Tesla’s board has approved a new compensation package for CEO Elon Musk, potentially worth $29 billion, despite ongoing legal challenges to his 2018 performance award. The package, consisting of 96 million shares at a discounted price, acknowledges Musk’s contributions despite his not receiving meaningful compensation in years. This decision comes as Tesla navigates challenges including falling sales, political backlash due to Musk’s involvement in politics, and a shift towards AI and robotics under his leadership. While Tesla shares have declined this year, the board believes Musk’s focus on AI and robotics will drive future growth.
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Tesla has awarded Elon Musk $29 billion in shares to incentivize him to remain at the company, particularly amidst the intensifying competition for AI talent. This move comes as the company faces a court decision regarding Musk’s 2018 pay package. The board emphasized Musk’s crucial role in leading Tesla’s transformation into an AI and robotics-focused company. The carmaker says if Musk’s 2018 pay deal is reinstated, he will forfeit the latest share award to avoid a double-dip.
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A US-German company will provide Ukraine with 33,000 AI-powered “strike kits” to convert manually-operated drones into autonomous weapons systems as part of a deal with the US Department of Defense. These Skynode computers, equipped with cameras and radio modules, will enhance the drones’ ability to track moving targets and resist jamming. The $50 million contract is separate from a larger aid package involving Ukrainian-made drones. Auterion’s CEO has stated that the delivery volume is unprecedented, and the kits are expected to be supplied before the end of the year.
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Auterion, a US-German software developer, will provide Ukraine with 33,000 AI-powered drone guidance modules, Skynode S, under a $50 million contract funded by the US Department of Defense. These modules, with deliveries expected by the end of 2025, represent a significant increase in volume. The Skynode S transforms manually operated drones into autonomous platforms, enhancing capabilities such as target tracking, object recognition, and swarming, particularly for defense against long-range strike drones. This advanced technology, which has already seen combat, is designed to operate even in GPS- and communication-denied environments, potentially intercepting thousands of enemy drones and revolutionizing drone warfare.
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Amazon has made the decision to shut down its artificial intelligence lab in Shanghai. The move is attributed to growing geopolitical tensions between the United States and China. The lab’s closure follows similar actions by other major US tech companies who have reduced their research presence in the region. The team in Shanghai was responsible for developing a neural network framework that substantially contributed to Amazon’s sales.
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Amazon is set to acquire Bee, a wearable startup featuring an AI assistant designed to analyze conversations. The Bee device, resembling a Fitbit, provides personalized summaries and suggestions to users. While the deal’s financial details remain undisclosed, concerns about data privacy have emerged due to the device’s ability to record conversations. Although Bee claims to prioritize user privacy by not storing audio, it remains uncertain whether Amazon will uphold these policies given their past practices.
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Over the weekend, Donald Trump shared a fabricated video depicting the arrest and imprisonment of former President Barack Obama on his Truth Social platform. This followed Trump’s numerous posts related to Tulsi Gabbard’s claims of an Obama administration conspiracy. The video, featuring AI-generated content and alt-right imagery, was set to the song “YMCA.” This incident occurred after Gabbard called for the prosecution of Obama administration officials, and Trump had been repeatedly posting about it since the announcement.
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China’s super soldier experiments ‘disturbing’: Ex-intelligence officer – where do we even begin with this? It’s a headline that instantly grabs your attention, isn’t it? The idea of genetically enhanced soldiers, tailored for peak performance, is straight out of a science fiction movie. And the fact that China is allegedly exploring this concept… well, it’s definitely unsettling. Let’s be clear, the whole notion is a bit of a buzzword-fest, right? “Super soldiers are genetically modified using artificial intelligence,” it screams. But what does that even mean in practice? It sounds more like a collection of hot-button terms designed to spark fear than a coherent description of a real-world program.… Continue reading
US defense department awards contracts to Google, Musk’s xAI, a development that’s sparking a flurry of thoughts and concerns. The news itself, that the Department of Defense is investing up to $200 million each in advanced AI capabilities with companies like Google and Elon Musk’s xAI, is certainly eye-catching. The sheer scale of the contracts and the potential impact on national security are hard to ignore.
This situation makes one wonder if the recent public discord between Musk and Trump is nothing more than a well-orchestrated show. Especially when you consider that Grok, xAI’s AI, has a history of making disturbing pronouncements, including anti-Semitic remarks and even providing instructions on how to commit violent crimes.… Continue reading
The newly developed “patriotic chatbot” represents Russia and Belarus’ ongoing initiative to achieve technological and ideological self-reliance, a trend that has accelerated following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This project is part of a broader strategy to detach from Western influence and establish independent digital infrastructure. This initiative underscores the governments’ commitment to controlling information flow and fostering a specific ideological narrative within their digital spaces. The chatbot likely aims to promote a patriotic worldview and counter dissenting opinions.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood