Elon Musk’s ambitious vision is facing increasingly tangible challenges.
Technical hurdles at Tesla, specifically with the development of Optimus and the Cybertruck, are proving difficult to overcome. Regulatory obstacles also loom. Once completed, the fully autonomous vehicle will require approval from government agencies – a process expected to be complex, given existing skepticism surrounding Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which currently requires human driver monitoring.
Meanwhile, SpaceX, while focused on space exploration, must address growing scrutiny of its acquisitions in the digital realm. As the owner of the X social media platform and the AI developer xAI, the company will need to navigate government concerns regarding X’s content moderation policies and the ethical considerations surrounding Grok’s AI capabilities.
The challenges extend beyond Earth’s orbit. SpaceX, the world’s largest satellite constellation operator, recently received authorization to maintain 15,000 satellites between 500 km and 2,000 km above the Earth. Even before deployment, the project is drawing criticism for potential interference with space-based observations, the creation of space debris from satellite collisions, and disruption of other satellite communications.
While a million satellites represent an unprecedented technological ambition, they also carry the potential for unforeseen consequences. As such, before fully realizing its space-based ambitions, Musk will need to resolve a number of significant issues here on Earth.
DEU TILT
Every week, Diogo Cortiz and Helton Simões Gomes discuss the technologies impacting the human element behind the machines. The program is published on Tuesdays on the UOL YouTube channel and on audio platforms. Watch the full episode of the week.
