In a move that underscores its growing ambitions in the artificial intelligence space, Rivian has appointed Aidan Gomez, co-founder and CEO of Cohere, to its board of directors. The EV manufacturer disclosed the update in a recent regulatory filing, signaling its intent to lead not just in electric mobility, but also in the software-defined future of vehicles.
Gomez’s addition comes as Rivian expands its board, with his term set to run through 2026. For Rivian, this appointment is more than just a personnel update—it reflects a strategic bet on embedding AI deeply across its vehicle systems, software platforms, and next-gen services.
The Cohere CEO brings serious AI firepower. Before launching the generative AI startup in 2019 with Nick Frosst and Ivan Zhang, Gomez was a researcher at Google Brain, where he co-authored the pivotal paper “Attention Is All You Need.” That breakthrough in transformer-based models laid the groundwork for today’s most powerful generative AI tools.
Under Gomez’s leadership, Cohere has built foundation models tailored for enterprise clients, landing customers like Oracle and Notion. His experience scaling AI infrastructure and delivering production-ready models has made him one of the most influential voices in the space.
This deep AI knowledge could prove vital as Rivian embarks on its $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group. The two automakers are pooling resources to develop a next-generation software platform, with Rivian providing its proprietary electrical architecture and licensing key IP to the collaboration. The venture, while initially internal, may eventually commercialize its technology for third-party automakers.
Beyond the joint venture, Rivian has also been quietly developing an in-vehicle AI assistant. According to chief software officer Wassym Bensaid, the assistant has been in development since 2023, focusing on orchestration layers that sit outside the VW partnership. This internal project highlights Rivian’s broader commitment to building AI-native features into its EV lineup.
RJ Scaringe, Rivian’s founder and CEO, noted that Gomez’s insights will be instrumental as the company integrates “cutting-edge technologies” into everything from its vehicles to manufacturing workflows. For a company that aims to lead in both electric and intelligent mobility, the Rivian AI board appointment may be just the beginning of a much deeper transformation.
