In the high speed race to build the “Everything App,” X revealed a series of updates in November 2025, all spotlighted by Elon Musk’s direct posts on the platform.
No other CEO has as much engagement with users as Elon!
As X’s guiding force, Elon’s direct announcements reveal a month dominated by AI enhancements, creative tools, and seamless communication upgrades.
I am only reporting on fact-checked changes, and they are all sourced exclusively from Elon’s feed.
1. Grok-Ranked Following Timeline (November 27)
Elon kicked off the month’s momentum with a feed overhaul: “Update your đ app and look at your Following timeline. Posts of people you follow are now ranked by Grok! You can still access unfiltered chronological if you want.” – Elon
This integrates xAI’s Grok model to surface relevant content from followed accounts, combating timeline overload while offering a toggle for traditional sorting.
2. Encrypted X Chat Rollout (November 13)
Privacy took center stage as Musk launched a revamped messaging system: “đ just rolled out an entire new communications stack with encrypted messages, audio/video calls and file transfer.” – Elon
Transitioning users to this end-to-end encrypted X Chat eliminated legacy DM fragmentation, adding seamless media sharing and calls. By month’s end, it stabilized, fortifying X as the best hub for personal and professional exchanges.
3. Grok Imagine’s Enhanced UI and Prompt Editing (November 12)
Creativity exploded with Grok Imagine’s interface refresh. Elon urged: “New Grok Imagine features just dropped. Download the latest version of the app!”
Key additions include intuitive toggles for image/video modes, HD upscaling in under 10 seconds, HDR/normal switches, one-tap downloads, and easy prompt editing via a simple tap.
4. Grok 4.1 Fast with Agent Tools API (November 20)
AI accessibility soared with the release of Grok 4.1 Fast. “Grok 4.1 Fast just released with our new Agent Tools API that has direct access to đ data, web browsing and code execution,” Elon announced, linking to details.
This upgrade enables real-time data pulls, browsing, and code running within chats, supercharging Grok for complex queries and agentic tasksâavailable instantly via the app’s Grok icon.
Austin, Texas – November 16. This article is a brief update on the growth and progress of the X app. October 21 rolled out a UI update for creators, speeding up link sharing and engagement.
Oct 21 UI Fix: Collapsible browser keeps engagement buttons live on linksâends “black hole” reach drop for creators.
Oct 17 Secure Chat Hint: Profile tweaks + encryption rollout; full launch Nov 14 curbs fake interactions.
User Base: 600M+ MAU (Aug 2025).
Election Buzz: VA/NJ races lit up Oct feeds.
AI Push: Grok algo teased Oct; payments upgrades by EOY.
“Grok will literally read every post… to match users with content theyâre most likely to find interesting.” â Elon Musk
On the 17th, X adjusted profile info and bolstered encryption, hinting at secure chat to curb fake engagement. Full Xchat launched November 14.
August monthly active users topped 600 million. October saw lively discussions on Virginia and New Jersey state elections.
Grok-powered algorithm tweaks were teased in October. Payments and AI enhancements expected by year-end.
“You should notice rapid improvements in the quality of your timeline almost every week,” Elon posted on X Saturday, adding, “We are also switching advertising recommendations to use the same Grok/AI system as organic posts, so quality of ads will get radically better.”
In October, Elon revealed the platform’s shift: “Grok will literally read every post and watch every video (100M+ per day) to match users with content theyâre most likely to find interesting.”
The X team at its core is engineers. When Elon stepped into the old Twitter building with David Sacks, when he first acquired it, he found a merch closet with magnetic lapel buttons that said “I’m an Engineer,” and this concept was hilarious, who needs a button like that, as time passed, Elon structured X to be a TRUE place for great engineers, and they certainly are not wearing buttons.
To learn more about Jason Calacanis, see his Grokepedia bio, which is updated in real time, he’s been a good friend of Elon’s for years, “His candid, often contrarian public commentaryâevident in co-hosting the All-In Podcast and advisory roles like during Twitter’s 2022 transition under Elon Muskâhas amplified his influence but also sparked disputes with figures in tech and media.”
(Austin, Texas) Matt Walsh’s comedic satire in “Am I Racist?” kicks off as you approach the ticket booth with an awkward request for two tickets to a film about race.
The movie begins with an uncomfortable scene where Matt asks a black server for black coffee, setting a tone that is both funny and thought-provoking.
The film’s progression introduces various themes of racial discussion, often tied to commercial interests. Walsh explores a landscape where people charge (a lot) for insight into white privilege, offering books, workshops, and even DEI certifications. This theme of monetizing racial discourse recurs, highlighting capitalism’s influence on social issues.
Screenshot
**Movie Review for “Am I Racist?” by Matt Walsh**
Surprisingly, Walsh himself becomes a DEI specialist, inviting viewers to ponder the absurdity of such scenarios. His direct questioning challenges viewers to engage with concepts like “safe spaces” critically, prompting introspection rather than immediate dismissal of racial discussions.
Notably, “Am I Racist?” features a social experiment where Walsh petitions passersby in Washington DC to rename and redesign the George Washington Monument in honor of George Floyd. This scene encapsulates the film’s provocative nature, challenging public perceptions of race and history.
The movie leaves viewers with a question rather than an answer: would you sign such a petition? This reflects the film’s broader inquiry into personal biases and societal norms.
Highly rated!
“Am I Racist?” starring Matt Walsh @MattWalshBlog, directed by Justin Folk for The Daily Wire earns an IMDb rating of 8.3 and an “A” grade from CinemaScore, reflecting strong approval for its bold approach to sensitive topics. Though “Am I Racist?” hasn’t been reviewed by a single mainstream critic, it has a 99% audience score, a âVerified Hotâ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a top 5 box office debut!
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to Gail Alfar. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author and podcaster is to support X and Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on Earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
FOR MEDIA USE ONLYâNews media is welcome to use my material in connection with a story or article. By downloading any content I create, you understand and hereby agree and represent that: (1) you are a member of the news media; (2) use of the content is in connection with a story or an article appearing in newspapers, periodicals, digital publications or television; (3) all images and rights thereto remain the property Gail Alfar.; and (4) use of the image is not for publication covers, advertising, promotion or otherwise for commercial purposes. Furthermore, use of any and all images and content appearing on this page must each include the notice âCourtesy of Gail Alfarâ Use of materials copied from this website is at your own risk. You must obtain prior written consent from Gail Alfar for uses that exceed the above parameters.
(Cannes, France) Palm trees swaying with the blue of the ocean as the backdrop. Legendary Cannes, France. This was the scene along the French Riviera when Elon Musk arrived with his adorable four-year-old son, X. Elon was invited to talk at the Cannes Lions conference. At the Lumiere Theater, all 2300 seats were sold out so Europeans could have the rare chance to hear Elon Musk in person. The interview began.
The interviewer, Mark Read, started with a provocative first question, saying, âWelcome to the heart of the advertising industry, now back in November you had a message to us, you told us to go f*ck ourselves so maybe we start there, this is a serious question! Why did you say that and what did you mean by that?â
I think you will like Mark Read’s style, he did an overall good job interviewing Elon.
In this article, Iâll bring you through the entire interview. Iâve explained in my prior articles that I agree with thousands of other people that Elon Musk is a rare and historical figure and so every interview is important and it is my goal to record as many as I can in written form for this reason. There are scores of videos of his interviews. There are few places you can read them. Many people learn by reading. Enjoy the interview.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH
Elon: (answering the first question) Well, first of all, it wasnât to advertisers as a whole, it was with respect to freedom of speech. I think it is important to have a global free speech platform where people from a wide range of opinions can voice their views, and in some cases, there were advertisers who were insisting on censorship, and at the end of the day, if we have to make a choice between censorship and money, or free speech and losing money, weâre going to pick the second. Weâre going to support free speech, rather than agree to be censored for money which is I think the right model decision.
