Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast.
This is a show where we discuss the critical Crossroads, The
Shape, SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink,
and I'm your host, Will Walden. If you want uninterrupted
episodes of the Elon Musk podcast, please go to
clubelon.supercast.com to find out how there's a link in the
show, notes. Mr. Beast, who's a massive
YouTube, recently uploaded a video directly to X, Elon Musk's
social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Now this is a huge move since Mr. Beast is primarily known for
his YouTube presence. However, this upload has sparked
controversy as users of X reported that Mister Beast's
video is appearing in their feeds as an unlabeled ad
multiple times a day. Now this episode will unravel
the layers of this issue and its implications for the platform
and digital advertising norms. So users have noticed that
Mister Beast's video lacks the typical indicators of an
advertisement on X, such as the time stamp or a quote ad label.
This absence has led to confusion and questions about
the transparency of X's advertising practices.
And the issue highlights a broader concern regarding the
labeling and identification of sponsored content on social
media platforms. Mr. Beast, whose real name is
Jimmy Donaldson, expressed curiosity about the potential ad
revenue from X. His decision to upload the video
on X was framed as a kind of a test to explore new revenue
streams, diverging from his usual YouTube focus strategy.
Now the lack of clear labeling on Mr. Beast's video post has
raised eyebrows. Some users have shared their
experiences, noting the repeated appearance of the video in their
feeds without the usual ad identifiers.
The situation aligns with reports of X displaying
unlabeled ads since September of last year, a development that
has caught the attention of ad tech watchdogs and regulators.
Now the organization Quote Check My Ads filed A complaint with
the FTC highlighting concerns about X's transparency with ad
labeling. This points to increasing
scrutiny over how social media platforms manage and disclose
advertising content, which is a key issue in the digital
advertising industry. An employee of X, in a
discussion with Ryan Broderick of the Garage Day newsletter,
suggested that the presence of a pre roll video ad before Mr.
Beast's video serves as sufficient disclosure.
However, this explanation has been met with skepticism as it
conflates different types of advertisements, potentially
muddying the waters of advertising transparency.
Now, intriguingly, older videos on the X app show Mr. Beast's
posts with a promoted label indicating it's an ad.
This inconsistency raises questions about how X's
advertising mechanisms function and how they're perceived by
different segments of its user base.
The situation suggests that X might be artificially boosting
Mr. B's video views through these unlabeled ads.
This action, intentional or not, affects the platform's
credibility and the authenticity of content reach, and Elon
Musk's strategy for X highly emphasizes video content.
The platform's recent signings of high profile figures for
exclusive video deals under score this focus, and Musk's
direct engagement with creators like Mr. Beast reveals his
active role in shaping the platform's content landscape.
But despite initial reluctance, setting production costs and
fair compensation concerns, Mr. Beast was persuaded by Elon to
experiment with uploading content on X.
This could signal a significant shift in content distribution
strategies for high profile creators like Mr. Beast.
Now, if Mr. Beast's venture on X proves financially successful,
it can mark a major win from us, potentially attracting more top
creators to the platform and bolstering its multimedia
strategy. And there's a lack of clarity
around how X counts views on its platforms, especially after the
removal of the public video view count feature.
This obscurity makes it challenging to gauge the true
reach and engagement of video content on X Mr. BS has engaged
with his followers in guessing the potential earnings from X's
ad revenue share program. However, the platform's complex
monetization rules, which favor certain types of users and
content, make it difficult to predict.
The actual learnings and report suggest that X's creator
monetization program is somewhat arbitrary, lacking a transparent
and predictable payment structure.
This unpredictability contrasts sharply with more established
platforms like YouTube, where views are more directly
correlated with earnings. Now, Elon Musk's promotion of
Mr. Beast's video to his millions of followers adds
another layer to the narrative, indicating his personal
involvement in content creation and curation and promotion on X,
possibly giving Mr. Beast's video millions of views of a
boost. This outcome will not only
reveal the platform's potential for content creators, but also
will shed some light on its advertising and monetization
strategies and his platforms like X.
The need for transparency and fair practices become
increasingly crucial. Whether XS approach with Mr.
Beast video marks a strategic shift or a one off experiment
remains to be seen. The World Economic Forum in
Davos this year focus heavily on the emerging influence of
artificial intelligence in various sectors.
World leaders, top executives, and tech pioneers converge to
explore the theme of quote rebuilding trust.
Amidst the backdrop of geopolitical changes and the
advent of a new AI era, tech giants such as AWSC 3, dot AI,
Infosys, IBM and others grabbed attention with their prominent
presence along the Davos Promenade.
Open AI CEO Sam Altman was among the notable speakers
highlighting the tech industry's growing influence in global
discussions. Throughout the forum, AI was a
central topic. In over 20 conversations,
insights reveal the widespread integration of AI in various
business processes. Company showcase their AI
solutions, indicating a broad adoption of the technology
across industries. Now Rob Goldstein from BlackRock
discussed the implementation of AI copilots for drafting
documents reflecting a trend in AI assistance and productivity.
Similarly, Jason Rosatis of Delaware Wit US and Oliver Wyman
Group have adopted AI tools. Like LED.
AI demonstrated the technology's capability to save significant
time for users. Now a key insight from
discussions was the differentiation between
automating tasks and replacing jobs.
