nationally, the Teamsters actually sat out the last presidential race. But in Boston, the Teamsters are still welded to the Democrats, and the Democrats are welded to them. Just a few months ago, I was knocking doors with drivers across the city to give them the right to organize. You guys just were able to unionize, and this would just be a huge blow to you all. As the city councilors began to ask union …”
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In Boston, the introduction of Waymo's driverless cars has ignited fierce opposition from unions, fearing job losses for human drivers. City Councilor Julia Mejia confronts Waymo executives, highlighting the lack of communication and the existential threat these technologies pose to the workforce. The clash reveals deep-seated tensions between technological progress and labor rights in a city known for its union roots.
“… the thing that I'm today most excited about. Just getting to a place where any major metropolitan area, you can fly into the airport and then take a Waymo and go anywhere you want to go. That is insanely exciting to me right now. So then, you know, technically, what I'm most excited about is all of the rapid progress in AI and the world models, the foundational model work. And it is just such a massive boost to how much we can simplify the system, how much we can bring down the cost and how we can scale globally.”
“… I'm super excited right now about the accelerating global expansion. More cities in the United States and going internationally. So being, I understand I'm not answering your question about the knowledge. I'll come back to that. But really, that's the thing that I'm today most excited about. Just getting to a place where any major metropolitan area, you can fly into the airport and then take a Waymo and go anywhere you want to go. That is insanely exciting to me right now. So then, you know, technically, what I'm most excited about is all of the rapid progress in AI and the world models, the foundational model work. And it is just such a massive boost to how much we can simplify the system, how much we can bring down the cost and how we can scale globally.”
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Waymo is on the brink of revolutionizing urban transport by expanding its self-driving services to major cities worldwide. Co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov reveals how advancements in AI and sensor technology, including the use of LiDAR and radar, are crucial for navigating diverse driving conditions. The dream is to seamlessly integrate autonomous rides into everyday travel, transforming how we move in metropolitan areas.
“… and actually 90% fewer crashes that cause a serious injury. Some independent experts have small quibbles with the methodology, but broadly they find Waymo's data credible. Timothy pointed out there's one very important thing we don't know, the fatal crash comparison. For every 100 million miles humans drive, we cause a little over one fatal crash. The Waymo driver has driven 200 million miles without causing a fatal crash But statistically speaking that could still be a fluke Some academics have suggested we need about 300 million miles to have statistical confidence In the hundreds of millions …”
“So 80% fewer airbag crashes than human drivers, and actually 90% fewer crashes that cause a serious injury. Some independent experts have small quibbles with the methodology, but broadly they find Waymo's data credible. Timothy pointed out there's one very important thing we don't know, the fatal crash comparison. For every 100 million miles humans drive, we cause a little over one fatal crash. The Waymo driver has driven 200 million miles without causing a fatal crash But statistically speaking that could still be a fluke Some academics have suggested we need about 300 million miles to have statistical confidence In the hundreds of millions of miles the Waymo driver has traveled, it was involved in two fatal crashes, which it did not appear to cause. Here are the details of those crashes. In one, a speeding human driver rear-ended a line of vehicles at a stoplight. There's an empty Waymo in the line of struck cars. In another crash, a Waymo was yielding for a pedestrian. It was …”
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Waymo's autonomous vehicles have shown 80% fewer airbag crashes and 90% fewer serious injuries compared to human drivers. Despite some skepticism about the data, experts agree that Waymo's safety record is promising, with no fatal crashes attributed to their cars over 200 million miles. However, the ongoing scrutiny and incidents raise important questions about the future of driving jobs and the technology's impact on society.