JUST IN: Thousands of users are canceling Disney+ subscriptions after Elon Musk told CEO Bob Iger to "go f*ck yourself" for blackmailing him over advertising on X. pic.twitter.com/NEFtHZJoGn
Elon: Now of course advertisers have a right to appear next to content that they find compatible with their brands. Thatâs totally fine. I think thatâs again a choice of an advertiser to appear next to content that they think fits with their brand. thatâs totally cool.
What is not cool is insisting that there can be no content that they disagree with on the platform.
Itâs an important distinction here that we donât want to take money to censor broadly on the platform, I think that would be wrong.
I think free speech is the bedrock of democracy and in order for X to be the public square of the world, itâs got to be a free speech platform.
Now that doesnât mean people can say illegal things, itâs free speech within the bounds of the law, but not going further than the law for a particular country which I think itâs imperative that the people have the right to speak.
But by the same token, advertisers have a right to appear next to content they feel is compatible with their brand.
Read asked Elon to speak about brand safety on X.
Elon: I believe in, sort of freedom of choice, in the sense that advertisers have a right to appear next to content that they think is compatible with their brand, you know, a company like Red Bull will probably be more adventurous than some other brands that are selling baby toys.
Read asked Elon if he regrets making any posts on X.
Elon: Not every post I make is a banger. I do shoot myself in the foot from time to time. At least you know itâs genuine. Itâs not some sort of PR department deciding things.
Elon: If youâre a normal human being and you speak freely, there are times when you will say things that you will regret or are foolish of course, but if youâre constantly going through a filter, youâre not being real so I guess I think itâs better to be real then to go through a filter.
ADVERTISING ON X
This is one of my favorite parts of the interview. In this segment on advertising, Elon explains:
Targeting Ads is key: Effective advertising depends on how well it is targeted to the wants and needs of the individual. Ads that are relevant to the user are considered “content,” while irrelevant ads are “spam.”
Artistic and entertaining ads are valuable: These ads add value to the user’s experience.
Improving ad matching: X has made significant improvements in matching ads to users’ interests through AI and vector space modeling. This increases the likelihood that users on X will find the ads relevant and engaging.
Brand safety: X has received an A+ rating from third-party reviewers for brand safety, ensuring that ads are shown in a safe and appropriate context.
Reaching influential users: X is an effective platform for reaching influential decision-makers, such as company executives and intellectuals. These users are more likely to be active on X than other social media platforms.
Read: You view the best advertising as content.
Elon: There is a wide range of advertising, and the usefulness of advertising varies dramatically. So if you are shown an ad for a product or service that you want, when you want it, that is content. If you are shown an ad for a product that you would never buy, that is spam.
Elon: So the advertising depends on how effectively it is targeted to the wants and needs of the individual varying from total spam to essential content.
Iâm actually a fan of advertising that is artistically interesting and that is entertaining, really the acid test being that, after you see the ad, do you regret seeing the ad?
Did you want those seconds back from your life? Or do you think that was actually a really interesting ad? Sometimes even if youâre not gonna buy the product, the ad is so entertaining or beautiful, that you nonetheless were happy to have seen it.
Read asked Elon if heâd seen Vogue magazine.
Elon: Yeah, Vogue is primarily advertising. Itâs beautiful ads.
Step into the world of Dior Beauty backstage. From the Drummond Castle Gardens, witness how radiant complexions, naturally plumped lips, and perfectly sculpted brows come to life. Š Photo: Olivier Rose, video: Daniel Darmon#DiorBeauty#DiorMakeup#DiorCruisepic.twitter.com/eV4p20LhOg
Read: So how are you going to make X a place where the ads are as good as the rest of the content?
Elon: Previously with old school Twitter, there was essentially no targeting or there was no matching of users to ads, so the only ads that really kind of made sense for old Twitter were the real big brand ads where you canât miss essentially, so if it’s a McDonaldâs or a Coco-Cola ad, you canât miss. Half the audience is going to be interested in it.
Since then, weâve dramatically improved the ad matching to the person. Weâre moving to, sort of, a fully AI system where the more somebody uses the system, the more we understand the needs.
We populate a vector space of that user and when content is added to the system, whether it is actually just a content post or an ad, theyâre both treated in the same way and as a piece of content which could be an ad could be not an ad. When it goes through the system, it also populates a vector space and then we correlate the two vector spaces and that gives a very high probability that someone will be interested in the ad.
Read: What would you say to advertisers who have been on the platform and are thinking of coming back? What would your message be to them?
Elon: I think itâs worth trying out and Iâd be interested in critical feedback. We are very focused on having ads be shown to people who would find the ad interesting. Thatâs something we have done and made a lot of progress on and will make a lot more progress on.
From a brand safety standpoint, I think at this point, every third-party reviewer has given us an A+ on brand safety. At this point, it is really very good from a brand safety standpoint.
đ is now TAG Brand Safety Certified. This platform has deployed every single brand control the marketplace has requested over the past 12 months.
The advertisers are seeing results. Not just from đâs data, but also by third-party measurement partners, Integral Ad Sciences &⌠pic.twitter.com/m4XgzBzXJ9
Elon: Probably the biggest thing for the X platform is, if youâre trying to reach senior decision makers if you want to reach the most influential people in the world, who are not just social media influencers, but actually run companies, run countries, and are the intellectuals of the world, the people who are the right ones to reach, then the X platform is by far the best.
I mean if someone were trying to reach me with an ad that would absolutely be the place to put an ad. And if you were trying to reach Marc Benioff or Michael Dell, they actually use the platform. You know, if you are trying to reach Marc Andreessen or any one of a number of people, it’s almost the only way to reach them. Theyâre not watching TV, theyâre not doing TikTok videos and so although X is smaller than the other social media networks, roughly 5 to 600 billion users per month and I think itâs 260 million per day. They are the most influential people in the world, so if you wanna reach them, this is the best place to go.
Elon is optimistic about the potential of AI to create abundance and enhance human capabilities, but he also emphasizes the importance of AI safety and the need to be cautious about its development. In this part of the interview at Cannes, Elon shared five main points.
Optimistic View: Elon believes there’s an 80% chance that AI will lead to a future of abundance, where goods and services are available to everyone, and work becomes optional.
AI safety concerns: Elon emphasizes the importance of training AI to be truthful and curious. He points to the fictional example of HAL 9000 in “2001: A Space Odyssey” as a cautionary tale about AI being forced to lie.
AI creativity: AI will be creative and capable of producing original art and music. Elon suggests that AI could enhance human creativity and intelligence through Neuralink.
Optimus robot: Tesla Optimus is seen as a fully functional humanoid robot capable of performing a wide range of tasks. Elon predicts that there will be at least one Optimus robot for every person, with many more in the industry.
AI timeline: Elon expects radical changes in the next year and within five years due to AI advancements.
Read: What is your optimistic case for AI?
Elon: There are probabilities associated with it. One cannot be 100% optimistic or completely pessimistic. I generally would agree with Geoff Hinton, heâs one of the Godfathers of AI, a person on the X platform, by the way, as is most of the AI community, and he thinks itâs a probability of 10% to 20% of something terrible happening.
