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Episode #1077: Today we’re talking about Stellantis’ cautious leadership shuffle, Tesla’s Robotaxi rollout with safety monitors in the passenger seat, and how AI is quietly shaping the way we talk—even if we don’t realize it.

• Antonio Filosa officially begins his tenure as Stellantis CEO, opting for continuity over disruption by retaining his North America role and promoting from within—a move that left investors wanting more.
  • Filosa will remain based in Detroit and continue overseeing North America to stabilize performance in Stellantis’ most troubled region.
  • He trimmed direct reports to 16, down from 33 under Tavares, signaling a leaner leadership model.
  • Key appointments include Scott Thiele as head of supply chain and Monica Genovese as head of purchasing, while all 14 brand chiefs—including Jeep, Fiat, and Maserati—stay in place.
  • Stellantis shares are down 10% since his May appointment.
  • Jefferies analysts dryly noted the split role “suggests that revamping Stellantis may not be a full-time job.”

• Tesla has officially launched its Robotaxi pilot in Austin, offering driverless rides to a select group of superfans. While early impressions are mostly positive, the rollout wasn’t without its quirks—or a couple concerning errors.
  • Service is live in a ~30-square-mile geofenced area of South Austin with limited weather, time, and destination constraints.
  • There’s a human “safety monitor” in the passenger seat with emergency controls—and remote teleoperators on standby.
  • Notable fails include one vehicle veering into an oncoming lane mid-turn and another stopping mid-intersection to let out a passenger.
  • Riders must use a separate “Robotaxi” app, distributed via Apple’s TestFlight, but noted seamless syncing of personal Tesla profiles (like music) and a smooth ride experience on par with, or better than, current FSD builds.
  • Content creator Chuck Cook praised the performance: “Quite advanced behavior… a more confident parking job than I’ve personally encountered in a Waymo.”

• As AI tools like ChatGPT increasingly shape our digital interactions, researchers are now tracking how those patterns are bleeding into how we actually talk with some surprising, and maybe unsettling, results.
  • In academic YouTube videos, usage of words like “delve” and “adept” has jumped over 50% since ChatGPT’s release.
  • Spoken language is becoming more structured and emotionally muted—mirroring AI’s formal tone.
  • Researchers warn this shift erodes the authentic signals we use in speech, like stumbles and slang, which build human connection.
  • The influence of “correct” AI-generated English is crowding out regional dialects, affecting who sounds credible in public discourse.
  • “Delve is only the tip of the iceberg,” says Max Planck resea

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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