cut in from the edge

i wrote a blog over a decade ago that included a letter to “the mike abbott of the future.” in recently reviewing it, one section jumped out that is still consistent today: 

you’re a technologist and engineer at heart. you are drawn to technologies, both in software or hardware. there will be opportunities in other areas too, and you’ve kept an open mind when needed.... there are moments when entirely new markets are created. you can’t afford to miss those, mike! and sometimes, disruption occurs not from a direct attack on a market, but from cutting in from the edge. keep your eyes wide open. 

this struck me as exactly why i joined GM — the opportunity to disrupt a market and cut in from the edge. as technologies advance, both in batteries and in-vehicle software and services, the auto market is ripe for disruption. looking “under the hood” at GM, i've found countless areas where we’re going to innovate and at an unprecedented scale. so i’m ready to get my hands dirty and build on the next new thing.  

enter: artificial intelligence  

AI is not “new” to many of us in the tech industry, yet recent advancements have been significant. it's hard to believe that a little over a year ago, ChatGPT launched, gaining an impressive 1 million users in its first 5 days. the tech industry has been scurrying ever since, as have politicians and regulators — with good reason.  

in just the last two months, EU policymakers agreed to the AI Act and President Biden issued an Executive Order to regulate for more safety and security in AI. and we saw quite the story unfold around OpenAI, where they eventually reached the right outcome with Sam Altman staying at the helm. the widely reported series of events has been a reminder that the world is watching and how critical it is to work safely, responsibly and ethically with AI. we are committed to this at GM. 

i've long been captivated by ‘real’ applications of AI and ML, or even how security techniques from the world of geopolitics are influencing enterprise technologies. this has become particularly interesting to me in many areas at GM, across design, engineering, supply chain and the customer experience.  

today we’re launching a website about the many ways GM is using AI. i wanted to highlight a few examples here about how we’re cutting in from the edge in this area: 

• in motorsports (NASCAR, IndyCar, Corvette Racing and NHRA), GM data scientists are implementing AI-driven solutions at every stage of the race. ML creates models using vehicle data, competitor behaviors, and real-time track conditions to develop adaptive race strategies. these models, combined with AI-powered, real-time image and radio analysis, play a crucial role in success while also bringing learnings back to the rest of GM. i'd like to believe applying AI in these ways is what makes us the winningest brand in NASCAR. 
• in manufacturing, our teams are using AI-predictive analytics to optimize vehicle output through historical performance and real-time data analytics of our robotics and conveyor systems. for example, our AI model will learn and discern anomalous patterns indicative of potential malfunctions. these early-detection algorithms enable swift intervention and avert unscheduled downtime in the supply chain. 
• and as a company, we remain committed to autonomy and AI plays a huge part in that. At GM and Cruise, AI assists in processing and making sense of the vast amount of data generated by sensors in AVs, including processing visual data from cameras, LIDAR, and radar to enhance perception and decision-making algorithms. 

and finally, my last post was about “hiring up,” which i continue to do. so it seems appropriate to share that i've hired Anantha Kancherla from Meta as our new VP of ADAS to push forward the great potential AI can continue to bring to GM.  

wishing you all happy holidays and see you back here in 2024.