Tesla Expands AI Team with Apple Scientist Hire

Tesla has made a significant move in expanding its AI team by hiring former Apple research scientist Yilun Chen. According to Teslarati, Chen, who progressed from an individual contributor to a technical lead during his time at Apple, expressed his enthusiasm for Tesla's endeavors, particularly in relation to the company's humanoid robot project, Optimus.

In a farewell note to his colleagues at Apple, Chen reflected on his nearly four-year tenure, highlighting the rapid growth and exposure he experienced while working on various internal projects, some of which remain unreleased.

He attributed much of his success to the mentorship and collaboration he enjoyed within cross-functional teams at Apple, stating that each role he held provided invaluable lessons regarding technology scaling, product vision, and navigating dynamic research environments.

Chen announced his transition to Tesla after being impressed by the momentum surrounding the Optimus project. He described his visit to Tesla's Optimus lab as eye-opening, stating he was 'totally blown away' by the lab's scale, sophistication, and the dedication of the team members.

In his first week at Tesla, he experienced a culture characterized by spontaneous deep-tech discussions, a flat team structure, rapid prototyping cycles, and what he termed 'crazy ideas with super-fast iterations.' Chen emphasized the team's ambition and belief that humanoid robots are within reach, creating an energy level at Tesla that he believes is aimed at changing the world.

He shared this sentiment in a post on social media, noting the palpable energy to innovate and transform the future at Tesla's facilities. This recruitment not only signifies Tesla's ongoing commitment to advancing artificial intelligence but also positions the company to enhance its competitive edge in the AI and robotics sectors as it continues to develop its Optimus robot.