“… something that you were very early on. How do you think about what you're seeing in the playing field of self-driving? Because my lord, Waymo's making great progress. Tesla's making great progress. Pick a winner. Pick a winner between Tesla, Waymo, Uber. or like it might even be a collection. Uber seems to be building a network of stuff. Yeah, I mean, the number of... Pick a winner. The number of players in this space is crazy now, right? Yeah, look, there's... I think there's more noise. There's more bark than there is bite right now. Look, I think Waymo obviously is ahead. The …”
“… It's like, dude, this is Uber. I'm like, but I think in the physical AI space, That's sort of a Tesla thing. But there's so many things to do. You got to shoot your shot. You got to do some stuff. And rumors that, hey, you might not be done with self-driving, something that you were very early on. How do you think about what you're seeing in the playing field of self-driving? Because my lord, Waymo's making great progress. Tesla's making great progress. Pick a winner. Pick a winner between Tesla, Waymo, Uber. or like it might even be a collection. Uber seems to be building a network of stuff. Yeah, I mean, the number of... Pick a winner. The number of players in this space is crazy now, right? Yeah, look, there's... I think there's more noise. There's more bark than there is bite right now. Look, I think Waymo obviously is ahead. The existence proof is there. Their issue is manufacturing and scale and urgency and fierceness. It's like, come on. Let's win. Let's go. Yeah. You know, Uber had an autonomy project back in the day, and they have a different strategy these days. I haven't been there for a while. So, but the point is, is that you, so you got Waymo, then you've got Tesla, …”
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Travis Kalanick argues that Tesla is becoming the Google of the physical AI era, dominating the landscape much like tech giants did in the past. He highlights the challenges and opportunities in the self-driving space, comparing competitors like Waymo and Uber while emphasizing the urgency for innovation. This moment could signal a transformative shift in how we interact with autonomous systems.
“And so everything does make a lot of sense Back to the safety point prior to Waymo I would drive my kids to after school activities probably four or five times a week. Now I send my kids to the high school in the Waymo. You live in the Bay Area for context. Yes, in the Bay Area in Palo Alto. And so now my kids are a little bit, find a little bit cringe, you know, coming up to school in a Waymo. But I feel fundamentally safer having my kids in Waymo. Whoa, whoa. You can't drop cultural pop culture knowledge like that and not …”
“And so everything does make a lot of sense Back to the safety point prior to Waymo I would drive my kids to after school activities probably four or five times a week. Now I send my kids to the high school in the Waymo. You live in the Bay Area for context. Yes, in the Bay Area in Palo Alto. And so now my kids are a little bit, find a little bit cringe, you know, coming up to school in a Waymo. But I feel fundamentally safer having my kids in Waymo. Whoa, whoa. You can't drop cultural pop culture knowledge like that and not tell us about that. Did you just say that Waymos are cringe? No, my kids feel a little bit cringe. I know, but kids are the future. The four of us are the past tense. Why is it? I would have thought arriving at school without your parents would be fundamentally cooler. Because I remember my mom dropping me off and wanting to die. So what am I …”
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Waymo's autonomous vehicles have changed the way parents transport their kids, offering a safer alternative to traditional school drop-offs. In Palo Alto, one parent shares how his children initially found arriving in a self-driving car 'cringe,' but now embrace it, highlighting the rapid acceptance of autonomy in daily life. This shift not only saves time but also influences how regulators perceive the safety and adoption of autonomous vehicles.
“… see We can even have a race It like the first person to automate their driving Let me over a weekend We do have an autonomy track at World Fair Waymo was there. Yeah. NVIDIA did send people those for Goot. Because he didn't have the driving thing yet. Yeah. Yeah, that's cool. I think Karma also has a version of this. Karma, yeah, they have open source driving. They've done a fun hackathon on it. He and I had a talk. Because what I really want is a Tesla. With Tesla-level self-driving. Yeah. but as a smart car, like a two-seater. That's basically a wheelchair with a roof. I don't think they …”
“… it with a treasure island in the middle of the day that's like just see like Yeah, like how many cameras do we need, right? Like one two three four I don know maybe five states I don know yeah but I think we gonna try You just do it with us We could see We can even have a race It like the first person to automate their driving Let me over a weekend We do have an autonomy track at World Fair Waymo was there. Yeah. NVIDIA did send people those for Goot. Because he didn't have the driving thing yet. Yeah. Yeah, that's cool. I think Karma also has a version of this. Karma, yeah, they have open source driving. They've done a fun hackathon on it. He and I had a talk. Because what I really want is a Tesla. With Tesla-level self-driving. Yeah. but as a smart car, like a two-seater. That's basically a wheelchair with a roof. I don't think they make them in New Orleans. The demand has been there. They don't make smart cars? No. They've been like this for like five years. Really? Yeah. They were a different manufacturer. I thought it was one of those things where we'll see someone buy the brand and it'll be revived. I would buy it. Like a private Uber. Go. Someone hears this, go buy your …”
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Imagine transforming an old car into a driverless vehicle over a weekend hackathon! In a lively conversation, tech enthusiasts brainstorm how to utilize NVIDIA's open-source autonomous driving model to create a smart car that fits the unique parking challenges of San Francisco. This ambitious project highlights the innovative spirit of the AI community and the potential for collaboration in tech.