AI is seen as a tool for automating specific tasks within
a job, not necessarily replacing the entire job, thus potentially
enhancing efficiency in the workplace.
Now, Microsoft and Automation Anywhere reported substantial
savings in customer service operations through their AI
implementations. Now these examples show that
AI's potential for increasing efficiency and reducing costs is
vital in future business operations.
And despite the benefits, there is a palpable concern about AI
leading to job losses. This concern is mirrored in
surveys where a significant portion of executives and CEO's
anticipate job replacement as a consequence of AI Adoption of
businesses and the integration of AI resuscitates a focus on
reskilling the workforce for tasks that AI cannot replace.
Companies like Automation Anywhere have transitioned their
staff to new roles, highlighting the importance of adaptability
and continuous learning in the AI age.
And the concept of a fluid workforce adaptable to the
changing demands of AI driven operations was heavily
emphasized. The shift suggests a future
where job roles are more dynamic and less narrowly defined.
And 2024 is poised to be a year where AI moves from pilot
studies to full scale operational integration and
businesses channels lies in scaling these AI solutions from
specific use cases to much broader applications.
In the effectiveness of AI tools depends on their specific
applications and training on bespoke data sets.
Examples like Mckinsey's AI tool, trained on its own rich
data, show the potential of customized AI solutions for very
specific corporate needs. And the financial and human
capital investments required for AI projects pose a challenge,
especially considering the not all AI initiatives guarantee a
positive return on investment. Now the concept of AI as an
augmentation tool rather than a replacement for human workers
emerges as a key theme here. This perspective envisions AI
taking over mundane tasks, allowing humans to focus on high
level work. And futuristic predictions like
AI acting as entrepreneurs at or project managers by 2030
indicate the rapidly advancing capabilities of AI.
This evolution could fundamentally alter economic
structures and job roles, and in gaming, AI has transitioned from
being an aid to human players to outperforming them.
In health, AI chat bots are perceived as more empathetic
than medical professionals, sometimes challenging our
notions of empathy as a uniquely human trait.
Now, the influence of AI, often overestimated in the short term
and underestimated in the long term, suggests that its true
impact will unfold over time. This sentiment echoes the
broader theme of this forum, where the transformative
potential of AI was both celebrated, also scrutinized.
So the Davos Forum this year marked a pretty big milestone in
the integration and discussion of AI across various sectors
from enhancing business processes to reshaping job
roles. And the conversations at Davos
highlighted both the opportunities and the challenges
presented by AI. And the impact of AI will
continue to shape the global economic and social landscape.
Calling for a more balanced approach to harnessing his
potential while also addressing his challenges, Tesla has
recently made a significant step with their full self driving
beta version 12 point 1.2. This update, which is now
available to a group of non employee Tesla owners,
represents a new milestone in the evolution of the EDAS or the
Advanced Driver system. The update is particularly
notable for integrating an end to end neural network.
It's brand new, a shift from the previous reliance on explicit
C++ coding. This neural network, trained on
a vast collection of video clips, is expected to enhance
the system's ability to navigate complex driving scenarios, and
the anticipation for this has been building for months,
culminating in the release of version 12.
Point 1.2 and early feedback from users indicates a more
intuitive and human like driving experience.
However, there's a need to manage expectations.
While this release marks some progress, it doesn't signify the
achievement of Level 4 or even Level 3 autonomy.
Nonetheless, the transition to AI for vehicle control is seen
as a crucial development akin to Tesla's initial move to AI for
its Autopilot system. Now a standout improvement in
FSD beta 12 point 1.2 is its performance in urban driving
scenarios. Users have noted smoother
transitions and quicker response time, contributing to a more
comfortable and natural driving experience.
This advancement is attributed to the shift from engineer
written code, people code to training the vehicle control
system on videos of actual humans driving.
An interesting addition in FSD Beta 12 point 1.2 is the
autonomous pullover feature demonstrated by Elon Musk.
This functionality allows the vehicle to autonomously move to
the side of the road at the end of a drive, rather than just
stopping. This feature exemplifies the
practical enhancements being made to Tesla's ADAS, and their
approach to the release notes for this significant update is
surprisingly small. Unlike previously versions where
release notes were extensive and technical.
FSD Beta 12 point 1.2 comes with a single sentence.
FSD Beta version 12 upgrades the city, streets and driving stack
to a single end to end neural network trained on millions of
video clips, replacing over 300,000 lines of explicit C
code. Now this brief statement shows
that they're moving away from people and moving towards AI for
all of their driver assists. Now the full impact of the FSD
beta 12 point 1.2 will become clearer as more Tesla owners
receive the update and share their experiences.
It's particularly interesting, though, to observe how the
system performs under various driving conditions, including
heavy precipitation, an area where Elon Musk previously
acknowledged needed some development.
Now, the rollout of this update is expected to be gradual and
cautious, with many Tesla owners potentially waiting months for
access. Tesla is likely to use this
release to collect user feedback and aims to address issues and
enhance the system through subsequent updates.
While Tesla continues to push the boundaries of FSD
technology, it's important to remember that the software is
still a beta and achieving full autonomy is very complex.
It's incremental and it requires extensive testing and validation
each update like version 12. Point 1.2.
Represents a step forward and test this goal of achieving
fully autonomous vehicles and the Tesla's community.
