Rivian Adds Cohere CEO to Board, Signaling AI Focus

Aidan Gomez Joins Rivian's Board of Directors

Aidan Gomez, serving as both co-founder and CEO of the generative AI company Cohere, has been appointed to Rivian’s board of directors, as revealed in a recent regulatory document.

This appointment signifies Rivian’s growing interest in leveraging the potential of artificial intelligence within its operations.

Expanding Rivian’s Board and Expertise

The board's size was expanded to accommodate Gomez, whose term is set to conclude in 2026, according to the filing.

Rivian aims to establish itself as a leader in automotive software, potentially even becoming a provider to others in the industry.

Gomez’s Background and Accomplishments

Gomez possesses extensive experience as a data scientist and a recognized authority in the field of AI.

He co-founded Cohere in 2019 alongside Nick Frosst and Ivan Zhang, focusing on the development of AI foundation models tailored for enterprise applications.

Cohere currently provides its services to prominent companies like Oracle and Notion.

Before establishing Cohere, Gomez conducted research at Google Brain, Google’s deep learning division, under the guidance of Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton.

The "Attention Is All You Need" Paper

Gomez is also widely recognized as a co-author of the influential 2017 technical paper, “Attention Is All You Need.”

This paper provided a foundational framework for many of today’s most advanced generative AI models.

Implications for Rivian’s Software Development

Gomez’s skillset is expected to be particularly valuable as Rivian progresses with a new $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group, centered on software development.

Through this venture, Rivian will share its expertise in electrical architecture with Volkswagen Group and its associated brands.

The company also anticipates licensing existing intellectual property rights to the joint venture.

Potential for Future Tech Sales

There is a possibility that the technology developed through the joint venture will be offered for sale to other companies in the future.

Rivian’s Internal AI Assistant Development

Rivian has been independently developing an AI assistant for its electric vehicles since 2023.

This work, focusing on the orchestration layer for the AI assistant, is separate from the joint venture with Volkswagen, as stated by Rivian’s chief software officer, Wassym Bensaid, in a March interview with TechCrunch.

Scaringe’s Statement on Gomez’s Appointment

RJ Scaringe, Rivian’s founder and CEO, expressed his enthusiasm for Gomez’s addition to the board.

He noted that Gomez’s insights and expertise will be instrumental in integrating innovative technologies into Rivian’s products, services, and manufacturing processes.