“… would become fully autonomous within a cheap sensor suite. So the fundamental difference, just to simplify it all, the Tesla approach versus the Waymo approach, just to really keep it simple is the way more approaches, lots of sensors and lots of compute and maps. And the Tesla version is very few sensors, no maps over, you know, no high fidelity maps and just generalizing here and a cheaper compute for the lack of better word. And the Tesla version of a product uh this is in the industry is called an L two plus plus product is going to be available everywhere because it literally cheaper and …”
“Many, many companies are working in versions of that that would become fully autonomous within a cheap sensor suite. So the fundamental difference, just to simplify it all, the Tesla approach versus the Waymo approach, just to really keep it simple is the way more approaches, lots of sensors and lots of compute and maps. And the Tesla version is very few sensors, no maps over, you know, no high fidelity maps and just generalizing here and a cheaper compute for the lack of better word. And the Tesla version of a product uh this is in the industry is called an L two plus plus product is going to be available everywhere because it literally cheaper and it doesn require like HD maps The Waymo product functions better in a geographically constrained area So you fast forward five years, both of these types of technologies will be much more ubiquitous. L2++ and L4 will be much more ubiquitous, not only in the Bay Area or in parts of China, but really globally. There are companies working on this …”
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In just five to seven years, every car could have some level of autonomy, changing how we view driving and navigation. As AI becomes ubiquitous in industries like farming, mining, and trucking, it will not only enhance productivity but also reduce accidents significantly. Instead of fearing job loss, we should embrace AI as a necessary tool to support an aging population and declining workforce.
“… changed my mind. I mean, it is just really hard. I mean, obviously, the most important part of this robot revolution right now is self-trapping. And Waymo is doing amazing things there. The open question there is, can they solve all of the nitty gritty fleet management and other aspects of it and drive those costs down to make it an actually profitable business? Like, that is still a big question mark. Obviously, in terms of like warfare, what's going on with AI drones in Russia and Ukraine is absolutely astonishing. And obviously, in logistics, there's just tons and tons of stuff happening in …”
“… and whatever. And Jensen Wang is, you know, going on all the time about robotics being you. I feel like you were skeptical that we're really on the verge of a robot revolution. But have you changed your mind on that as well? No, I don't think I've changed my mind. I mean, it is just really hard. I mean, obviously, the most important part of this robot revolution right now is self-trapping. And Waymo is doing amazing things there. The open question there is, can they solve all of the nitty gritty fleet management and other aspects of it and drive those costs down to make it an actually profitable business? Like, that is still a big question mark. Obviously, in terms of like warfare, what's going on with AI drones in Russia and Ukraine is absolutely astonishing. And obviously, in logistics, there's just tons and tons of stuff happening in terms of just making things get out the door of the warehouse. So all of those things are kind of individually, incrementally transformative. But this idea that, you know, we're going to have humanoid robots, which are going to have this takeoff moment, this chat GPT moment, and are suddenly going to be doing a huge variety of tasks, I think it …”
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A Texas lawyer uses AI deposition co-pilots to enhance her courtroom effectiveness, ensuring precise answers from witnesses in real-time. This innovative approach demonstrates how AI can inject creativity into product development, as seen with Clorox's brainstorming sessions that led to the creation of the toilet bomb. These examples highlight AI's transformative role in various industries and the potential for even greater integration in our daily lives.