Reaction to FSD beta 12 point 1.2 has been generally positive,
with many testers reportedly showing a noticeable improvement
in driving experience, reports of smoother driving, fewer
interventions, and an absence of awkward moments or comments
suggesting a significant leap in the system's capabilities.
One of the more crucial aspects under scrutiny is the system's
performance in challenging weather conditions, specifically
heavy precipitation. Musk had previously indicated
that this was an area requiring additional training, and
observations so far of how this handles will be pivotal in
assessing its overall effectiveness in the future.
Now, Musk's vision for FSD involves moving beyond the beta
phase, an objective he has expressed in the past in the
removal of the beta label would mark a significant milestone in
the journey towards full autonomy, a goal that Tesla has
been steadily working towards for years and the release of
this latest beta. Has been met with a.
Pretty positive response, like we said before, not just with
the drivers but with the stock of Tesla.
However, the exact number of customers receiving this update
remains unclear right now, and it looks like Tesla's having a
bump in their stock. Tesla CEO has been very vocal
about the improvements of this one it's set to bring, often
describing upcoming releases as transformative.
And despite this enthusiasm, it's crucial to note that as of
now, full self driving is not fully autonomous, but rather in
advance driver assistance system.
As Tesla pushes the boundaries of autonomous driving, safety
remains a paramount concern. Users under this new beta and
other versions are reminded of the.
Importance of remaining alert and keeping your hands on the
wheel and take control of the vehicle at any time that
something goes wrong. The software, despite all of its
advancements, is not a substitute.
For an. Active person behind the wheel.
Now, looking ahead, Tesla's trajectory in the realm of
autonomous driving is poised to be influential.
The transition from explicit coding to an end to end neural
network approach. Could be a huge deal.
For the trends of the industry and the success of this FSD,
beta and subsequent versions will likely inform future
developments in autonomous vehicle technology for all
manufacturers. Tesla's approach of involving
its customer base in the beta testing of FSD is unique though.
The strategy not only provides valuable real world data, but
also creates a sense of community involvement in the
development process. User feedback is integral to
refining the system and having millions of people test your
software, and addressing these real world challenges is a huge
game changer for Tesla. Now, the advancements that Tesla
has of the autonomous driving technology is not occurring in
isolation. They're setting benchmarks and
challenging other players in the automotive industry.
Innovate and develop their own autonomous driving solutions.
The impact of Tesla's FSD beta versions extends beyond Tesla
and beyond the whole company, influencing the direction of the
entire industry. Just recently, Elon Musk had
visited Auschwitz, a former Nazi death camp.
His visit comes amidst the participation in a symposium
addressing the rise of anti-Semitism.
Now this visit is particularly notable due to Musk's recent
entanglement in debates over anti-Semitic remarks and content
on his social media platform X. And the tour of Auschwitz is not
just a simple tour, it's loaded with symbolic and educational
importance. He laid a wreath on the death
wall where thousands of Jewish prisoners were executed and it's
a powerful gesture. He was followed by a Rabbi
through this, emphasizing the importance of such a visit by a
high profile individual like Elon and the rabbi shows that
the influence of public figures. The influence of public figures
can raise awareness about historical atrocities and the
dangers of hatred. Now Musk's journey to Poland is
closely tied to the participation in a symposium
aimed at combating the rise of anti-Semitism.
This engagement indicates Musk's growing involvement social
issues, especially following his controversial agreement with an
anti-Semitic conspiracy theory on X, a symposium organized by
European Jewish Association or the EJA, serves as a platform
for must to address these issues head on.
Now Auschwitz stands as a chilling reminder of the horrors
of the Holocaust. Over a million people, most of
them Jewish, were killed in the camp.
Musk's visit, which included the execution wall, gas chambers,
and the crematorium, was a subtle reminder of these
atrocities. And this visit shows the
importance of remembering and understanding this dark chapter
in human history. But during the visit, Musk paid
his respects by placing flowers for the victims.
His actions demonstrated a personal acknowledgement and
reflection on the Holocaust devastating impact.
This visit was also a precursor to his expected personal
statement on online hate speech, the topic relevant to his role
as a tech entrepreneurial leader.
Musk's visit follows his trip to Israel last year, highlighting
his growing engagement with Jewish history and
anti-Semitism. This visit to Auschwitz occurs
in a climate where anti-Semitic acts are on the rise globally
now, making his actions a statement at the symposium even
more pertinent than ever. Now.
There's been a worrying increase in anti-Semitic incidents
worldwide, notably in Europe and the United States.
This includes violent attacks and the perpetuation of hate
speech both online and offline. And the spike in anti-Semitism
adds urgency to the discussions at the symposium and places
Musk's visit in a broader context of global concern.
Musk's involvement in the debate over anti-Semitism gained
attention after his sharing of an anti-Semitic comment on X.
His subsequent apology and reflections on the incident
reveal his evolving understanding of the impact of
his platform and the responsibilities that come with
running it. Now the controversy surrounding
X highlights the challenges social media platforms face in
moderating content. Musk's admission of naivete
regarding the extent of anti-Semitism is an important
acknowledgement of the role these platforms can play and
either curbing or facilitating hate speech.