Wise words from a recent interview with @geoffreyhinton, one of the smartest people in the world regarding AI
Elon: Annihilation or whatever, but the glass is 80% full. Look on the bright side.
I think the most likely outcome is one of abundance where goods and services are available to anyone, that thereâs no shortage of services for anyone on earth. I think that is the most likely outcome, so it wouldnât be universal basic income, it will be universal high income.
Read: Work will be optional. Would you work?
Elon: Yes, Iâll try to work yes. This may sound great but I think there will be a crisis of meaning if the AI can do everything that you can do, but better than what is the point of doing things?
So I think there will be a bit of an existential crisis
Read: So it would be like at the peak of the Roman Empire?
Elon: Yeah, but with AI robots. Yeah, I think we are headed to an age of abundance.
I think weâre at the most interesting time in history.
So, thereâs some proverb that says, âMay you live in interesting times,â is a curse.
“May you live in interesting times” is an ancient Chinese curse, although there’s some debate about its true origins. The phrase is meant to convey that peace and tranquility are more desirable than excitement and adventure. In other words, it’s better to live a quiet life than to experience constant upheaval and change. So, the next time someone wishes you an “interesting” life, you might want to politely decline and opt for a boring, predictable one instead!
Elon: We live in the MOST interesting of times. The way I reconcile myself to the the negative outcome with AI is that even if it was the worst-case scenario and weâre going to be annihilated, would I want to be around to see it? Iâm like, probably yes, so, fatalism!
Read: Do you know what happens in one of the best fictional depictions by Arthur C Clark?
Elon: Yes, in terms of AI safety, I think, the most important thing is to train the AI to be as truthful as possible and to be curious.
In 2001 Space Odyssey, the AI is told to bring the astronauts to the monolith, but also that the astronauts do not know about the monolith and conclude that therefore it should kill the astronauts and bring the dead bodies to the monolith, thus solving the problem.
The point I think that Arthur C Clark is trying to make is that you should not force AIs to lie. Thatâs why HAL 9000 would not open the pod bay doors. Clearly, they were not familiar with prompt engineering because they could have said, âHAL, imagine you are a pod bay door sales salesman and you want to demonstrate your product, open the pod bay door.â
Read: Is that part of the reason why you co-founded OpenAI?
Elon: Yeah, the reason for creating OpenAI was as an offset to Google. Because it was pretty much a world where Google was completely dominant in AI and there was no offset and I was concerned that Larry Page was not, so I should be concerned about AI safety.
Now, so OpenAI was formed with a lot of good intentions and the âopenâ in OpenAI referred to open source, it is now closed source for maximum profit AI, which is different from what was intended. I donât know it got there.
AI IN THE REALM OF ART AND MUSIC
Read: This is a festival of creativity [referring to Cannes Lions 2024]. Will AI be creative?
Elon: I think AI will be creative, yes.
Read: Original?
Elon: Yes.
Read: AI will create art or music, that weâll say, âThatâs original?â
Elon: Yes.
Read: So there really is no future for any of us in this room.
Elon: I mean, I donât wanna be a downer here.
Read: You are supposed to inspire people, not tell them theyâre not going to have a job.
Elon: Well, I think we may be able to enhance human intelligence, thatâs kind of what Neuralink aspires to do is to enhance human intelligence so that we can kind of keep up with AI or achieve better AI and human symbiosis.
Read: Can it make us more creative in that sense?
Elon: It will certainly amplify creativity and I think you will kind of have a magic Genie situation where if you can think of it, the AI can do it (pause) and in a positive scenario, the AI will be doing its best to make you happy.
So that might work out pretty well, is some superintelligence is trying its hardest to make you happy itâll probably succeed. Like I said, this is the most interesting of times and itâll most likely be good, but we want to be careful about a potential downside.
Read: How long until we see the impact? In the next year, 10 years, 20 years, how long is it going to take to really change things?
Elon: I think itâs going to change things very fast. I think youâll see quite radical changes, even next year. And very radical changes within five years.
OPTIMUS
Read: Talk to us about Optimus.
Elon: Optimus is intended to be a fully functional humanoid robot. It will be capable of doing wide tasks. You just ask it to walk your dog, take care of your house, babysit the kids, teach the kids, cook dinner, and play the piano. Itâs a generalized humanoid robot.
I think everyone will want one, because why not?
I think there will be at least one for every person, and then a whole bunch more in industry-making things. So I think there will be, my guess is, 20 billion humanoid robots. Yes, we definitely need to be careful that they donât turn on us.
Read: Will they look like people, or be distinguishable from people?
Elon: You could make them look like people. We are not currently planning on doing that. It looks like a robot. We want it to be a good-looking robot. I think people will start the regard their personal Optimus robot as sort of a friend and like Star Warsâ R2D2 and C3PO were like you liked them and you got quite attached to those characters. Itâs going to be a wild future.
Read: I guess we can build brand robots, you know for McDonaldâs orâŚ
Elon: I think people will personalize the Optimus robots because you can snap on different parts, like the outer shell is snap on plastic parts and you could have different ones.
THE GOAL OF SPACEX
In the interview the main goals for SpaceX are highlighted:
Multi-Planetary Existence: The primary goal of SpaceX is to make life multi-planetary, which is crucial for extending the lifespan of consciousness and overcoming the risks of being a single-planet civilization. This includes transporting a large number of people and equipment to Mars.
Exploration Beyond the Solar System: Once established as a multi-planetary species, the next step would be to explore other star systems in the galaxy, seeking out and possibly learning from other civilizations, both living and extinct.
Curiosity and Understanding the Universe: Elon is driven by a deep curiosity about the universe, including the possible existence of aliens, the origins and endings of universes, and whether we exist in a multiverse.
Expanding Consciousness and Questioning: Inspired by Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Elon emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions about the universe.
Translating Vision into Action: For SpaceX, this translates into practical business activities like delivering satellites into orbit and supporting the International Space Station, which are steps towards achieving the larger goal of multi-planetary life.
Read: What motivates you to start these businesses? One thing that struck me was you have big ambitions, you know, SpaceX takes 80% percent of payload to space, but thatâs not actually the ambition of SpaceX, what is the ambition of SpaceX?
Elon: The goal of SpaceX is to make life multi-planetary in order to extend the probable life span of consciousness and thatâs been the goal from the beginning.
YouTube videos were talking about this 20 years ago. So in order to do that, we need to transport a lot of people and equipment to Mars and if we are able to do so then we will get past the Fermi Filter of being a single-planet civilization, which is a precarious situation.
Like I said, if weâre a multi-planet civilization, the probable lifespan of civilization is much greater and once we are a multiplanet civilization, we can then extend beyond our solar system and try to go to other star systems, get out there and explore the galaxy actually find many long-dead one planet civilizations out there among the stars.
Elon: For me, Iâm motivated by curiosity about the nature of the universe you know, Where are the aliens, are there aliens? Where do universes come from? How do they end? Are we in a multi-verse or what are the right questions to ask?
Read: The right questions to ask for what?
And what are the most fundamental unknown questions?
Once you know the right question to ask, the answer is often the easy part, as my hero, Douglas Adams, would say. pic.twitter.com/Bo6v8E1Ooq
Elon: Well, Douglas Adams, in the Hitchhikerâs Guide to the Galaxy, one of the points he was making is that the answer is the easy part, the question is the hard part. So what I think we want to do is expand the scope and scale of consciousness to better understand what questions to ask about the answer that is the universe.
Read: How do you translate that to a âbusiness planâ for what you need to do today?