“… to also pay ESPN $30 a month. Oh, God. Think about the fans, just for once. No, they're making way too much money. Way too much money. All right, so Waymo admitted in a Senate hearing that when their self-driving cars get confused by something like a construction cone, or a person, or a weird intersection, they signal to remote operators to help in the Philippines. Now, so these folks are not steering the car like Mario Kart. No. They're not doing that. They provide what they say contextual guidance. They say, you know, yes, that is a human, please do not hit them. That's important stuff. Really, …”
“… Isn't that fun? So exciting. Did you see what Major League Baseball did with their TV contract? No. They paid $50 a season, which actually is really a good price. And then they immediately signed a deal with ESPN, and to access that, you then have to also pay ESPN $30 a month. Oh, God. Think about the fans, just for once. No, they're making way too much money. Way too much money. All right, so Waymo admitted in a Senate hearing that when their self-driving cars get confused by something like a construction cone, or a person, or a weird intersection, they signal to remote operators to help in the Philippines. Now, so these folks are not steering the car like Mario Kart. No. They're not doing that. They provide what they say contextual guidance. They say, you know, yes, that is a human, please do not hit them. That's important stuff. Really, so they're not grabbing a remote control and steering the car around the cone. They're saying, that's a cone, go ahead and drive over it or move to the right. Now, but here's the part that I found interesting. All the workers are headquartered in Manila. Manila has the worst traffic on the planet Earth. Rush hour speed, their tops is 11 miles per …”
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Waymo's self-driving cars rely on remote operators in Manila, known for the world's worst traffic, to provide contextual guidance when confused by obstacles. Ironically, these operators are adept at navigating chaotic streets, making them uniquely qualified to advise on simple road issues like construction cones. This bizarre hiring choice raises questions about the effectiveness of using traffic experts from a notoriously congested city for autonomous vehicle operations in Phoenix.
“… native 然后就是data driven 坚定的走data driven 然后不断的去把rules based的东西越搞越少 然后去去去完成这个过程 他现在完成了没有? 现在肯定比之前好得多的多 但是具体的我也不是很清楚了 但他这个转换过程是很慢的 转换过程是比较慢的 所以其实我觉得Waymo是可以做得更快 但今天Waymo的这个结果又很好 所以所以我又很佩服 所以为什么呢这是 我觉得还是就是说这个这个 他对于长期的这个战略的这个一旦选择了之后 他的执行是很坚定的 那然后同时呢里边还是有对的人 只是调整的速度慢了一些 但还是在调整 你怎么看Waymo的商业模式? 就我觉得就是自动驾驶这里边有有这么几种商业模式啊 就是我们说自动驾驶的这个概念下 有这么几种商业模式 第一种商业模式呢 其实就是Waymo这种代表的robotaxi 那他们相当于是我自己运营车队 以自动驾驶技术然后运营车队 然后呢这个这个通过提供服务的形式 然后呢去赚每单的这个费用 然后呢第二种模式呢 是像车企这样的 那他卖车 然后把自动驾驶作为一个软件订阅的形式 向你向你收费 然后第三种模式呢 是像比如说像Momenta 这样的供应商 那么他其实是NRE加license 向这个车企提供自动驾驶的解决方案 其实还有第四种 我觉得我觉得怎么华为算是第四种 他是介于车企和那个供应商之间的 …”
