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Elon Musk talks Mars, UFOs, Neuralink, Dogecoin, and more in Clubhouse session

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Elon Musk recently went on drop-in audio chat service Clubhouse to engage in conversation about a variety of interesting topics. Over the course of the session, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO talked about SpaceX’s Mars goals, aliens and UFOs, Cryptocurrencies, Neuralink, Lidar use, and more. 

When asked about SpaceX’s Mars initiative, Musk noted that he is aiming to get to the red planet in about 5.5 years. He did emphasize that going to Mars will not be a trip for the weak-hearted, as he stated that getting to the planet alone would be hard and dangerous. He also mentioned that while it generally takes about six months to get to Mars, SpaceX is looking to bring this timetable down to just about one month in the future. 

Amusingly enough, Musk’s conversations about space eventually resulted in talks about aliens and UFOs, which the CEO responded positively to. Musk noted that while there is no single piece of conclusive evidence that aliens do in fact exist today, this does not mean that humans are definitively alone in the universe. The CEO also poked fun at the typically-blurry photos of UFO sightings, when he remarked that some good proof of extraterrestrials should include somewhat clear photos. 

“When people say that there are sightings of aliens, I say, ‘Listen man, the resolution of the picture needs to be at least 7/11 ATM good, okay? We can’t have that Loch Ness monster b*llsh*t. It’s like, c’mon, is that like a 500-megapixel camera or what? What are you talking about? Where’d you find that thing? It’s got to be at least like an iPhone 6-level camera,’” Musk joked. 

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Apart from his discussions on Mars and his jokes about UFO sightings, Musk also shared some information about his companies like Neuralink, which he noted would be needed to at least allow humans to keep pace with a benign AI. He did mention that Neuralink would likely be releasing some new videos showing its progress in about a month or so, which is quite exciting considering the work that’s being done by the startup. The CEO also touched on cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin, with Musk joking that since fate loves irony, it would be pretty amusing if DOGE becomes Earth’s currency in the future. 

Musk spent some time discussing topics that have already been addressed in the past, such as Tesla’s battery plans and his stance on Lidar. Yet if there is one aspect of the session that stuck out, it was when the CEO shared some insights on why there are few people like him. Musk explained that his path is one that is painful and difficult, and is definitely not for the faint-hearted. “I felt a strong propulsion to do the things I’ve done. There are sections of my life that were long and painful and I’m not sure people would wanna do that… If you need encouraging words, don’t do a start up. Doing a start up is like eating glass and staring into the abyss,” Musk said. 

Musk noted that a lot of what he does are actually not fun, though he did mention that he enjoys in-person meetings far more than email communications. “Anything’s better than meal frankly,” Musk said, adding that context switching is a “mind killer.” “It’s hard to switch between Tesla and SpaceX,” he added. Later during the session, Musk noted that he is thinking of probably taking a week off at some point to breathe and relax a little, and perhaps write a book of his experiences in the future. 

Elon Musk’s Clubhouse session could be accessed below. 

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Cybercab display highlights interior wizardry in the small two-seater

Photos and videos of the production Cybercab were shared in posts on social media platform X.

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Credit: Tesla Robotaxi/X

The Tesla Cybercab is currently on display at the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C., and observations of the production vehicle are highlighting some of its notable design details. 

Photos and videos of the production Cybercab were shared in posts on social media platform X.

Observers of the Cybercab display unit noted that the two-seat Robotaxi provides unusually generous legroom for a vehicle of its size. Based on the vehicle’s video, the compact two-seater appears to offer more legroom than Tesla’s larger vehicles such as the Model Y, Model X, and Cybertruck.

The Cybercab’s layout allows Tesla to dedicate nearly the entire cabin to passengers. The vehicle is designed without a steering wheel or pedals, which helps maximize interior space.

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Footage from the display also highlights the Cybercab’s large center screen, which is positioned prominently in front of the passenger bench. The display appears intended to provide entertainment and ride information while the vehicle operates autonomously.

Images of the vehicle also show an additional camera integrated into the Cybercab’s C-pillar. The extra camera appears to expand the vehicle’s field of view, which would be useful as Tesla works toward fully unsupervised Full Self-Driving.

Tesla engineers have previously explained that the Cybercab was designed to be highly efficient both in manufacturing and in operation. Cybercab Lead Engineer Eric E. stated in 2024 that the Robotaxi would be built with roughly half the number of parts used in a Model 3 sedan.

