Shield AI Secures $1.5B Funding; Waabi Plans 25,000 Robotaxis by 2027

Shield AI has raised $1.5 billion in Series G funding, achieving a post-money valuation of $12.7 billion. Nathan Michael, the Chief Technology Officer, emphasized the importance of knowing when an autonomous system is ready for real-world deployment, questioning, "How do you know when an autonomous system is actually ready to leave the lab?" Waabi, founded by Raquel Urtasun, is set to deploy 25,000 Waabi Driver-powered robotaxis, following a $1 billion funding round and a partnership with Uber announced in January. Urtasun noted that their autonomous trucks require full validation before driverless deployment, highlighting the challenges in ensuring safety and reliability. Mikell Taylor, Director of Robotics Strategy at General Motors, stressed that user experience and adoption must be considered from the start of AI development. The TechCrunch Disrupt event, scheduled for October 13-15, is expected to attract over 10,000 attendees, featuring more than 250 speakers and 300 exhibiting startups. This follows Shield AI's selection as the autonomy provider for the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone prototype program in February.