And Musk's statement that he was quite sorry for his early
remarks shows a personal journey that intersects with his
professional responsibilities. His visit to Auschwitz can be
seen as part of a broader effort to address these issues more
effectively and also more responsibly.
The allegations of anti-Semitic content on X and the subsequent
fallout with advertisers show that the challenges that Musk
faces in managing the platform are real.
These issues have led to legal battles and a push for more
effective moderation against hate speech.
Since taking control of X, Musk has implemented several changes,
sparking concerns about the platform's vulnerability to hate
speech. His approach to these changes
reflects his views on free speech and the balance between
moderation and expression. Now the symposium in Poland that
Musk is participating in will include a visit to the Ostrich
Memorial. This event represents an
opportunity for Musk and other delegates to further discuss and
address the issues of anti-Semitism and online hate
speech. Busk's admission of being naive
about anti-Semitism and his personal connections to the
Jewish community provide insight into his perspective on these
issues. His comments at the conference,
along with his visit to Auschwitz, signal more engaged
and reflective approach to understanding and combating
anti-Semitism. Busk's remarks about the level
of anti-Semitism content on X and his commitment to reducing
it highlight the ongoing struggle against online hate
speech. His acknowledgement of the
platform's limitations and challenges in this area is an
important part of the prior discussion of how social media
can combat hate speech. Musk's history of controversial
statements and his direct, unfiltered communication style
have often sparked debate. His approach to leadership and
public engagement, particularly on social media, has been both
criticized and praised for its transparency and candor.
Musk's visit to Auschwitz along with his participation in the
anti-Semitism Symposium significant moment in his
personal and professional life. He's growing aware and
responsible towards more social issues, particularly those
related to hate speech and discrimination.
There's a link. In the show notes, the European
Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter has potentially
identified enormous ice water deposits beneath the Martian
surface. Located at the Red Planet's
equator. These deposits are estimated to
be about 3.7 kilometers thick and if melted, they could cover
Mars with a water layer approximately 2 meters deep or
fill Earth's Red Sea. This revelation is reshaping our
perception of Mars, suggesting a past word.
Glaciers, lakes and river channels were prevalent.
Now Colin Wilson, who's a project scientist at ISA,
highlighted the significance of this.
He stated we've seen evidence of glaciers, extinct glaciers which
are no longer there, but also some glaciers covered with dust.
This discovery shows that the abundance of water on ancient
Mars. It's hinting at a landscape
dramatically different from the arid planet that we see today,
and Mars Express first confirmed the presence of ice on Mars in
2004. The discovery of these deposits
came in 2007, but their composition was unclear at the
time. They were thought to be
accumulations of dust, volcanic ash, or sediment.
NASA in 2015 also observed what appeared to be streams of salty
water on Mars, indicating the planet's dynamic nature.
Now Jim Green, who's NASA's director of planetary science,
said that the evolution of Mars and the understanding it of it
is very important, He said. Today we're revolutionizing our
understanding of this planet. Our Rovers are finding that
there's a lot more humidity in the air than we ever imagined.
Now, the location of these ice deposits and Mars equator rather
than the poles, has surprised scientists.
Wilson remarked on the unusual nature of this finding a
perigate's oddity to having a polar ice camp in Earth's
equator. This unexpected location could
have significant implications for future human missions to
Mars as well. And despite the excitement,
Wilson pointed out practical challenges for exploration in
the future. The average temperature on Mars,
ranging from 20 Celsius to -153 Celsius, make the equator ice a
potentially more accessible water surf for human missions.
However, the ice buried under a thick dust layer might not be
easily reachable for immediate exploration needs.
The Mars Express probe, which launched in June of 2003 and
reached Mars in December of 2003, has been studying the Red
Planet for over 2 decades. Its recent findings at the MFF,
the Fosse Formation, provided deeper insights into the Martian
surface and its history. Now the the Medusae Fosse
Formation. That's a difficult one to say.
Over 15 years ago, Mars Express studied that identifying massive
deposits up to 2.5 kilometers deep.
Initial observations were inconclusive about the
composition of these deposits, and Thomas Waters of the
Smithsonian Institution, lead author of both the initial and
recent studies, now confirms these deposits are thicker than
previously thought, extending up to 3.7 kilometers thick.
The MMF, characterized by wind sculpted features, is one of
Mars most extensive deposits. The new data suggests that these
features are not just accumulations of dust, volcanic
ash, but include significant layers of ice covered by a
protective layer of dust or ash. Now, Andrea Cicchetti of the
National Institute of Astrophysics, Italy, explains
that the new data from RADAR from the Mars Express, Mars's
instrument, was crucial in identifying the icy nature of
the MFF. The low density and radar
transparency of these deposits are consistent with ice,
challenging previously assumptions.
Now, this discovery indicates that the massive stores of ice
near Mars equator must have formed during a difficult and
different climate epoch. The existence of such extensive
ice deposits changes our understanding of Mars climate
history, suggesting a past where water was more abundant.
Wilson notes that while this discovery is exciting, it also
raises many more questions. Understanding the age of these
ice deposits and Mars conditions at that time remain a challenge.
Confirming the presence of water ice in the MFF would
significantly alter our comprehension on Mars.
Climatic Past The location and extent of these icy deposits are
crucial for planning future human missions to Mars.
Now, human missions in particular will benefit from the
availability of water ice near the equator.