“Two seats unlocks a lot of opportunity aerodynamically. It also means we cut the part count of Cybercab down by a substantial margin. We’re gonna be delivering a car that has roughly half the parts of Model 3 today,” the Tesla engineer said.

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The Tesla engineer also noted that the Cybercab’s cargo area can accommodate multiple golf bags, two carry-on suitcases, and two full-size checked bags. The trunk can also fit certain bicycles and a foldable wheelchair depending on size, which is quite impressive for a small car like the Cybercab.

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Elon Musk’s xAI wins permit for power plant supporting AI data centers

The development was reported by CNBC, citing confirmation from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

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Mississippi regulators have approved a permit allowing Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI to construct a natural gas power plant in Southaven. The facility is expected to support the company’s expanding AI infrastructure tied to its Colossus data center operations near Memphis.

The development was reported by CNBC, citing confirmation from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

According to the report, regulators “voted to approve the permit” of xAI subsidiary MZX Tech LLC to construct a power plant featuring 41 natural gas-burning turbines “after careful consideration of all public comments and community concerns.”

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality stated that the permit followed a regulatory review process that included public comments and community input. Jaricus Whitlock, air division chief for the MDEQ, stated that the project met all applicable environmental standards.

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“The proposed PSD permit in front of the board today not only meets all state and federal permitting regulations, but goes above and beyond what is required by law. MDEQ and the EPA agree that not a single person around our facilities will be exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution,” Whitlock stated.

The planned facility will help provide electricity for xAI’s AI computing infrastructure in the Memphis region.

The Southaven project forms part of xAI’s efforts to scale computing capacity for its artificial intelligence systems.

The company currently operates two major data centers in Memphis, known as Colossus 1 and Colossus 2, which provide computing power for xAI’s Grok AI models. xAI is also planning to build another large data center in Southaven called Macrohardrr, which would be located in a warehouse previously used by GXO Logistics.

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Large-scale AI training requires substantial computing power and electricity, prompting technology companies to develop dedicated energy infrastructure for their data centers.

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell previously stated that xAI plans to develop 1.2 gigawatts of power capacity for its Memphis-area AI supercomputer site as part of the federal government’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge. The commitment was announced during an event with United States President Donald Trump.

“As part of today’s commitment, we will take extensive additional steps to continue to reduce the costs of electricity for our neighbors. xAI will therefore commit to develop 1.2 GW of power as our supercomputer’s primary power source. That will be for every additional data center as well. We will expand what is already the largest global Megapack power installation in the world,” Shotwell said.

“The installation will provide enough backup power to power the city of Memphis, and more than sufficient energy to power the town of Southaven, Mississippi where the data center resides. We will build new substations and invest in electrical infrastructure to provide stability to the area’s grid.”

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Tesla China teases Optimus robot’s human-looking next-gen hands

The image was shared by Tesla AI’s account on Weibo and later reposted by Tesla community members on X.

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Credit: Tesla China

A new teaser shared by Tesla’s China team appears to show a pair of unusually human-like hands for Optimus. 

The image was shared by Tesla AI’s account on Weibo and later reposted by Tesla community members on X.

As could be seen in the teaser image, the new version of Optimus’ hands features proportions and finger structures that look strikingly similar to those of a human hand. Their appearance suggests that they might have dexterity approaching that of a human hand.

If the image reflects a new generation of Optimus’ hands, it could indicate Tesla is continuing to refine one of the most critical components of its humanoid robot.

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Hands are widely viewed as one of the most difficult engineering challenges in robotics. For Optimus to perform complex real-world work, from manufacturing tasks to household activities, its hands would need to be the best in the industry.

Elon Musk has repeatedly described Optimus as Tesla’s most important long-term product. In posts on social media platform X, Musk has stated that Optimus could eventually become the first real-world Von Neumann machine.

In theory, a Von Neumann machine is a self-replicating system capable of building copies of itself using available materials. The concept was originally proposed by mathematician John von Neumann in the mid-20th century.

“Optimus will be the first Von Neumann machine, capable of building civilization by itself on any viable planet,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

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If Optimus is expected to carry out complex work autonomously in the future, high levels of dexterity will likely be essential. This makes the development of advanced robotic hands a key step towards Musk’s long-term expectations for the product.

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