Pros: Very good exit opportunities. Despite the shenanigans, Applied Intuition is a reputable company in the AV/robotics industry. If your goal is to get a recognizable name on your resume fast or build a network in the space, it can absolutely serve as a quick stepping stone in your career. The company prides itself on being radically transparent internally—sometimes to a degree that, in my view, would make customers uneasy if they knew the extent of it. I’m not going to comment on how they handle sensitive information, but it’s fair to say you’ll see and hear a lot just by existing on Slack. If you want to absorb how this industry works, you’ll get more exposure than you probably asked for. This might change though, as things inevitably become more siloed.

Cons: The typical startup grind is very much alive here. Long hours, high expectations, constant urgency. Personally, I think that’s normal in a high-growth environment. Most people don’t come in expecting anything else. What ends up driving people to burnout and frustration isn’t just the workload—it’s the culture that wears on you over time. In my experience, the environment isn’t just demanding, it can be quite unforgiving. I was let go shortly before a vesting milestone, after it became apparent that I was considering other opportunities. To me, that timing didn’t feel like a coincidence. I acknowledge my bias here, but this should tell you a lot about the kind of company you’re dealing with. Leadership is quick to talk about values like speed, ownership, and rigor, but very inconsistent in how those values actually show up. Moving fast is encouraged until you step outside unspoken boundaries. Open feedback is encouraged, but upward feedback to leadership is often labeled as “bad feedback.” At times, it feels like the culture is being weaponized to keep employees institutionalized. Pretty Machiavellian. This is not a place where your voice matters much if you disagree with top-down decisions. The organization is openly undemocratic, and leadership doesn’t pretend otherwise. The irony is that fear and control can drive short-term execution, but over time they erode trust, creativity, and loyalty. You’ve seen this story play out before. Uber ATG. Cruise. The signs were there before things fell apart. It hasn't reached that level yet, but it certainly is heading to that direction. Oh, and a bit of an interesting sidenote: it’s well known that they have active engagements with US government agencies. Like other companies in the AI space, they’ve leaned into geopolitical narratives to build their positioning. Pardon the naivete, but I find it ironic that companies like this operate under the banner of national security while maintaining a culture that doesn’t feel particularly aligned with openness or democratic values. Applied Intuition has a lot going for it—smart people, an ambitious mission, and real problems to solve. But a culture built on fear, pressure, and control doesn’t last, no matter how good the business looks on paper. I hope they figure it out eventually. But if you’re thinking about joining, don’t let the prestige blind you to the tradeoffs. I, among others, am lucky enough to make use of this experience as a launchpad. For others, it’s a cautionary tale. Overall, an interesting experience, I'd probably give them 2 stars if they let me vest, but I'm petty that way so it's a 1 star for me :)

Pros: Company is really transparent to employees about the state of health, opportunity, and work needed to get there. The people are incredibly talented. The bar for who gets in is very high.

Cons: Like most startups, there is a lot of ambiguity with process and as a result, the work can be time consuming.

Pros: Solid business, growing stronger with new partnerships and customers.

Cons: Most of the company's muscle is newgrads, so even if you are very experienced, be ready to be treated as a newgrad. Toxic environment, full of micromanagement. I would only recommend working here if you are fresh graduate with no exposure to the field, otherwise you can find better options out there.