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A noticeable pattern is developing in the realm of transportation — and indeed in all sectors: AI is generating employment for some while displacing others. 

General Motors, for example, terminated more than 10% of its IT workforce, approximately 600 salaried positions — as part of a strategic skills transition. This won’t equate to a direct one-to-one replacement, suggesting a probable overall job loss. Nonetheless, GM asserts it is actively hiring, and these layoffs have created opportunities to onboard IT professionals with expertise in AI.

The most in-demand skills include AI-centric development, data engineering and analytics, cloud engineering, agent and model formulation, prompt crafting, and novel AI workflows. Essentially, GM seeks individuals capable of building with AI from the foundational level — crafting systems, training models, and engineering pipelines — rather than merely utilizing AI as a productivity enhancer.

Job reductions associated with AI are growing within the automotive industry. CNBC reported that Ford, GM, and Stellantis collectively have eliminated over 20,000 salaried positions in the U.S., accounting for 19% of their total workforce, since employment peaks earlier in the decade. Although various factors contribute to these reductions, they are generally linked to technological advancements, including AI.

Businesses are increasingly embracing AI, even if anecdotes from certain engineers and founders indicate that not all these companies fully grasp its application yet. 

Samsara stands out as a company that appears to have developed a viable revenue-generating model. Over the past decade, the firm has provided its clients with cameras to install in millions of trucks for driver oversight, theft deterrence, and assisting with liability matters. This extensive data collection has enabled the company to train its own model to identify potholes and assess their rate of deterioration. They are marketing this product to municipalities and have disclosed contracts with cities, including Chicago. 

A little bird

Nothing to report this week, though I’m working on something entertaining! Feel free to reach out with insights, tips, or just to chat. You can contact us via email or Signal.

Email Kirsten Korosec at [email protected] or my Signal at kkorosec.07, or drop an email to Sean O’Kane at [email protected].

Deals!

You may have noticed that Rivian’s spinoff entity Mind Robotics secured an additional $400 million, just two months after its previous $500 million round. This rapid funding pace had me reflecting on founder RJ Scaringe’s remarkable talent in attracting VC and institutional investors for his concepts and ventures.

I assessed that investors have allocated a staggering total of $12.3 billion to Scaringe’s three ventures — Also, Mind Robotics, and Rivian. This total does not encompass the nearly $12 billion generated from Rivian’s IPO, nor does it include the recent strategic partnerships with Volkswagen Group and Uber — which might together contribute almost $7 billion to Rivian’s financial reserves. 

You can read my entire analysis on this matter here. However, if you prefer not to click, an intriguing detail stood out. I conversed with several insiders and investors, and they all highlighted Scaringe’s skill in providing undivided attention to whoever he engages with — whether an investor, supplier, or executive — making them feel like the most significant individual in the room. 

This provides further support for my longstanding argument against multitasking. Challenge me!

Additional deals that caught my eye …

Arkeus, an Australian startup specialized in developing perception technology for autonomous drones and aircraft, raised $18 million in a Series A funding round led by QIC Ventures. Other participants include R+VC, Folklore Ventures, DYNE Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, Salus Ventures, and Beaten Zone.

Aseon Labs, a startup based in Redwood City, California, has launched a depot-in-a-box for charging, cleaning, and inspecting autonomous fleets, emerging from stealth with undisclosed backing from Y Combinator. 

Rapido secured $240 million in a funding round spearheaded by Prosus, valuing the Indian ride-hailing platform at $3 billion. Existing backers, including WestBridge Capital and Accel, participated in the round, which was part of a larger $730 million financing scheme.

Quantum Systems, a drone startup based in Germany and backed by Peter Thiel, is reportedly in negotiations to raise roughly €600 million ($703 million), with companies like Airbus and Blackstone showing interest as investors, according to Bloomberg.

Notable reads and other tidbits

Is Redwood Materials poised for an IPO? Senior reporter Sean O’Kane spoke with the company’s new CFO, Deepak Ahuja, whose name should ring a bell for Tesla followers. Ahuja previously served as Tesla’s finance chief and most recently held a similar role at drone firm Zipline. 

Tesla Robotaxis have been involved in at least two crashes since July 2025 while a teleoperator was remotely controlling the vehicles, according to recently disclosed information submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Uber is expanding its footprint in India with the establishment of two new engineering campuses that can accommodate around 9,600 employees, along with a data center partnership aimed at enhancing its overall product development and infrastructure capabilities.

Waymo implemented a software update across its fleet of nearly 4,000 vehicles to assist them in avoiding flooded roads, as part of a recall announced by the NHTSA. Note: The company has not yet fully addressed the issue of how its vehicles perform under these conditions.

One more thing …

Disrupt, our flagship annual tech conference in San Francisco, is scheduled for October. Though that is some time away, I wanted to share one piece of news. This year, we will feature six stages, detailed further here. Particularly noteworthy for this audience is our AI in the Real World Stage, where we’ll explore robotics, autonomous systems, manufacturing, defense, and industrial operations.