Are flying cars a fantasy? No, says innovator and computer scientist Sebastian Thrun, who is making automotive technology accessible to Indian students through his online education startup Udacity.
SEBAS TIAN THRUN IS AN INNOVATOR and entrepreneur best known as the pioneer of Google’s self-driving cars. But that is not all he does. The 52-year-old computer scientist is also the founder and chairman of Silicon Valley-based online education startup Udacity which reaches millions of students in over 190 countries, including 1.3 million in India. Originally from Germany, Thrun now sees India as one of the top growing markets for education, automation, self-drive technology, and artificial intelligence. Thrun, who Fortune named as one of the 50 smartest people in technology in 2010, believes his courses can empower thousands of Indians and even make them industry-ready. At the same time, Thrun as CEO of electric aircraft maker Kitty Hawk, also wants to make real, usable flying cars a reality. In an exclusive interview with Fortune India, he talks about his vision of democratising education with Udacity and opportunities in India’s auto-tech industry. Edited excerpts:
Tell me something about your experiment that led you to start Udacity in 2011.
Denne historien er fra June 15, 2019-utgaven av Fortune India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 15, 2019-utgaven av Fortune India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CAN AI MAKE VIDEO GAMES MORE IMMERSIVE? SOME STUDIOS TURN TO AI-FUELED NPCS FOR MORE INTERACTION
For decades, video games have relied on scripted, stilted interactions with non-player characters to help shepherd gamers in their journeys.
Watch SERIES 10 & ULTRA 2: REFRESHING THE LINEUP WITH NEW FINISHES & BOLD COLORS
At this year’s September Event, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10, a device set to redefine the smartwatch landscape with its sleek design, advanced display, and innovative health, fitness, and connectivity features.
APPLE BEGINS TESTING AI SOFTWARE DESIGNED TO BRING A SMARTER SIRI TO THE IPHONE 16
Apple is giving more people the chance to test a software update that will implant artificial intelligence into its virtual assistant Siri and automate a variety of tedious tasks on the latest iPhone coming out.
TECH TIP: USING INSTAGRAM'S NEW TEEN ACCOUNT SETTINGS TO SUPERVISE YOUNG USERS
Worried about your teen’s Instagram use? Faced with growing pressure to do more to stop online harm, the social media platform has rolled out a major new update to protect young people and give parents more control.
OPENAI CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER MIRA MURATI AND 2 OTHER EXECS ARE LEAVING THE CHATGPT MAKER
A high-ranking executive at OpenAI who served a few days as its interim CEO during a period of turmoil last year said she’s leaving the artificial intelligence company.
UN EXPERTS URGE UNITED NATIONS TO LAY FOUNDATIONS FOR GLOBAL GOVERNANCE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
A high-powered U.N. advisory body said that global governance of artificial intelligence is “imperative” and urged the United Nations to lay the foundations for the first inclusive global institutions to regulate the fast-growing technology.
PHONE DEAL FOR VISITING FANS AT 2026 WORLD CUP PART OF VERIZON SPONSOR PACT WITH FIFA
Soccer fans arriving in North America for the 2026 World Cup have been promised help with their cell phone coverage from Verizon as part of a sponsor deal with FIFA announced this week.
X RELEASES ITS FIRST TRANSPARENCY REPORT SINCE ELON MUSK'S TAKEOVER
Social media platform X on Wednesday published its first transparency report since the company was purchased by Elon Musk.
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA'S 'MEGALOPOLIS' IS ONE FROM THE HEART
Francis Ford Coppola believes he can stop time. It’s not just a quality of the protagonist of Coppola’s new film “Megalopolis,” a visionary architect named Cesar Catilina ( Adam Driver ) who, by barking “Time, stop!” can temporarily freeze the world for a moment before restoring it with a snap of his fingers.