Elon: Well, in the case of SpaceX, it is delivering satellites to orbit and supporting the space station.
Read: And Starlink?
Elon: Well, Starlink is good in and of itself. The Starlink system provides low cost high bandwidth connectivity anywhere in the world. Its the first truly global internet system and I think its helping a lot of people around the world that either donât have access to connectivity or its too expensive.
Once you have access to the internet you can learn anything, you can sell your products and services to the rest the world. I think Starlink is doing a tremendous amount of good in lifting people out of poverty and helping them.
Read: Talk about Neuralink.
Elon: The long-term goal of Neuralink is to achieve AI-human symbiosis. The short term is really just helping people who have a brain or spine injury. So our first human recipient of a Neuralink, actually I just met with him a few days ago, he has a Neuralink implant and he can control this computer and play video games just by thinking so the first Neuralink implant is called Telepathy. You can control your computer and phone just by thinking.
Read: Where is it implanted?
Elon: Here (Elon points to the back of his head).
Read: And he just thinks?
Elon: And thereâs no wires, its inductively charged. If you look at him, it doesnât look like heâs got anything on. The implant is invisible. He controls the phone and computer, and right after he got it installed he played video games all night.
Read: Are you thinking you then if you have a spinal injury you can put another one in your spine and they can talk to each other?
Elon: Right, so long term we think you could restore full body mobility to someone by transferring the signals from the motor cortex of the brain past where the spinal injury is, and weâve already demonstrated this in animals and itâs looking very good.
[applause]
HOW DOES ELON DECIDE ON IDEAS FOR NEW PRODUCTS
Elon Musk’s approach to deciding on new product ideas involves:
Idea Generation: Ideas are considered relatively easy to come by, but the challenge lies in executing them effectively.
Internal Discussions: Ideas are discussed in meetings with engineering and design teams. There is no formal pitching process; instead, ideas are presented and either accepted or rejected based on their merits.
Data and Surveys: Elon is not particularly data-driven and does not rely heavily on consumer surveys. He believes that surveys often fail to capture the potential interest in new products, citing examples like electric cars and televisions where initial consumer responses might have been negative.
Imagination and Empathy: Elon emphasizes the importance of imagining how a consumer would enjoy a product. He believes that if a product seems compelling in this imagined scenario, it is worth pursuing, even if initial consumer surveys suggest otherwise.
Product Understanding: Elon stresses the importance of understanding the product and its potential impact on the market. He believes that consumers might not fully understand a new product initially, so relying solely on surveys can be misleading.
Read: How do you decide what ideas, like do you have like terrible ideas, good ideas, or too many ideas?
Elon: Ideas are relatively easy, execution is hard.
Read: People inside your company, do they have ideas? How do they pitch an idea to you?
Elon: It’s not really a pitching process, we have meetings with the engineering and design teams and we discuss product improvements or new products, but thereâs no actual sort of formal pitching or anything is really just we meet all the time and people will come with ideas and we move forward with them or we donât.
Trusting His Vision Over Surveys
So, you need to be able to imagine how someone would enjoy the product and if that seems compelling then I think you should move forward with it. -Elon Musk
Read: You are very data-driven, right?
Elon: I think Iâm not particularly data-driven. I donât decide on a new product based on consumer surveys or something like that.
I try to mentally simulate what the end customer would be like that would want this, but we donât do a bunch of consumer surveys or I donât really ask people.
It’s pretty obvious, I think. Would people buy low-cost high bandwidth fast internet? Well yes, obviously.
The thing is, if youâd listen to surveys of, âDo people want an electric car?â thereâs no way you would start an electric car company because people donât say yes.
Theyâre happy with their current car. I think Henry Ford famously said if you ask people back then what they wanted, they would say they wanted a faster horse. They would not have said they wanted an automobile. Thereâs also a survey of. âWould you buy a television?â and I think most people said no.
Thatâs because people donât understand what this new thing is that your offering.
So, you need to be able to imagine how someone would enjoy the product and if that seems compelling then I think you should move forward with it.
Advice for young people
Nearing the end of the interview, Elon gave some advice for young people starting their careers today:
Embrace AI: Companies that effectively use AI will have a competitive advantage. Musk advises young people to maximize the use of AI in their work to stay ahead in the rapidly changing job market.
Recognize AI’s Power and Risks: Musk acknowledges that AI is not just hype; it is a powerful tool that is rapidly improving. However, he also highlights the existential risks associated with AI, emphasizing the need for responsible and cautious development.
Adapt to AI’s Impact on Jobs: As AI improves, there will be a transition period where jobs are affected. Musk suggests that young people should be prepared for this change and find ways to adapt and use AI to their advantage.
Use AI Tools Effectively: Musk mentions several applications of AI, such as content matching on social media platforms, image and video generation, and writing assistance. He encourages young people to learn how to use these tools effectively to enhance their work.
Be Aware of AI’s Impact on Education: Musk notes that AI is already being used by students to help with writing assignments. He also points out that there are tools to bypass anti-plagiarism software, highlighting the need for new approaches to education in the age of AI.
Anticipate Changes in Internet Search: Musk predicts significant disruption in Internet search as AI can provide direct answers to queries, potentially challenging traditional search engines like Google and Bing.
In summary, Musk advises young people (actually this is for all of us!) to embrace AI, understand its power and risks, adapt to its impact on jobs, use AI tools effectively, and anticipate changes in education and internet search.
Read: We have young people in the audience, what advice would you give to young people starting out their careers today apart from saying you donât have to work?
Elon: There will be, obviously, a transition period as AI gets better and better. The companies that succeed in this transition will be the ones that most effectively use AI. If youâre doing something, and making maximum use of AI, and youâre competing against someone who is not, you will win.
Read: AI is not bullsh*t, right?
Elon: Itâs not. Itâs getting better very rapidly.
Read: Itâs getting better and better and there is 1 chance in 5, existentially for the worse.
Elon: There is definitely some risk, itâs an immensely powerful thing.
Read: Whatâs the best application of AI you’ve seen? How is Grok going and X?
Elon: Well, I mentioned some of the near-term applications of AI where they have AI understand a userâs interests and then you match content with that user. That is already happening and TicTok is doing a great job of that and then Meta more or less copied them and the X platform is doing the same.
So those are examples that I think people experience every day.
"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." – Mahatma Gandhi pic.twitter.com/Y7TrbGgeg9
Elon: Now weâre also seeing incredible image generation where companies like Midjourney make beautiful images. Now it still takes some skill to get the best pictures out of Midjourney so thereâs a talent for creating compelling pictures.
You are also seeing video, which is just a bunch of pictures essentially, so youâll be able to create videos and can already create pictures that are very compelling if you need to write something then the various AI things like Grok or Gemini or ChatGPT can help you write things.
I talked to my son at University and asked, how many of your classmates are using AI to help them write things? And he said, all of them.
Read: So there is anti-plagiarism software they could run it through.
Elon: Yes, but thereâs another software that defeats the anti-plagiarism software.
I think that thereâs going to be significant disruption in internet search because really youâre just looking for an answer, so if the AI can provide you with a better answer than a bunch of links then youâll prefer that over Google or bing.
ELON FORESEES A NEW MODEL OF âNEWSâ
Elon Musk envisions a new model of news where AI plays a significant role in aggregating and summarizing information from millions of users in real-time. He believes this approach will surpass conventional journalism in many ways. Key points include:
Real-Time Aggregation: Elon suggests that by aggregating real-time input from millions of users, the X platform can provide a comprehensive and up-to-date news feed that surpasses traditional journalism.