“… 另类是有肢体的公司 就是有车 有很多的车能开在路上 那京东特斯拉如此的不一样 他在那一刻能做什么样调整呢 他又不能马上说我要变成一个车企 我觉得倒不是说调整到一个车企的状态 而是就是在做自动驾驶软件 自动驾驶系统的这件事上面 我们以什么样的方法论 什么样的底层逻辑去指导我们的系统设计 是Robotics的去设计 还是AI native的去设计 就这个跟我们是不是一个车企 还是是不是一个自动驾驶企业没关系 就事实上你看很多国内的这个自动驾驶的 这个制作大脑的企业 他也可以很就是用特斯拉那个方式 我就是AI native 然后就是data driven 坚定的走data driven 然后不断的去把rules based的东西越搞越少 然后去去去完成这个过程 他现在完成了没有? 现在肯定比之前好得多的多 但是具体的我也不是很清楚了 但他这个转换过程是很慢的 转换过程是比较慢的 所以其实我觉得Waymo是可以做得更快 但今天Waymo的这个结果又很好 所以所以我又很佩服 所以为什么呢这是 我觉得还是就是说这个这个 他对于长期的这个战略的这个一旦选择了之后 他的执行是很坚定的 那然后同时呢里边还是有对的人 只是调整的速度慢了一些 但还是在调整 你怎么看Waymo的商业模式? 就我觉得就是自动驾驶这里边有有这么几种商业模式啊 就是我们说自动驾驶的这个概念下 有这么几种商业模式 第一种商业模式呢 其实就是Waymo这种代表的robotaxi 那他们相当于是我自己运营车队 以自动驾驶技术然后运营车队 然后呢这个这个通过提供服务的形式 然后呢去赚每单的这个费用 然后呢第二种模式呢 是像车企这样的 那他卖车 然后把自动驾驶作为一个软件订阅的形式 向你向你收费 然后第三种模式呢 是像比如说像Momenta 这样的供应商 那么他其实是NRE加license 向这个车企提供自动驾驶的解决方案 其实还有第四种 我觉得我觉得怎么华为算是第四种 他是介于车企和那个供应商之间的 我觉得他本质上其实还是在这个车企这个层面 就赚的整车的利润 他通过这个更好的自动驾驶体验 就顶级的自动驾驶体验和顶级的座舱体验 重新定义了车 然后再加上他自己的品牌和渠道影响力 所以我觉得他的整个的营收和利润是建立在乘车这个层面 所以你觉得vimo的商业模式能走通吗 我觉得他这商业模式本身是没问题的 只不过在走通的过程当中 他就是需要克服的这个困难和阻力 然后这个周期是非常长的 就到今天为止 我觉得已经算是看到那个走通的曙光了”
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At Waymo, I realized that diving into our codebase taught me more than any paper could. While my colleague Zhao approached problems from a theoretical angle, I focused on practical solutions, which led to a unique collaboration. Ultimately, my time at Waymo was a profound learning experience that shaped my engineering mindset.
“… first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack. If you've got Waymo's in your town, you're about to see some different-looking Waymo's. Quoting CNBC, Waymo on Thursday said, it has begun using its sixth-generation driverless system to provide robotaxi rides to employees on Ojai vehicles, which use a base model made by Chinese automaker Geely. By upgrading their driverless tech and adding more vehicles to its fleet, Waymo aims to extend its U.S. lead and lock in loyal riders. The Alphabet-owned company said its …”
“… are at Nordstrom Rack stores now. And that means so many new reasons to rack. Because I always find something amazing. Just so many good brands. Because there's always something new. Join the Nordy Club to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack. If you've got Waymo's in your town, you're about to see some different-looking Waymo's. Quoting CNBC, Waymo on Thursday said, it has begun using its sixth-generation driverless system to provide robotaxi rides to employees on Ojai vehicles, which use a base model made by Chinese automaker Geely. By upgrading their driverless tech and adding more vehicles to its fleet, Waymo aims to extend its U.S. lead and lock in loyal riders. The Alphabet-owned company said its sixth-generation Waymo driver uses more cost-effective parts and should be able to navigate through harsher weather conditions than previous generations. The new system will serve as the primary engine for our next era of expansion, Waymo Vice President of Engineering Satish Jayachandran said in a statement. Waymo is offering service on its Ojai …”
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Steve Yegge warns that AI is draining value from software engineers, turning them into overworked machines. He describes two scenarios: one where companies capture all the productivity gains, leading to burnout, and another where engineers benefit by working less but risk their company's survival. Currently, the industry is stuck in the first scenario, causing an unsustainable workload for developers.