GOOGLE BEGINS ITS DEFENSE IN ANTITRUST CASE ALLEGING MONOPOLY OVER ADVERTISING TECHNOLOGY
Google opened its defense against allegations that it holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology with witness testimony saying the industry is vastly more complex and competitive than portrayed by the federal government.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SEEKS TO BAN CHINESE RUSSIAN TECH IN US AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
The Commerce Department said this week it’s seeking a ban on the sale of connected and autonomous vehicles in the U.S. that are equipped with Chinese and Russian software and hardware with the stated goal of protecting national security and U.S. drivers. `
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SUES VISA. ALLEGES 7 THE CARD ISSUER MONOPOLIZES DEBIT CARD MARKETS
The U.S. Justice Department has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Visa, alleging that the financial services behemoth uses its size and dominance to stifle competition in the debit card market, costing consumers and businesses billions of dollars.
CALIFORNIA BECOMES LATEST STATE TO RESTRICT STUDENT SMARTPHONE USE AT SCHOOL
School districts in California will have to create rules restricting student smartphone use under a new law Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed this week.
STRIKE BY MORE THAN 1,000 SAMSUNG WORKERS ENTERS A THIRD WEEK IN INDIA
A strike by more than 1,000 workers at a Samsung India Electronics plant has entered its third week, and management is at an impasse over their demands for recognition of the employees’ union and higher pay, a workers union spokesman said,
CALIFORNIA SUES EXXONMOBIL AND SAYS IT LIED ABOUT PLASTICS RECYCLING
California sued ExxonMobil this week, alleging the oil giant deceived the public for half a century by promising that the plastics it produced would be recycled.
ALMOST ALL SMALL BUSINESSES ARE USING A SOFTWARE TOOL THAT IS ENABLED BY AI
As the use of artificial intelligence is expands, more small firms say they’re harnessing AI to help their businesses.
VIDEO GAME ACTORS' UNION CALLS FOR STRIKE AGAINST 'LEAGUE OF LEGENDS'
Hollywood’s actors union called a strike against the popular multiplayer online game “League of Legends” on Tuesday, arguing the company that produces the game attempted to get around the ongoing video game strike by hiring nonunion actors to work on a union title.
META UNVEILS CHEAPER VR HEADSET, AI UPDATES AND SHOWS OFF PROTOTYPE FOR HOLOGRAPHIC AR GLASSES
Meta unveiled updates to the company’s virtual reality headset and Ray Ban smart glasses on Wednesday as it tries to demonstrate its artificial intelligence prowess and the next generation of computing platforms beyond smartphones and computers.
BEFORE YOU SIGN UP FOR A STORE CREDIT CARD, KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO
When Mykail James was 19 and working a holiday job at Victoria’s Secret, she took out a store credit card with a $2,000 credit line.
FOUND: What It Really Means to Have Dense Breasts
A new FDA rule says women must be told if their breasts are considered dense a factor that raises breast cancer risk. What you need to know
Kerry Mellin
Home: Hidden Hills, CA/Age: 66 Occupation: Founder of EaZyHold
PLACENTA HUNGER GRIPS HOLLYWOOD!
Celeh mothers follow risky fad of eating their own afterbirth
MARIAH'S MAXIMUM SPENDING EXPOSED!
Why she’s leveragin luxury rea estate
TWISTED TEEN BUSTED FOR KILLING MOM AFTER ARREST FOR SHOOTING DAD
BAD seed son Collin Griffith fatally stabbed his mother in Florida — 19 months after the psycho 17-year-old gunned down his dad in Oklahoma, lawmen say.
VAMPIRE KIDS BEHEADED SO THEY CAN'T RISE AGAIN!
IN A chilling and gruesome discovery, archaeologists have unearthed the ancient burial ground of “vampire children” — with one of the tiny skeletons decapitated to prevent the pint-sized bloodsucker rising from the grave!
NEWLYWEDS NAILED IN WEIRD WEDDING PARTY MURDER
THE bride wore an orange jumpsuit — and so did her new husband — when they were thrown in the slammer on charges of mowing down and murdering their groomsman after an “argument” on their wedding day!
WENDY SUES LIFETIME TO PAY HER DOC BILLS!
Lawyers say TV channel profited from her misery
WILLIAM THINKS BRO IS DUMB AS DIRT!!
Royal ranks closed to clueless Harry
MY DEATHBED PROMISE TO SUPERMAN
Chris Reeve’s son tells all
BRITNEY MONEY MESS!
Ending S1M child 7 to K-Fed but lowing cash like drunken sailor