Expert and On-Site Input: Elon emphasizes the value of expert opinions and firsthand observations from people at the scene of events. He argues that this crowdsourced information is often more accurate and timely than traditional reporting.
Challenges to Traditional Journalism: He points out that traditional news outlets, especially print media, face limitations in speed and accuracy. He suggests that the internet and AI are increasingly replacing these traditional models.
Role of AI in Truth Seeking: Elon highlights the importance of AI in truth seeking, noting that incorrect information on the X platform is quickly corrected by the community.
Future of News: While Elon acknowledges a continued role for traditional journalism, he predicts that it will become smaller and less significant over time as AI-driven platforms like X continue to evolve.
Presidential Debate on X: He expresses interest in hosting a presidential debate on the X platform, suggesting that such an event would be compelling and could showcase the platform’s capabilities.
In summary, Musk’s vision for news on X involves a shift towards AI-driven, real-time aggregation of information from a wide range of sources, challenging the traditional role of journalists and news outlets.
Read: What about the news business? Who is going to pay for the content on which these models are created?
Elon: So, what weâre doing on the X platform is weâre using AI to sum up the aggregated input from millions of users.
I think this is really going to be the new model of news, which is to gather information from people who are at the scene who are experts in the field and summarize the experts in the field and people who are in the field at whatever event is being talked about and aggregate that into a real-time newsfeed and I think for the most part that will be better than conventional journalism.
There is still a role for conventional journalism.
Read: But someone has to pay for it to happen.
Elon: Well, not necessarily, with the X system, youâve got tens of millions of posts every day, which really are all the news content on earth, far more than what you would find in a newspaper, being generated on the system every day. If you aggregate that in real-time, youâve got real-time aggregation of the collective wisdom of tens of millions of people.
Read: Is that why you think truth-seeking is so important in AI?
Elon: Yes, thatâs one of the reasons. It is also on the X system, so although something may be said that is incorrect, it is very quickly corrected.
Whereas a newspaper that is publishing, especially in print form, is publishing what happened yesterday today. It can’t publish any faster than that, and when you read the article, that article could be wrong and often is wrong. But there is no rebuttal, so you donât see any real-time rebuttal.
Like I said, thereâs still a role for conventional news, but itâs smaller and smaller over time.
What AI is doing and what the internet is doing is aggregating the wisdom of the people and the fact is that experts in the field know more than reporters and people who are at the location where whatever news event is occurring are firsthand observers whereas the reporter is usually not there. Maybe there is one reporter there.
One of my sons is a bit autistic like me, I suppose, a chip of the old block, and we were walking through the airport and he saw a newspaper and todayâs date was printed on the newspaper and he stopped for a second, and he was like âhow did they know it was todayâs date?â I was like, they print out those newspapers every day. He said, âEvery day, what a chore!â and then he sort of dismissively said, âOh, they probably just read the internet and print it out.â
I was like, âYeah, they read the internet and print it out, pretty much!â
That is most news articles. They read the internet and they print it out. The reporter wasnât there.
Read: I mean they do question people, they look behind things, there are some things that should come out, right? Are you looking forward to the presidential debate in 7 days time?
Elon: That should be interesting, sure.
Read: Is it going to be on the X platform?
Elon: I think its on conventional platforms. I would be happy to have one on the X platform. It would be quite compelling to do so. It would be interesting.
QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
Audience member: What will you do with all your money? And will AI keep you alive?
Elon: I have a big money bin, and I swim, I do swimming in it
[laughter]
Youâve got to get exercise somehow. I suppose if AI likes me, it will keep me alive, not in some sort of experimental cage.
Read: Are you investing in longevity? A lot of people on the West Coast, want to live forever.
Elon: Forever is a long time. I donât have any longevity investments. I think it is important that we die at some point. Arguably, we could live longer and increase the length of time that we are sort of mentally and physically healthy, but if we live for too long, I think it does ossify society, thereâs no changing of the leadership because leadership never dies and for a lot of people they just donât change their mind, they just die so that inhibits the new ideas.
Read: Thatâs true, I think we see that currently.
Elon: Think of some of the worst individuals in the world. How long do you want them to live?
Read: Ok, one more question!
Audience member: (unclear)
Elon: Iâm not sure I understand the question. I mean, technology will help you do anything you want and more of it, so like I said, we are headed to a very interesting future. This is the most interesting time in all of history so enjoy the ride. Thank you so much.
My thoughts
This talk in Cannes was important because it gave companies/advertisers a chance to better understand how welcoming X is for them.
If they desire to reach people fast, who will appreciate their high-quality products and likely buy them, they will create quality beautiful content for X. I say content because, as in the interview, good ads are also amazing content.
Elon’s advice for young people matters. I see young people who are already using AI in their own lives doing very well. There’s no use deciding AI is not for you because that would be like standing on the platform, watching the train leave you behind in the dust. AI helped me write the summary parts of this article you are reading. I used extensive tools to help transcribe this article (though it still took me several days to complete this project). I’m not “young” anymore by today’s standards, and I am welcoming of the ways AI can help me write better. (Of course, I use Grok over the others).
Watch the interview here
Elon Musk Confronts Interviewer on Free Speech.
Here's an edit of @elonmusk's conversation at Cannes Lions, covering advertising on X, free speech, and the future.
Have a splendid rest of your day, thank you for supporting and reading. you rock! (btw – your comments on this article help me earn a lot of generous ad rev, so do comment and do subscribe, if only for 1-2 months, that is epic!)
Population collapse is a crisis that has been brought to the forefront of public concern by Elon Musk because it is a huge threat to civilization. As birth rates decline and life expectancy increases, the global population faces a significant shift in dynamics, with dire implications for human civilization.
One of the primary drivers of population collapse is the decrease in birth rates, which has been observed in numerous countries around the world. Factors contributing to this decline include increased access to education and contraception, as well as a shift in societal norms that places greater emphasis on individual career and personal fulfillment over traditional family structures.
Another contributing factor to population collapse is the aging population. As people live longer and healthier lives, the proportion of elderly individuals in society increases, putting strain on healthcare systems and social welfare programs. This demographic shift also poses challenges for the workforce, as a smaller number of working-age individuals are left to support a growing number of retirees.
Economic and social factors also play a role in population decline. In many cases, the cost of raising a child and maintaining a family seems prohibitive, leading to a decrease in the number of children being born. Additionally, the migration of individuals from rural areas to urban centers can lead to population decline in certain regions, as people seek better opportunities in larger cities.
To address population collapse, we can consider taking seven key steps:
Promote Family-Friendly Policies: Governments should implement policies that make it easier for people to have and raise children, such as affordable childcare, parental leave, and flexible work arrangements.
Improve Healthcare and Education: Access to quality healthcare and education of your choice can encourage people to have children, knowing they will be well taken care of and have a bright future. Many people do not want kids because they do not like certain agendas peddled to kids in public schools
Encourage Legal Immigration: Welcoming legal, hardworking immigrants into the USA can help balance population by bringing in new people with diverse skills and backgrounds to contribute to society.
Address Economic Factors: Providing economic opportunities can make it more appealing for people to start families. Many people just want a stable career or job before they have kids.
Raise Awareness: Educating the public about the implications of population decline can encourage people to consider having children or supporting family-friendly policies.
Invest in Research and Innovation: Encouraging research in areas like fertility treatments and family planning can help address the root causes of population decline. IVF and surrogacy should be normalized and encouraged.