However, the thick dust covering these deposits poses a pretty
thick barrier to immediate exploration.
One specific area, a Medius Dorsum, is expected to contain
the thickest ice rich deposits within the MFF.
Understanding and mapping these deposits are key to future
explorations and scientific inquiries.
While Mars Express maps deep water ice, other missions like
the TGO equipped with the friend instrument FREND provide
insights into near surface water.
These collaborative efforts are enhancing our knowledge of Mars,
its history and the potential for future exploration.
Now ESA's Mars Express orbiter has made a groundbreaking
discovery now of the potential ice water deposits at Mars
equator. These findings challenges our
understanding of Mars climate history and opens new
possibilities for human exploration.
And despite the challenges in accessing these ice deposits,
the information gathered is invaluable in piercing together
the complex story of Mars and its evolution.
Some really interesting things are happening down at
Brownsville, Boca Chica Starbase, Texas area.
Now that's where SpaceX is building the world's largest
rocket, the Starship. It's around 400 feet tall and is
more powerful than any rocket that's ever flown.
Now they're building this rocket, and that's very
interesting. But there are things that are
happening behind the scenes that are almost as interesting as the
rocket itself. And it's kind of weird because
you don't really hear about this stuff that much.
But it's one of the most important aspects of delivering
a rocket to space, and that's the infrastructure.
How do they build a rocket? It's the machine that builds.
The machine is Elon Musk would say, And how do they do that?
Well, they have to work with local governments and they have
to work with the layer that they have to build the machines on.
Now, just recently, SpaceX and the city of Brownsville worked
together, came up with a resolution to rename the Boca
Chica area where Starbase is, which is where they're building
this giant rocket. They want to rename it to
Starbase, straight up Starbase Boca Chica.
It will be known as Boca Chica going forward.
You know if they want to reference it, they can call it
Boca Chica or they can just call it Starbase.
And this is from the Brownsville texas.gov site City passes
resolution. This happened last year by the
way, December 18th. So city passes resolution in
support of renaming area east of Brownsville to Starbase.
So the Starbase area about 20 miles away from Brownsville.
It's about a 30 minute drive ish.
I've driven it hundreds of times and it's known to most people in
the Space Flight community as Starbase and most people that
are locally there, they know it is Boca Chica.
So it does take a little bit of nudging from the local
government and also the state of Texas to rename this because
there are things that happened behind the scenes that we don't
see, because we see the rocket all the time or we see this
giant rocket. But this is, it's important,
trust me. The notice is hereby given that
a regular meeting of the board of Cameron County Spaceport
Development Corporation will be conducted as authorized by the
VTCA, Texas Government code, etcetera, etcetera.
So basically what they're doing approve a resolution in support
of the United States Postal Service mailing name, which I
know. It's not cool.
Like it's a post office thing, but the renaming the spaceport
of starbase to actual starbase. It's a postal code now.
So if you have 1234 Starbase, that's your address now 1234
Boca Chica, the man will probably still get there.
They they pretty much know what it is.
There's not other things out there.
So it's either gonna be Starbase or Boca Chica.
So that's interesting this that that is happening.
But there's also a few other things that are happening along
the lines of the Starbase facility itself.
And The thing is massive. You know, there's a a production
facility that builds the Rockets and then there's a launch
facility down the road about a mile ish that flies the Rockets.
So what's in between there though?
There's just kind of Dead Space. There's really not much.
There's a couple streaming platforms, a couple YouTube
streamers that sit on the side of the road and film.
There's people that hang out there on the side of the road
and there's robot filmers all over the place.
So what does SpaceX need to do? They need to get that land.
They need to get that land they make.
They need to make sure that all the land in between the
production field facility and the launch facility I can use as
much as possible, right? So if they can do that, if they
can do that, they can build more parts of the machine that builds
the machines. That'll take us to Mars right
here. State considers handing over
Parkland to SpaceX. Now this is a big deal.
This isn't just a let's hang out and build a couple rockets here
and there kind of thing. This is a huge deal because this
is going to, it's kind of kind of set off some alarms for
environmental advocates down there.
But also SpaceX is going to be using this area to build the
infrastructure that will be building the Rockets even
faster, though they already do. And then they're going to have
two launch pads there where the rock, two rockets per day
possibly could launch from Starbase as it's been named now
by the Post Office. So they can do that now.
So all of these little green dots here, let me explain this
to you. All these little green dots
right here, These are whoop, these are places that are owned
by the state right now. Little plots of land, these
little ones right here. And this one right here.
So this right here, that's where they launched the Rockets from.
And this little arrow right here that I just pointed to, this
area right here is where they launched the Rockets from to.
This is towards Brownsville this way.
If you go that way, it's towards Brownsville.
About 20 minutes. Thirty minutes that way, But
everything in between here. Little plots of land.
The state owns that land, so SpaceX can't use it for
anything. They can't build there.
They'll get in major trouble if they build there.
All of those plots, they're owned by the state.
What are they from? There are people that own lots
of land there. Little tiny lots of land.
I actually thought about buying one of those lots because you
could put up a Robo camera and have a live stream of Starbase
24/7 if you have one of those lots.
So you could buy one of these lots.
There are lots over here as well that you can, you know, put a
camera in and you know, there's there's other places over there
that you can put a camera. But one of these lots is
something that I was interested in, but it's kind of expensive
to to buy these lots. Talked to a couple of people.
