On January 1, 2025, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, killing the driver, identified as Matthew Alan Livelsberger, an active-duty U.S. Army Green Beret, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before the explosion. Seven bystanders were injured in the blast. The vehicle was packed with fireworks, gasoline cans, and camping fuel canisters, which were found among the wreckage.
The explosion is being investigated as a potential act of terrorism, though no definitive links to terrorism have been confirmed. Authorities have been examining possible connections to a separate incident in New Orleans, where another vehicle attack occurred on the same day, but the FBI found no connection between the two incidents.
Further details emerged on January 7, 2025, revealing that Livelsberger used ChatGPT, a generative AI tool, to help plan the attack. He was reportedly seeking information on the velocity of bullets and whether they could ignite explosives, indicating a calculated use of technology in plotting the explosion.
The incident has sparked discussions about the security implications of AI tools in planning attacks and has also highlighted the Cybertruck's resilience, as the design of the vehicle reportedly contained the blast, directing it upwards and minimizing collateral damage.
This information is based on various news reports and posts found on X.