AI & AV Policies Lurch Forward in California

Sodexo may buy Aramark, Google advances robotic dexterity

We’ve got some major policy updates to cover this afternoon, followed by a billion dollar merger that could eliminate a big buyer of restaurant robotics. Before we get to the news, a bit of housekeeping: going forward, these weekly news roundup will be released on Tuesdays. Craving a news hit on Mondays? You can get one from our sister publication Modern Delivery.

Want to meet your fellow delivery, restaurant and mobility tech innovators? Join us in-person on October 17th for our Mobility & Delivery Tech Happy Hour as part of LA Tech Week.

Newsom Kills SB 1047, DMV Mulls OK of AV Trucks

The AI industry breathed a sigh of relief this morning, as California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 1047. Authored by State Senator Wiener, the bill would have made AI models that cost over $100 million and use 10^26 FLOPS liable for preventing critical harms done with their software, and required the creation of safety protocols. In the letter accompanying his veto, Governor Newsom noted that while he believes the state cannot wait for a major catastrophe to occur before regulating the industry, the proposed solution was not “informed by an empirical trajectory analysis of AI systems and capabilities.”

California’s Department of Motor Vehicles has also drafted new regulations that look to allow heavy-duty autonomous vehicles on the Golden State’s roadways. While California has led the way with smaller autonomous vehicles, the state has taken a cautious approach to allowing self-driving trucks on its highways. The DMV is collecting feedback on the proposed regulations through 10/14. AV innovators like Torc Robotics have expressed enthusiasm about the proposed rules, while the Teamsters union has shown its displeasure that a law that would have required human operators to accompany the autonomous trucks was vetoed.

Sodexo May Acquire Aramark

Two foodservice giants may combine forces, with France’s Sodexo eying Philadelphia-based Aramark. Market reaction to the news was mixed, with Aramark trading up and Sodexo shares down. The combined company would be a behemoth, with revenue topping $40 billion; any deal is sure to face regulatory scrutiny. The restaurant automation sector is likely to view the deal with a wary eye as well; the foodservice groups have been a reliable buyer of robotics systems, and this tie-up would eliminate a major customer.

Google DeepMind Advances Robotic Dexterity

Google continues to advance the robotics space, with two new discoveries making meaningful improvements to manipulation and dexterity. ALOHA Unleashed allows for two-armed manipulation, with the system learning to tie shoelaces, repair robots, hang shirts and clean kitchens. Meanwhile, DeepMind DemoStart makes use of reinforcement learning to train new behaviors into robots via simulations.

In Other News

OpenAI monthly revenue hits $300 million, as it closes in on $6.5 billion funding round that includes a $500 million commitment from SoftBank. Closely watched (at least by Ottomate) robotic restaurant Kernel adds Uber Eats delivery service. Tesla debuts supervised “full self-driving” for Cybertrucks, eager fans immediately film their ugly pickups dangerously veering into oncoming traffic. (Only one and a half weeks until the company is set to reveal its robotaxis!)