Rivian is building its own AI assistant

Rivian has been developing its own AI assistant for nearly two years, aiming to integrate it deeply with vehicle controls rather than offering a simple chatbot. The company’s software chief, Wassym Bensaid, indicated a potential consumer launch by the end of 2024, with more details expected at Rivian’s December 11 event. The AI assistant is designed with a model- and platform-agnostic architecture, employing an agentic framework that coordinates multiple AI models through an in-vehicle orchestration layer. This hybrid system balances edge AI (processing on the device) and cloud AI (using remote servers), enabling flexible and efficient task handling. This AI initiative aligns with Rivian’s broader strategy to increase vertical integration, as the company is also redesigning key vehicle components and developing much of its software stack in-house, including real-time operating systems for safety and infotainment. While Rivian’s AI assistant remains an internal project, separate from its multi-billion dollar technology joint venture with Volkswagen, the