Rivian Builds AI Assistant To Run The Vehicle, Not Just Talk

Rivian Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:RIVN) has spent nearly two years developing its own artificial intelligence assistant, a project separate from its $5.8 billion technology joint venture with Volkswagen AG (OTC:VWAGY).

Rivian designed the assistant to integrate fully with vehicle controls rather than functioning as a simple infotainment chatbot.

The team in Palo Alto built a flexible, model-agnostic architecture and focused on software layers that coordinate workflows and manage control logic across systems, TechCrunch reported on Tuesday.

Also Read: Rivian To Recall 34,824 Vehicles After Seatbelt Failure Warning

Benzinga requested comment from Rivian’s investor relations team and is awaiting a response.

Rivian’s software chief, Wassym Bensaid, told TechCrunch earlier this year that it aims to launch by year-end and plans to share more during its AI & Autonomy Day livestream on December 11.

The assistant relies on a hybrid software stack combining edge AI, which handles tasks on the vehicle, and cloud AI for heavier computing.

Rivian developed most of the stack in-house, including custom models and an orchestration layer that ensures all AI components work together.

Industry Context

As Rivian pushes deeper into AI, CEO RJ Scaringe underscored lingering challenges in the U.S. electric-vehicle landscape.

Speaking at Fortune’s Brainstorm AI event, Scaringe told Business Insider that compared to Europe and China, the U.S. offers a “shocking lack of choice” for EVs priced below $50,000.

He argued that limited supply, not weak demand, is restraining growth, noting that Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) remains the only broadly accessible option in that price bracket.

Analyst Concerns

Rivian shares fell Monday after Morgan Stanley downgraded the EV maker from Equal Weight to Underweight, setting a new $12 price forecast.

Analyst Andrew Percoco cited “outsized risk” heading into 2026, warning that the launch of Rivian’s lower-priced R2 faces a tough EV market with slowing adoption, the loss of the $7,500 federal tax credit, and ongoing concerns about range and charging infrastructure.

Morgan Stanley also flagged potential financial pressure, projecting $4.2 billion in free cash flow burn next year and the risk that R2 sales could cannibalize demand for the R1 lineup.

Investors are now looking to Rivian’s AI Day on December 11 for updates on autonomous driving and its capital partnership with Volkswagen.

Rivian shares have gained over 33% year-to-date.

RIVN Price Action: Rivian Automotive shares were down 0.17% at $17.68 during premarket trading on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Photo by Michael Berlfein via Shutterstock