It's very, it's a process. Let's just say that it's a, it's
a pretty big process. But SpaceX would use this to
move facilities over to these lots.
And as you can see, there are a few of them like this one right
here. These are all clustered
together. So they could build something
there, they could build something in this cluster,
something in this cluster. This but's right up against
where they are right now, this cluster etcetera.
So they could have little, little things, little pockets
where they could, I don't know, build fuel depots or something.
I don't know what they're going to do there.
Nobody really knows right now. They know they're going to
develop it if they if this passes and it has to go through
the government of Texas in order to pass, right.
So the government of Texas has to pass this.
They have to make sure that everything's up to code.
But this is what's gonna happen. SpaceX has all of this land up
here, the Laguna land up here. It's like 44 acres of land and
only one of those little plots down there, all these little
green plots. And if they exchange these tiny
green plots for like, I think it's 44 acres.
If you look up here a little bit, it tells you how much it
is. But if they exchange that and
they see that there's a value, if the Laguna has more value
than the Boca Chica area, then the state, the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Commission, they may be OK with this because if they can
trade, this would be an even trade.
It By the way, SpaceX would trade that giant chunk of land
for those little plots throughout so they can develop
more things. So this is going to be an
ongoing story. This may not happen right away.
This is supposed to happen sometime a date adopted and
approved 25th of January 2024. And if they approve this, this
is going to be happening in the next few days that they approve
this land trade here with SpaceX and the government of Texas.
So if they can do this, it's 43 acres from Boca Chica SP, the
exchange tract. And then so that's what SpaceX
would be getting 43 acres, they'd be giving of them giving
the state 477 acres near the Laguna, 477 acres.
So if you do the math, that's an exponentially huger amount of
numbers, 43 compared to 477. I think the government of Texas
would be OK with them, you know, the Wildlife Refuge going back
to them. But it also depends.
There's so many other factors though.
Who's going to take care of this land now?
There will they have to hire people to take care of this
land? Now the 477 acres.
Was SpaceX taking care of this land before?
Were they paying for it? And it is SpaceX just going to
have that big cluster, like I was saying before, like this
cluster of land near Starbase. That's it.
That one strip of land, you know, near the production
facility, which is over here. Ish.
And then all the way down to here, they would have little
spots. And then they'd have all of this
to build the Rockets at. There's a massive move in the US
towards electric vehicles or EVs in the Biden Harris
Administration has announced A substantial $623 million in
grants and this move is aimed at expanding the EV charging
network across the nation, a step that promises to create
numerous thousands of American jobs and ensure wider
accessibility. EV charging facilities for the
rest of us to drive EVs now under President Biden's watch.
EV sales have seen a dramatic increase, quadrupling in
numbers. Publicly available charging
ports have expanded by nearly 70%, with over 4 million EVs now
cruising on American roads. This surge is largely attributed
to the administration's historic investments prompting private
sector commitments exceeding $155 billion in the EV and
battery supply chain. Now the grants come from the
bipartisan infrastructure laws $2.5 billion Charging and
Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program.
This program aims to fund EV charging and alternative fueling
infrastructure projects in 22 States and Puerto Rico,
including about 7500 new EV charging ports.
It's a part of a broader strategy to establish a reliable
and high speed EV charging network along most US highways.
Now the US Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg,
highlighted this historical significance of this move.
He said America led the arrival of the automotive era and now we
have a chance to lead the world in the EV revolution, securing
jobs, savings and benefits for Americans in the process.
Now this funding will focus on making EV chargers widely
accessible and also dependable. Now, the Federal Highway
Administration is allocating $311 million to 36 community
projects, including two Indian tribes in Alaska and also in
Arizona. These projects concentrate on EV
charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure in various
locations like schools, parks and libraries, enhancing the
accessibility in both urban and also rural communities.
An additional $312 million is designated for 11 corridor
projects situated along alternative fuel corridors.
This funding is set to address gaps in the national charging
and alternative fueling network, ensuring widespread availability
along major roadways. And a significant aspect of
these grants is their alignment with President Biden's Justice
40 initiative, aiming for 40% of the benefits from federal
investments to reach disadvantaged communities.
Notably, more than 70% of the CFI funding announced will
support projects in these areas. US Secretary of Energy Jennifer
Granolm emphasize the inclusive nature of this initiative.
Every community across the nation deserves access,
convenient and reliable, clean transportation, she stated.
This initiative is a major step in reducing carbon emissions.
In addressing the climate crisis that we face, and the US
Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg highlighted
the different needs for EV charging in communities compared
to highways. They said USDOT is proud to make
an investment that will provide Americans with convenient,
straightforward charging options in their communities.
The Federal Highway Administrator, Shellon Bett,
expressed enthusiasm about the grants, too.
