Tesla Is Hiring AI Operators to Scale Robotaxi Service in California

Tesla is ramping up its Robotaxi operations in California, and it is doing it the pragmatic way. The company has launched an internal hiring campaign to boost the number of AI Operators monitoring its autonomous vehicles as demand grows.

An internal hiring campaign is now underway at Tesla facilities across California. Posters inside factories and logistics sites invite production associates and material handlers to take on extra shifts as AI Operators in exchange for additional pay. It is a fast way to scale operations using workers who already understand Tesla’s systems and culture.

This role exists because of how California regulates autonomous vehicles. Under Tesla’s current license, every Robotaxi must have an AI Operator seated in the driver’s seat, actively monitoring the vehicle while it is in service. The software handles the driving, but a human remains responsible for oversight.

That requirement creates a bottleneck as demand increases. According to Business Insider, Tesla had 1,655 Robotaxi vehicles and 798 registered drivers in California as of December. As ride requests grow, each additional vehicle needs a corresponding human operator. Without more people in seats, wait times rise and expansion slows.

By recruiting internally, Tesla keeps its Robotaxi fleet moving while avoiding long onboarding cycles. More AI Operators mean more vehicles on the road, more data collected, and faster iteration of Full Self-Driving in real-world conditions. For a company that lives on feedback loops, this matters.

These operators are not a long-term fixture. Tesla’s stated goal remains a fully autonomous Robotaxi service that operates without a human behind the wheel. That future depends on regulatory approval, not just software capability. Until California grants a fully autonomous license, people remain part of the system.

California is only one piece of the strategy. Tesla has also targeted internal hiring for AI Operator roles in Austin, Arizona, and Nevada. At the same time, external job listings are live in Illinois, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Texas. This suggests broader testing and expansion across multiple regulatory environments.

The job itself blends customer interaction with technical oversight. AI Operators sit behind the wheel while Full Self-Driving is engaged, communicate with passengers when needed, and document vehicle behavior in detail. Pay ranges from $25 to $30 per hour, which makes it a solid entry point into Tesla’s autonomy program.

For Tesla owners and EV enthusiasts, this hiring push reveals where autonomy really stands today. Full Self-Driving continues to improve, but scaling Robotaxi service still requires people, paperwork, and patience. Every supervised mile logged helps Tesla strengthen its case for wider approval.

Source: DriveTesla