“… something a little bit different. You walk through it, you drive through it, the world responds to you. And it was so good that within one week, Waymo, which is a self-driving car company worth $126 billion, they took that technology and built the most advanced driving simulator ever created. They can now simulate things that the cars have never seen, like tornadoes or elephants in a highway or snowstorms in cities that never get snow. So today we're going to break down what world models actually are, why some of the biggest companies on earth are racing to build them, and why this might be …”
“… more important to creating AGI than ChatGPT was itself. They released an AI that doesn't predict text, it simulates reality. You describe a world and it builds it in front of you in real time, 720p, 24 frames a second, just like a video, except there's something a little bit different. You walk through it, you drive through it, the world responds to you. And it was so good that within one week, Waymo, which is a self-driving car company worth $126 billion, they took that technology and built the most advanced driving simulator ever created. They can now simulate things that the cars have never seen, like tornadoes or elephants in a highway or snowstorms in cities that never get snow. So today we're going to break down what world models actually are, why some of the biggest companies on earth are racing to build them, and why this might be the most important shift in AI since the Transformer. Yeah, Demis Hassabis, the head of Google DeepMind and Google's AI efforts, said something a few weeks ago that I haven't been able to get off my mind, which is world models will be the single most important thing that Google focuses on this year to take us to AGI. And all I could think of was …”
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Google's new AI, Genie 3, can simulate entire 3D worlds in real-time, revolutionizing how we interact with virtual environments. Unlike traditional AI that predicts text, Genie 3 builds immersive experiences where users can walk through and manipulate their surroundings. This technology is already being adopted by companies like Waymo to enhance self-driving simulations, marking a significant leap towards achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI).
“… is this? This is not a mess, but I don't know. I suppose in the future if like the best job available to humans is like closing the doors of Open Waymo's that they got off of Rent-A-Human, it will be a mess. Yes, I would say this is a warm mess that is getting warmer because this kind of thing leads to some very worrisome places. And I don't want to live in a world where we're just the sort of fleshy extensions of the AI agents. Oh come on, Kevin, live a little. All right, that's the Hot Mess Express. And hopefully the last time anyone says”
“… and not real. But I don't know, after some of the stories that we've heard today, including Scott's story about the agent, yeah, would not be surprising to me if we saw some of this stuff happening for real sometime soon. So Casey, what kind of a mess is this? This is not a mess, but I don't know. I suppose in the future if like the best job available to humans is like closing the doors of Open Waymo's that they got off of Rent-A-Human, it will be a mess. Yes, I would say this is a warm mess that is getting warmer because this kind of thing leads to some very worrisome places. And I don't want to live in a world where we're just the sort of fleshy extensions of the AI agents. Oh come on, Kevin, live a little. All right, that's the Hot Mess Express. And hopefully the last time anyone says”
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Meta has patented an AI that can post on your behalf even after you die, raising ethical concerns about the future of online identities. This technology, though not yet implemented, could lead to a 'dead Internet' where bots mimic human behavior. With the rise of concepts like Rent-A-Human, we may be heading toward a reality where humans serve as mere extensions of AI.
“But before I do it, you know, two things I've been at war against, Waymos, right? Yes. Did you see what happened in Austin, Texas with the Waymo? Uh-oh. Anybody see this story? Blocked an ambulance, and they couldn't get it out of the way. The ambulance was stuck because it didn't know how to get out, and they couldn't get it out and the ambulance was delayed. I don't know what happened to the person in it, but blocked it in Austin. And now even Austin regulators are like, well, what do we do about this? Imagine …”
“But before I do it, you know, two things I've been at war against, Waymos, right? Yes. Did you see what happened in Austin, Texas with the Waymo? Uh-oh. Anybody see this story? Blocked an ambulance, and they couldn't get it out of the way. The ambulance was stuck because it didn't know how to get out, and they couldn't get it out and the ambulance was delayed. I don't know what happened to the person in it, but blocked it in Austin. And now even Austin regulators are like, well, what do we do about this? Imagine that. You're on your potential deathbed and a Waymo is the reason you may not live. That's how I'm going to go. You may die because of a Waymo. One of these days my ambulance will be blocked by a Waymo just because I don't trust those things. Second, you know I'm at war with AI. Not a fan. Yep. there's a study that came out this morning that's getting …”
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Ridealong summary
In Austin, Texas, a Waymo self-driving car blocked an ambulance, delaying critical medical assistance. This incident raises serious concerns about the reliability of AI technology in life-threatening situations, highlighting potential dangers as more people rely on AI for everyday tasks. As the debate around AI and its impact on cognitive function grows, the implications for future generations could be dire.