They said these investments to the CFI program will grow our
national EV charging network, support President Biden's goals
of achieving net 0 emissions for the nation by 2050, and promote
opportunity for all Americans to enjoy the benefits of EV
charging. Now the project selected in this
round of grants are diverse. For instance, the New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection receives $10 million
to build EV charging stations and disadvantaged communities in
rural areas, focusing on multi family housing and transit
stations. Maryland's Clean Energy Center
is granted 15,000,000 to established 87 EV charging
stations across the state including at Coppin State
University and HBCU in Baltimore and in 34 disadvantaged
communities. This project includes workforce
development programs aimed at providing good paying jobs and
apprenticeships in Texas. A significant $70 million is
allocated to the North Central Texas Council of Governments to
establish a hydrogen fueling corridor, including up to five
stations for medium and heavy duty freight trucks in major
cities like Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
Now, California's Contra Costa County receives about $15
million to build 52 fast charging stations and 60 Level 2
chargers at various County Library branches.
Similarly, Energy Northwest in Washington state is funded to
install 40 fast chargers and 12 level 2 chargers.
Focusing on rural and disadvantaged communities.
In the city of Mesa, AZ is another recipient, getting $12
million to build 48 electric vehicle chargers for various
vehicle sizes, charging docks for E bikes and E scooters, and
solar canomies for electricity generation at these stations.
Now all EV charges construction with CFI funds must meet the
same minimum standards as those funded by NEVI, including
requirements that they are made in America.
This ensures A consistent and high quality charging experience
across the nation. In the current US landscape has
over 148,000 public charging ports spread across
approximately 56,000 charging stations.
The ambitious goal is to triple these numbers by 20-30, with the
new grant money kick starting this initiative now.
This initiative reflects a transformative step in EU s s
approach to transportation, and by investing in EV
infrastructure and focusing on accessibility, the Biden Harris
administration is responding to environmental concerns but also
fostering economic growth inequality.
It's a significant move towards a cleaner, more inclusive future
in the United States for Transportation.
A controversial proposal to swap land between SpaceX and the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been withdrawn
after sparking significant opposition.
The deal involved exchanging 43 acres of Boca Chica State Park
for 477 acres owned by SpaceX, but was met with criticism from
local officials, residents and environmental groups.
Concerns were raised about the potential impact on the coastal
ecosystem and the lack of transparency surrounding the
plan. Now, the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department's proposal was initially set to be voted on
by commissioners, but was pulled from the agenda following
backlash. Critics including the Sierra
Club, Lone Star Chapter and Save RGB called for more public
disclosure and discussion. The plan had attracted 1039
comments opposing it and 263 in support.
Mary Angela Branch, a board member of the Save RGB, voiced
concerns about the deal, and she said that the unique ecosystem
is at risk and the lack of public accountability is also a
factor. She questioned the intended use
of the land and the absence of environmental assessments
comparing the two land types involved in the swap.
Now the state's rationale for wanting to land remained
unclear, with officials stating the swap would enhance public
access and recreation while allowing for the protection and
management of diverse habitats. However, many questions about
the specifics of the deal, including ownership of mineral
rights and financial aspects, remained unanswered.
Ownership of the 477 acres SpaceX was to exchange is also
under scrutiny, with records suggesting it belongs to a
SpaceX affiliated entity, Baya Grande Holdings Now.
This has raised questions about the transparency of SpaceX land
acquisitions in this area of Boca Chica Starbase, Texas.
Now, the Sierra Club raised procedural concerns too,
suggesting that the Parks and Wildlife Department may have
violated its own rules by not providing a 30 day public notice
period of the vote. Now this rush process and the
potential loss of significant Parkland in the lower Rio Grande
area were major points of contention.
Local officials, including Cameron County Commissioner
David Garza, expressed frustration of the proposal,
noting that the county was already in the process of
acquiring part of the land for conservation and recreation
purposes. The sudden competition with
SpaceX for the land was seen as counterproductive to local
efforts. The broader context of Spacex's
activities in Boca Chica, including the construction and
launch of its Starship mega rocket, has led to concerns
about the cumulative environmental impact in that
area. Critics argue that Spacex's
incremental approach to expansion the area has avoided
thorough environmental assessments.
Now, this land swap proposal is viewed by some as another
instance of local and state governments accommodating the
ambitions of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, with the potential to
alter the character of the Boca Chica region significantly in
comparison to a strategic game monopoly.
Where Musk is seen as acquiring and trading properties to
consolidate, Spacex's presence was made by Branch.
Now the controversy over the land swap comes amid A broader
discussion about the role of private companies like SpaceX
and space exploration and their impact on local communities and
environments, and the military's increasing reliance on
commercial satellite communications.
The military's increasing reliance on commercial satellite
communications, including Spacex's Starlight service.
Now Claire Hopper, who's the director of Commercial Satellite
Communications Office, said that the military's use of Starlink
and other satellite services to enhance communication
capabilities is paramount for the Department of Defense.
The shift towards low Earth orbit networks and new
technologies shows that they are evolving.
And the US military is a new strategic partner of SpaceX and
Starlink. The Defense Information Systems
Agency launch of the proliferated Low Earth Orbit
Satellite Space Services contract is a move towards
incorporating new satellite technologies into military
operations. This initiative opens up
opportunities for space companies to offer innovative
services tailored to military requirements.
Spacex's Starlight service has become a key asset for various
Department of Defense entities, demonstrating the military's
interest in leveraging commercial satellite networks
for enhanced connectivity. The exploration of small
geosynchronous satellites and direct to device communication
shows that the military's interest in diversifying its
satellite communications architecture is also what
they're going to be doing in the near future.
Starlink has a mega structure that will be surrounding the
Earth and these emerging technologies offer the potential
for more resilient and flexible communication operations from
military operations in the future.