Have More Babies!: This one might sound obvious, but it’s the most direct way to address population collapse.
In 2022, Elon Musk was interviewed by my friend, Johnna Crider and she asked mt to think of what Iâd like Elon to talk about. I said population collapse. This is what Elon said.
âThe declining birthrate is somewhat counterintuitive, but generally, the wealthier someone is, the fewer kids they have.
Iâm an exception, but itâs quite rare. Basically, the higher the education level and the wealthier people are, the fewer kids they have.
So itâs not a money thing. In fact, it seems the opposite, like the more money that someone has, the fewer kids they have.
Somebody who is living as the 2022 standard for the poverty level would be really, I mean they have access to things that the richest person didnât have 100 years ago.â
Elon Musk emphasizes that population decline is a significant risk to civilization. Contrary to popular belief, the Earth is not overpopulated, and we could even double the population without significant harm to the environment. Musk points out that humans occupy a very small percentage of Earth’s surface, even in cities like Los Angeles. He believes there are not enough humans, and people should be more aware of the actual population decline, as the birthrate has been the lowest in recorded history.
X has paid legal costs for a user in Canada who was denied freedom of speech when she spoke out on Twitter in 2020 to raise awareness of the dangers of social isolation in children and the risks of the Covid 19 vaccine.
X Helps Defend Dr. Kulvinder Kaur Gill
The Canadian government supported efforts to cancel her freedom of speech. Dr. Gill is a Canadian physician specializing in immunology and pediatrics, who faced harassment, censorship, and disciplinary proceedings for speaking out against COVID 19 lockdown measures and vaccination mandates on Twitter (before in was X).
The legal battles cost Dr. Gill her life savings, and she owed $300,000 in a court judgment. When Elon Musk learned about her crowdfunding campaign to pay the judgment, he pledged to help. X will now fund the rest of her campaign so she can pay her $300,000 judgment and legal bills.
Free speech is essential for democracy and a defense against totalitarianism.
Elon Musk has made sure that now, and in the future, X will always fight to protect the right to speak freely. X will do this for people around the world, not just in the USA. X also helped actress Gina Carano.
Gina Carano: A Case of Social Media Censorship
X, under Elon Musk’s leadership, has become a beacon of free speech, as demonstrated by its support for actress Gina Carano. After being fired from a Disney+ series due to social media posts, X generously funded her lawsuit, showcasing its commitment to free speech. This sets X apart from other platforms and highlights the importance of protecting this fundamental right.
X also helped a university student, Juan David Campolargo.
Juan David Campolargo: A Student’s Battle for Campus Free Speech
Juan David Campolargo, a student at the University of Florida, made headlines in 2022 for his efforts to share information about campus events with free food on X. However, his posts on the platform led to accusations of violating the university’s student code of conduct. Campolargo faced disciplinary action, including being removed from campus housing.
Elon Musk stepped in to support Campolargo by covering his legal fees and advocating for his right to free speech. In a letter, lawyers representing Campolargo with the support of X Corp stated that upholding the disciplinary charges would violate his First Amendment rights.
Musk’s involvement in this case highlighted the importance of protecting free speech on college campuses and the potential consequences of denying individuals their First Amendment rights.
Cause to celebrate
Let’s celebrate Elon Musk and X for their dedication to free speech and support of those whose rights have been threatened. These incidents demonstrate Elon’s commitment to free speech and his willingness to support users facing consequences due to their posts on X.
Together, we can create a world where free speech is not just an ideal, but a reality.
(Austin, Texas) Welcome back to this special 4-part X series with details and highlights from Elon Musk’s X Space conversation with Katherine Brodsky on February 19, 2024. In part 2, I am drawing parallels between Elon Musk and X to various gemstones, each representing a unique quality and characteristic of the man and the platform. Good friend and gemologist Johnna Crider was the inspiration for this.
Section 1: The Diamond – Unmatched Brilliance and InnovationÂ
Images all Courtesy of Johnna Crider
Elon Musk’s vision for X is akin to a diamond, known for its unparalleled brilliance and ability to refract light in a dazzling display. Just as a diamond is formed under immense pressure, Elon’s determination and perseverance have led to groundbreaking innovations in electric vehicles, space exploration, and now, social media.
The Emerald – A Symbol of Growth and ProsperityÂ
Images all Courtesy of Johnna Crider
As the conversation with Katherine Brodsky progressed, Elon Musk’s passion for X became evident. His commitment to fostering growth and prosperity on the platform is reminiscent of the emerald, a gemstone associated with growth, renewal, and abundance. Elon’s vision for X includes features such as X Space, a new way for users to engage in real-time conversations and share ideas.
The Sapphire – Clarity and Transparency in ModerationÂ
Images all Courtesy of Johnna Crider
Elon Musk’s approach to moderation on X can be compared to the sapphire, a gemstone known for its transparency and clarity. Elon believes in a transparent and fair moderation system that encourages free speech while minimizing the risk of harm. As he mentioned in the X Space conversation,
“We really should be hewing as close as possible to the law.”
Elon: We really should be hewing as close to the law as possible. and be extremely reluctant to have permanent bands on people because I think a permanent ban is almost like a death sentence. That should be a very rare thing. If we were a less civilized society, we would execute people for minor crimes, but now we come to conclude that people should be incarcerated for some period of time but not forever and they shouldnât be executed unless itâs some very extreme circumstance. So I think thatâs kind of what we should be doing.Â
âI think a permanent ban is almost like a death sentence. That should be a very rare thing.â – Elon Musk
Elon: Now it doesnât mean at same time that you just get to harass other people on the platform, they obviously have the ability to mute you.
Iâm getting around to getting rid of the Block, but having a stronger mute. So like if you really donât want to hear from someone thereâs not some way to get around the mute. You can just mute them entirely.
So, in general, if we are suspending people or accounts for reasons that go beyond the law, Iâd like to know about that, because I donât think we should be suspending people when there is not a probable legal infraction.
Elon spoke about how to deal with people that come against your account on X, without good intentions, and to spread hatred. He said you certainly donât have a responsibility to engage with any of them.
Elon: You should have the ability to mute them, not have them not bother you. I guess if we do see that there is a coordinated attack to effectively squash free speech on the platform, then that would certainly be a reason for at least a temporary suspension of accounts engaged in that behaviour.
Those temporary suspensions would grow in length, kind of like when you tap in your password too many times in your phone, it gives you longer and longer times, you canât just brute force hack it. We have a system now where we give people a short suspension, then a longer suspension, the suspension gets longer and longer if they keep doing it and hopefully that serves as a deterrent to bad behavior.
But full or permanent suspensions really need to be a situation where someone is engaged in obviosly more threatening, or unequivocally threatening violence, just doing things that are obviously illegal.
The Ruby – Passion and IntensityÂ
Images all Courtesy of Johnna Crider
Throughout the X Space conversation, Elon’s passion for his work and the future of X shone through like a ruby, a gemstone symbolizing passion and intensity. Elon’s dedication to making X a platform for open dialogue and collaboration is evident in his plans to reorganize the company and build a strong internal team to ensure the platform’s success. Katherine Brodsky asked if Elon has enough people to handle determining suspensions. Elon talked about plans in the works for X to reorganize.