“… fact they've solved it, but they're currently solving this March of Nines where they have efficacy up to 99.x% and they need to get it to 9999. Now, Waymo clearly has the most deployed version of this. You could actually go and you could get into a Waymo. You can get into a cyber cab in some places in Austin, but they still have the kind of guiding drivers. They haven't figured out the legislation to let them be fully autonomous. But Jensen is saying, hey, if you're not Waymo, if you're not Tesla, we have a solution for you. We are actually going to build the full sub-driving stack and integrate …”
“… gpt moment for self cars It has arrived This is a bold take because the full self industry is pretty pretty vicious Hasn it been solved by Tesla already at this point Well, it depends who you ask. It sounds like internally they feel confident in the fact they've solved it, but they're currently solving this March of Nines where they have efficacy up to 99.x% and they need to get it to 9999. Now, Waymo clearly has the most deployed version of this. You could actually go and you could get into a Waymo. You can get into a cyber cab in some places in Austin, but they still have the kind of guiding drivers. They haven't figured out the legislation to let them be fully autonomous. But Jensen is saying, hey, if you're not Waymo, if you're not Tesla, we have a solution for you. We are actually going to build the full sub-driving stack and integrate it directly into your cars for you from the sensors all the way to the software stack. And they just recently partnered with BYD, Nissan, Hyundai, and Gili. And for those who aren't aware, BYD is actually the largest electric car manufacturer in the world, more so than Tesla. They're based in China, and it's showing that NVIDIA is not really …”
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Ridealong summary
NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang claims a 'ChatGPT moment' for self-driving cars is here, as the company partners with major automakers like BYD and Uber to provide a full self-driving stack. Unlike Tesla, which controls its entire manufacturing process, NVIDIA aims to integrate its technology into existing vehicles, potentially revolutionizing the market. This collaboration could accelerate the development of autonomous driving, posing a significant challenge to Tesla's dominance.
“… out in other countries and also to be rolled out this year, Gemini's Google, Google Gemini's AI system replacing just your standard voice. Now Waymo has launched its fully autonomous robo taxi service in four more cities. Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando. You'll be seeing more of those eyepaces and increasingly those Ionic 5s with a much smaller sensor suite on top, no longer comedically large. Of course, they run a variety of sensors, unlike others such as Tesla, which means they can run in all weather conditions, have multiple sources of data. And it says that now that they've …”
“in our car of the year now Polestar is adding live lane guidance to the driver display integrating Google Maps live lane guidance starting in the US and Sweden to kick it off It be rolling out in other countries and also to be rolled out this year, Gemini's Google, Google Gemini's AI system replacing just your standard voice. Now Waymo has launched its fully autonomous robo taxi service in four more cities. Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando. You'll be seeing more of those eyepaces and increasingly those Ionic 5s with a much smaller sensor suite on top, no longer comedically large. Of course, they run a variety of sensors, unlike others such as Tesla, which means they can run in all weather conditions, have multiple sources of data. And it says that now that they've got a generalized driver system, they can go to new markets very quickly and account for differences like Houston's wide intersections or Orlando's heavy tourist traffic. Now, this could be awkward for Germany because Germany wants to roll out a social subsidy scheme for EVs which will give lower families access to drive EVs It includes all electric …”
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Ridealong summary
Germany's plan to provide EV subsidies for low-income families may hit a snag due to new EU regulations. These rules require a significant portion of EV materials to be sourced from Europe, which could exclude many affordable electric vehicles from the subsidy program. This sets the stage for a potential clash between German policymakers and European regulators over the future of electric mobility.
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