SpaceX Hiring AI Engineers with Six-Figure Salaries, Contradicting Elon Musk's Previous Claims

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is hiring AI software engineers with salaries ranging from $120,000 to $170,000 per year. This is a significant change from Musk's previous statement that SpaceX uses "basically no AI." The new team will focus on solving complex data problems for launch vehicles and spacecraft, as well as supporting Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service.

SpaceX, the aerospace company led by Elon Musk, is making significant strides in its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The company has recently announced the hiring of AI software engineers with competitive salaries, ranging from $120,000 to $170,000 per year. This move represents a notable shift from Musk's earlier statement that SpaceX uses "basically no AI."

The newly formed AI Software Engineering team will focus on solving complex data problems for SpaceX's launch vehicles and spacecraft. Additionally, the team will support Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, by leveraging AI to accelerate software development and testing, avionics design, flight data review, logistics, and mission operations [1].

SpaceX's commitment to AI is further underscored by a substantial investment in Musk's AI company, xAI. The company has committed $2 billion to xAI, making up nearly half of its $5 billion equity round. This investment aligns xAI with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service and Tesla's Optimus robot. The move signals a strategic shift for SpaceX, which has traditionally focused on aerospace ventures [2].

While the investment in xAI raises questions about the financial risk for SpaceX, particularly given the company's ongoing R&D costs for its next-generation Starship rocket, Musk has denied reports of xAI seeking a $200 billion valuation. The company's growth is likely to be driven by the integration of AI across Musk's various business enterprises [2].

The hiring of AI software engineers and the investment in xAI position SpaceX as a key player in the global AI landscape. The company's AI model Grok is seen as a direct rival to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. With SpaceX's backing, xAI could accelerate R&D and scale faster, potentially transforming how engineering data is accessed and used at SpaceX [2].

References:
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/ai-software-engineer-vehicle-engineering-at-spacex-4265552478
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/elon-musk-moves-2-billion-spacex-ai-startup-xai-chatgpt-competition-2507/