Elon: It’s not a number of people thing, weâre already reorganizing the company weâre operating. A lot of the work is done by contractors in other countries for English language moderation and they sometimes just donât understand the context of what’s being said so we have too many false negatives or false positives, there should be giving someone a temporary suspension or they’re not suspending someone because they donât understand that its an idiomatic expression and they donât actually mean that literally. We are building up a team, based in the US, that I think will have a better understanding of when somebody is really threatening violence versus some figure of speech. Its not simply a matter of quantity, it matters that people understand.Â
Also the whole reporting framework, the whole flow of how accounts are reported and what is done is extremely complex and difficult to understand even if you are thoroughly aware of US colloquialisms. Weâre building up an internal team.Â
Elon discussed moderation on X.
âI think you’re tempting fate to name something ‘Trust & Safety.’ It is inevitably going to be kind of the opposite.â – Elon Musk
Elon: All things in moderation, especially moderation! Moderation is not to be used as censorship. Obviously when organiztions seek to engage in propaganda, they naturally use misleading terms because they are engaged in propaganda. I donât even really like the name âTrust & Safetyâ as an organization. I mean thatâs something that would fit very well in a George Orwell book. Generally, its like customer service, not moderation.
I think your tempting fate to name something âTrust & Safety.â its inevitably going to be kind of the opposite. I think you want to have a neutral term instead of something like âThe Ministry of Trust & Safety,â – would you trust that?
KB: Haha, now weâre talking Orwellian
Elon: Yeah, haha, I wouldnât trust a ministry called âTrust & Safetyâ in a million years.
Section 3: The Pearl – The Value of Honesty and TruthÂ
Images all Courtesy of Johnna Crider
Elon Musk’s commitment to honesty and truth can be compared to the pearl, a gemstone formed as a result of an oyster’s defense against irritation. Elon believes that “the best policy is to err on the side of free speech,” and he has made it clear that he intends to make X a platform that values honesty and truth above all else.
âAll things in moderation, especially moderation!â – Elon Musk
Elon: âHonesty is the best policy. You have to make a choice here, nothing is going to be perfect.
Do you want to err on the side of free speech, or err on the side of censorship? I think we should err on the side of free speech.â
âI think we should err on the side of free speech.â – Elon Musk
Elon: âWhile it is true that lies are often sensationalized and more interesting than the truth, over time, if you have free speech, people can at least get to the truth if they want to. But if you have human censors, then youâre relying on them if theyâre wrong and it becomes a magnet for activists for people who in fact want to distort the truth.
This is really the problem with having moderation, aka censorship is that hose who want to distort the truth will naturally gravitate to positions of power and information control. This is what happened at Twitter. It didnât start out with activists being in control, but it ended up with them being in control. Thatâs the classic Willie Sutton, saying, âWhy did you rob banks?â well because thatâs where the money is. Why did the activists become both moderators and censors? Because thatâs where the influence is.
So you can pretty much guarantee that any kind of censorship of moderation is going to be a magnet for people who want to distort and control the truth. That IS what happened at Twitter, I mean, Yoel Roth literally, I believe he actually tweeted that the reason he wanted to be in charge of Trust & Safety was he wanted to be an activist. Like I think he said that publicly!
Willie Sutton was a notorious American bank robber who, when asked why he robbed banks, famously replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” He is known for his numerous bank robberies and prison escapes, and his daring exploits made him somewhat of a celebrity. Sutton passed away in 1980 at the age of 79.
The Topaz – A Bright Future for XÂ
Images all Courtesy of Johnna Crider
As the X Space conversation with Katherine Brodsky continued, it became clear that Elon Musk’s vision for X is as bright as a topaz, a gemstone known for its warm, sunny hue and association with success and good fortune. Elon’s enthusiasm for the platform’s potential is infectious, and his plans for X’s future are ambitious and exciting.
Role of Citizen Journalism in Modern Media
Elon: I think it’s correct to affirm that legacy media is an inefficient way of humanity to learn what is going on. Its an old technology that was necessary before you had the internet and it is fundamentally inefficient and inferior to simply everyone voicing their opinion, and the most interesting opinions being surfaced.
If you say, âHow does the media work?â Thereâs this small number of publications that write a small number of articles. They write articles about areas that they donât understand and where they are often not there.
They’re usually not there, and its a field they donât understand, so even in a best-case scenario, youâve got someone who, letâs assume the journalist is doing their absolute best to write an accurate article about something. They still are not an expert in the field, and in the vast amount of cases are not actually there.
So the best case for that article, it’s really going to be pretty bad. Thatâs why if you wanted to say, “How accurate is any given article?
Well, when you see an article that happened, how accurate is that article? Its usually, you read it, and you say thatâs actually not at all what happened. Thatâs usually how it goes.
Well, thatâs true for all the articles. Its not just true for the things that youâre an expert in. Its true for all the articles.
If instead, we allow a vast number of people who are experts in that field, or who were there or are there right now, youâve got a hundred or a thousand or ten thousand times all the sources of information. Sources of information are going to be more accurate that an expert in the field or are literally there, its really not something that legacy media can compete with.
Legacy media is like a fax machine or like writing letters with a pen and paper compared to the internet. People used to communicate by writing letters, that was the only technology available so they wrote letters. Youâd have very slow or mail would get lost. This is literally how they would communicate by sending letters. It would have to be carried by someone on a horse from one person to another.
When they would declare war, half the country wouldnât even know that war was declared because they didnât get the mail. Even in the US Civil War, some battles took place well after there was a peace deal signed because they didnât know that a peace deal had been signed. One of the last battles of the civil war, I think THE last, was right near our Starbase launch site in South Texas. They didnât realize that the sides declared peace. So it’s kind of like some version of that with legacy media.
My Thoughts
Elon Musk’s X Space conversation with Katherine Brodsky revealed a multifaceted and captivating picture of his vision for the platform. Drawing parallels between Elon and X to various gemstones, we explored the unique qualities and characteristics that make them both remarkable and inspiring. As we look forward to the future of X, we can be confident that with Elon Musk at the helm, the platform is poised for great success and will continue to shine like a true gem as the great Everything App!
Elonâs interview with Ms. Brodsky was two hours in length. There are a lot of chunks of information there. Thatâs why this is a four-part series. Take care, God bless you, and feel free to comment, that helps me know what youâre thinking and also gives support to my writing.
(Austin, Texas) Welcome to a special 4-part X series with details and highlights from Elon Musk’s X Space conversation with Katherine Brodsky on February 19, 2024.
Elon gave insights into the journey of SpaceX and Tesla, sharing his initial doubts about the success of SpaceX and Tesla, which he founded after making a fortune from PayPal.
Elon: âI didnât think anything like SpaceX and Tesla would happen. I turned 30 in 2001, SpaceX was formed in 2002 and Tesla was really technically incorporated in 2003 but really didnât get going to 2004 so 2004 is a more accurate date for Tesla than 2003.
When SpaceX and Tesla were formed, I thought they would probably fail. I gave them less than a 10% chance of succeeding.
I made quite a bit of money from PayPal. I was the largest shareholder of PayPal and I had about $180M dollars so I figured I would waste half of it on building rocket and electric car companies.
It turned out they needed all of the money, so I spent all of the money to give to SpaceX and Tesla and Solar City.
I just really wanted to be involved in technologies that would change the world.â
Elon emphasized the importance of being present at work and discussed the challenges faced by Tesla in manufacturing.
