CEO neutrality carries brand risk; OpenAI and Anthropic leaders’ cautious political responses are an illustration of how hedging on values can erode trust rather than protect it.

The automotive dashboard is evolving into a media hub. By 2029, 203 million connected car drivers will give advertisers access to captive audiences through AI commerce, in-vehicle ads, charging sessions, and rideshare integrations.

GenAI adoption in Asia-Pacific is outpacing the rest of the world. The region’s soft power is expanding quickly, highlighted by K-pop’s unstoppable global rise and China’s AI push bringing humanoid robots to daily life.

Last week, Tesla and Rivian approved two of the most aggressive CEO compensation plans in history—Elon Musk’s potential $1 trillion payout and RJ Scaringe’s $4.6 billion plan. Both hinge on hitting decade-long performance and valuation targets tied to EV production, AI innovation, and market capitalization growth. Why it matters for brands and marketers: This compensation era spotlights the rise of the personality-driven company. Musk and Scaringe are seen not just as CEOs, but as brand assets whose visibility and vision influence valuation. For advertisers, the message is that leadership narratives can serve as marketing multipliers that help drive brand identity and, for better or worse, brand reputation.

Robotaxi deployments are moving from pilots to broader rollouts as companies try to cash in on advancements in autonomous driving. Lyft recently began robotaxi tests in Atlanta, and Amazon's Zoox launched in Las Vegas. For companies investing in robotaxis, the opportunity extends beyond passenger rides. These fleets could eventually serve as a backbone for cost-saving delivery services, expanding the commercial applications of the technology. With Uber and DoorDash testing delivery robots, robotaxis could be the next move in on-demand logistics, moving beyond transporting passengers to carrying packages, meals, and groceries.

The news: Tesla’s Q2 earnings disappointed as fallout continues from Elon Musk’s political spotlight, highlighting the risks of a brand being tied to its leader’s actions. Revenues reached $22.49 billion and deliveries hit 384.1 million, down 12% and 13% YoY, respectively. Between January and June, EU car sales declined 44% YoY, per the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. Our take: While complicated to execute, brand equity should be as independent as possible to avoid tying company identity to a single leader. When CEOs make mistakes, companies can rebuild trust through honesty and accountability and by highlighting assets other than leaders, like employees, partnerships, or key products. Tesla seems to be on the path to recovery, but it may have a long road ahead.

Tesla is officially in the restaurant business following the much-hyped opening of the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles. The futuristic concept could be the template for additional openings in the US as well as abroad, CEO Elon Musk said—helping the company boost brand awareness, engagement, and sales. The diner’s launch—and the accompanying wave of press and social media posts—could help reset consumers’ perceptions of the Tesla brand at a particularly tumultuous time for the company. But it could also, given the company’s increasingly polarized reputation, become a focal point for protests, which might deter would-be customers from stopping in.

The news: Tesla stock rebounded about 5% Friday after a 14.3% crash during a public social media feud between President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk over the “Big Beautiful Bill.” The EV giant lost $152.4 billion in market value Thursday—its biggest one-day decline ever, per The Wall Street Journal. Our take: The Musk-Trump quarrel could drag on or it could end as abruptly as it started. Its effects on Tesla’s stock are a reminder that Musk is the company’s de facto spokesperson and that his persona is inseparable from Tesla’s brand. The Big Beautiful Bill, paired with cautious US consumer spending and economic uncertainty, could slow Tesla’s EV adoption just when the company can least afford it.

A 90-day pause in tariffs added over $800 billion to the Magnificent Seven’s market cap, revealing just how damaging trade tensions had been for investor confidence.

Tesla struggles to keep up as production challenges, Musk controversy hurt sales: The company is in a difficult spot as tariffs threaten to curb demand further and jack up production costs.

Regulators may hit X with a $1 billion fine, escalating a standoff that could provoke Trump and push Musk to yank the platform from Europe.

Amazon and Walmart dominate the landscape, but the other half of US ecommerce sales is still up for grabs.

US President Donald Trump’s shifting trade policies will have ramifications for US brands that do business with Latin America. This FAQ addresses the most pressing questions for companies as they navigate new tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and the potential rise of new competitors.

Move to develop AI-powered humanoid robots raises concerns about overextension as the company juggles multiple ambitious projects.

With the humanoid robotics market projected to hit $38 billion by 2035, tech giants see a clear path to monetization—offering tangible use cases beyond the AI arms race.

Q4 revenues grew 2% YoY to $25.7 billion but fell short of expectations. Surging R&D costs threaten Musk’s ambitious 2025 production goals.

EV sales set a volume record in Q4: While sales jumped 15.2% YoY, momentum may slow this year if Republicans keep their pledge to repeal or scale back incentives.

Strategic alliances expanded EV capabilities this year, but high prices, limited infrastructure, and possible tax credit cuts could challenge growth.

There will be 180.9 million connected car drivers in the US by 2028, reaching over 70% of licensed drivers, according to a September 2024 EMARKETER forecast.