Now the concept of hybrid multi orbit satellite communication
systems is gaining traction with the Department of Defense.
Integrating services from different orbits of frequencies
under a unified contract model could provide more efficient and
cost effective solutions for military communications of
satellites. Our challenges in transitioning
to new satellite communication systems and business models are
very complex. The integration of technologies
and the emerging satellite systems with existing military
protocols and infrastructure could be a headache for both
military and SpaceX, and could take a little while.
The pursuit of innovative contracting approaches aims to
maximize the value and effectiveness of satellite
communications for military users.
And the continued collaboration between Commercial Satellite
Communications Office and the Defense Information Systems
Agency shows that SpaceX and the Department of Defense are
working with intricate logistical and administrative
processes involved in procuring and managing satellite
communication services for the military.
So Elon Musk has an AI venture ex AI, and he's planning to
raise $6 billion, valuing the company at around $20 billion.
Now this is a direct challenge to Open AI, which is the entity
behind the popular ChatGPT. Now, Musk's global fundraising
efforts are tapping into diverse sources too, for family offices
in Hong Kong to sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East.
The scale of this fundraising effort is noteworthy though,
especially considering XA is previous target of $1 billion,
as per SEC filings last month. And this leap to a $6 billion
goal reflects the high stakes and intense competition in the
AI sector now. Now Musk's strategy involves
reaching out to international investors, including those in
Japan and South Korea. The evolvement of Morgan Stanley
as the coordinator links back to the bank's previous
collaboration with Musk on the acquisition of the social media
platform X, previously known as Twitter.
Now, despite a recent denial from Musk regarding a $50
million funding milestone towards a $1 billion target, the
buzz around XA is fundraising efforts hasn't waned.
Musk's vision for XAI includes developing safer AI
technologies, a commitment stemming from his early
involvement in subsequent departure from Open AI.
Now the launch of Grok XA is Chat Bot positions the company
as a competitor to Open the Eyes Chat GP team.
And Musk's broader concerns about AI and robotics,
particularly the need for significant voting control to
steer Tesla towards AI leadership, highlight this
intertwining nature of his ventures.
The AI industry. Buoyed by the popularity of
technologies like ChatGPT remains a dynamic field for
investment right now, even in a generally subdued start up
funding Climate and other AI startups like Anthropic and
Inflection AI have also successfully attracted
significant funding recently. Musk's outreach to investors
across different regions underscores the global interest
in AI and potential geopolitical implications, especially with
efforts to secure funding in places like Hong Kong amidst
rising tensions between the US and also China.
And the ambitious fundraising target reflects the substantial
resources required for developing generative AI, which
demands extensive computer power, vast data sets, and
advanced hardware. This need for heavy investment
parallels the funding strategies of AI competitors like Open AI,
Anthropic and others. And Musk's departure from Open
AI over disagreements highlights his distinct vision for XAI,
emphasizing safety and censorship concerns in the AI
domain. This has led to the creation of
a chat bot that leverages social media content for more current
responses and the proposed valuation of X AI and the
ongoing negotiations with potential investors indicate the
high stakes and speculative nature of the AI market right
now. Involvement of high profile
investors in the complex financial arrangements hint at
the significant expectations placed on X AI.
The potential and regulatory landscape, particularly the US,
measures against Chinese advancements in AI as another
layer of complexity to Musk's fundraising efforts, especially
in regions like Hong Kong. Musk's vision for AI safety and
governance, as evidenced by his statements in the Strategic
Moves with Tesla, shows that there's broader challenges and
responsibilities for AI as opposed to just letting it go
wild. And the role of these major
financial institutes like Morgan Stanley in coordinating such
large scale fundraising efforts points to this relationship
between the tech industry and the financial industry and
shaping the future of AI. Sort of likethe.com bubble from
the early, late 1990s, early 2000s.
And the comparison of XA is valuation with that of open AI
and other peers like Anthropic in the streets.
That the competitive landscape of the AI industry and the
varying scales of ambition and investment.
It's making this a key player if he gets the $6 billion out of
this. Now global fundraising through
Musk involved diverse geopolitical regions.
It's an international interest in AI.
Now everybody's involved, they want that money.
And the potential for cross-border collaborations and
tensions in the tech sector could be real in the near
future. Now there's skepticism and
caution mug potential investors and there's speculative nature
of the AI industry. And there's challenges.
Now with all this large scale funding and it's competitive and
it's rapidly changing. So Elon wants to put this money
to good use. He wants to buy the hardware to
build the software so he can control the AI market.
This isn't about building a a competitive AI at this point.
Elon Musk is a competitor, but he also likes to own things.
That's why he bought x.com. That's why he bought Twitter.
He likes to be in charge of things, and if he could get the
billions of dollars that he's asking for, of course he's going
to put an AI team in place that will compete directly with
ChatGPT, and possibly put them out of business.
Now, Musk's AI ambitions, including the potential impact
on Tesla's AI strategy, AI safety and regulation, remain
important themes in the ongoing narrative around XAI that we
have to remember. Tesla already has AI in their
vehicles. They use it to train their
vehicles to drive with the FSD program.
So Elon is using similar similar tactics to that with the XAI and
the billions of dollars it is asking for this funding round.
Hey, thank you so much for listening today.
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