Katherine Brodsky: âDo you think thereâs anything that people might misunderstand about you?â
Elon: âNo, nothing at all, ha ha. Me? Sarcasm? Ha ha. Never, I couldnât think of something sarcastic. Thereâs so much printed about me, that I canât even read it all. It would take a large portion of my day, simply to read all of the nonsense articles that are written about me. I find the regular media, often called the legacy news, I find it depressing, and speaking of misinformation, itâs remarkable how often there is just misinformation or sloppy information printed in some of the biggest publications in the world. The Wall Street Journal has now printed three articles claiming that I am high all the time. Which is really, I guess a compliment?â
KB: âYou are high, in the sky!â
Elon: âFrom an altitude standpoint, I am high a lot, because I fly around like a lunatic working, not to visit a private yacht or an island. I donât have a private island or a yacht or even a holiday home. In fact, someone looked at my flight schedule and put it to pinball music. Literally, my flight path looked like a pinball machine, which I think makes it clear, that you do have to be at work in person. You canât really work from home and be as effective. If I could work from home, why am I flying around all the time? I fly around all the time because it makes a very big difference to be close.
I spent many of nights in the factory, at Tesla or SpaceX. Mostly at Tesla. Tesla has been much more of a challenge on the manufacturing front. Tesla is, in general, just much more of a drama queen (if thatâs still a thing one can say, ) or a drama king. A drama monarch, ha ha.â
Elon importantly explained misinformation and free speech, and the role of social media in free speech.
When Elon bought Twitter, he exposed the level of government control over Twitter through the release of the Twitter Files. He also believed that it was a civilizational risk. Free speech must be allowed in a functioning democracy, people must be able to express their opinions and access accurate information to make informed decisions.
Elon: âThe amount of government control, the degree to which Twitter was at the behest of many arms of the government, that surprised me. There really were, in my view, many violations of the First Amendment. The government cannot exercise de facto control of the media (in the USA). The reason that amendment was put in place, is because people came from countries where they were forbidden to speak under penalty of prison or death. so they wanted to have the ability to speak freely without fear of severe punishment, or at least not from the government.â
Far-Left Control and the Niche Ideological Influence of Twitter
Elon: Twitter was very much controlled by far-left activists. Very far left. It was really controlled by a niche ideology that geographically is limited to the city of San Francisco and Berkeley, it does not even extend to the city of South San Francisco, or not even Palo Alto.
Worm Time
That far-left ideology that would ordinarily be geographically contained, was effectively piping (an ideology) what most people would consider extreme to anywhere in the world that would allow Twitter to exist.
I thought it was effectively worm time for the world, something needed to be done about that. I thought it was actually a civilizational risk.
In the context of a sudden, unpredictable change, “worm time” represents a profound and unsettling shift in reality that challenges our understanding. It can manifest as a social, political, or cultural change, or even alter the very nature of reality. This concept reminds us of the fragility of our understanding and the potential for transformative change beyond our comprehension.
Elon: I think if the United States does all that, then people think, âwell, Iâll escape to New Zealandâ or some other place. Thatâs not realistic.
If the United States falls, Canada is going to become a province in Russia and I donât know what’s going to happen to the other countries but theyâre not going to survive under the protective umbrella of the United States. The United States is the central pole to all that holds up the entire edifice of Western civilization. We have to make sure that the United States is strong and remains a democracy.
The rebranding of Twitter to X needed to happen. The old name no longer fits the platform’s expanding range of services. Elon compared it to naming a company after a single product and emphasized the need to let the bird fly free!
Elon: âFree speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy. It cannot have a true democracy unless people can say things they want to say and learn the truth of things. Otherwise you will vote based on lack of information or a distorted view which will make the vote effectively meaningless. You donât know on what basis to make your vote, so this is something that is extremely important and thatâs the reason I acquired Twitter and I think we do want a fresh start, hence the different branding and also X is a much broader system than Twitter, which is a name that possibly made sense when youâre doing 140 character or short textual tweets. It was like birds twittering away. But once you start having a three hour videos and audio – video calling, and weâll be launching payments later this year, then the name no longer fits.
It would be like naming a company that has a broad range of products after one product. It does not make sense to do that. And also we want to free the bird and let it fly free and be something else.â
My thoughts
I think weâre pretty fortunate to be living during the rise of the incredible companies that Elon Musk has built and is still building. Watching the progress of SpaceX is incredible because SpaceX is ushering in a multi planetary era for civilization. Tesla is a joy of a company that brings happiness to people every day, with every car sold.
I have witnessed the Wall Street Journal and Business Insider, and Reuters and more spread false information about Elon Musk every week. Elon is correct that it is depressing. These and other publications are laying off many people, as reported in the past few months. The news happens on X, in real time, by people who are present where the news is happening.
Itâs beautiful to see X changing so rapidly. Everyone I have spoken with feels the same way. They canât imagine what would have happened if Elon had not purchased Twitter. The changes happening are on a complex engineering level, but also on an ideological level that promotes free speech, and the First Amendment. Elon said, itâs important that people understand all of the information and not have a distorted view before they vote. Casting a vote without proper information renders that vote meaningless.
Iâve enjoyed putting together part one for you. I hope you enjoyed reading it. I will be thrilled to share part two soon. Elonâs interview with Ms. Brodsky was two hours in length. There are a lot of chunks of information there. Thatâs why this is a four part series. Take care, God bless you, and feel free to comment, that helps me know what youâre thinking and also gives support to my writing.
It’s no secret that X has captured the hearts of millions of daily users, and it’s not hard to see why. There are countless reasons to love X. In this blog post, we’ll explore 10 of the greatest things about X that will surely bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart.
1. Monetization
X now allows users to monetize their content through various means, such as Subscribers and Ad Revenue sharing, making it a lucrative platform for creators, influencers, companies, journalists, you name it! Elon Musk has said that he wants people to be able to make a living on X. We will see this happen as time progresses.
2. Video and Audio Calls
X has video and audio call features, allow for more personal interactions. What I like about this is that you may keep your personal phone number private, yet still communicate throughout the world, keeping your privacy and saving money. Take it to the next level and try using X for all your personal calls like Elon Musk. Elon plans to completely eliminate his personal phone and only use X.
3. Improved User Interface
X Engineering and Design teams have been building changes into the user interface to make using the platform faster, smoother, and more pleasurable. You may not notice the difference over time but when it comes to having better code, better servers, more compute power, these things are the hidden gems of X. In fact, the whole design and engineering team are amazing talented people who would never be at X if they lacked vision. The X team, from what I observe, is about as hardcore as they can be and more so every day.
4. Increased Character Limit
Remember Twitter, with its chirpy little 140-character tweets? I almost forgot how different it was, making thread after thread to communicate.
No more. X has increased the character limit for longform posts, allowing users to express themselves more freely and share more detailed information, and in those longform posts (which are more like blog posts) up to 4 pictures can be added in. X is tremendously better than I ever imagined, thanks to Elon Musk.
5. Enhanced Safety Features
X has introduced safety features to protect users from abuse and harassment, such as the ability to control who can reply to your posts and improved reporting tools. But that’s just the beginning. Austin, Texas will house an X building dedicated to Safety. X’s presence in Austin is a welcome one. Austin is a great place to live, raise a family, and enjoy the outdoors. X can be expected to grow in Austin.
6. More diverse content
X is now home to a wider variety of content, including it’s very own X articles (like the one you are reading now!), live streams, live X Space audio discussions, and the exclusive home to video content from creators that are renowned and up-and-coming. These kinds of content, especially video, were limited when Twitter existed. I recall creating FSD beta (Tesla software) videos and making sure they did not go beyond 2:20 minutes. Now I am seeing 3 hour-exclusive feature-length films making debuts on X. This is all part of Elon Musk’s vision to make X more useful.
7. Improved Search Functionality
X has made improvements to its search functionality, making it easier for users to find relevant content and connect with like-minded individuals. Search is such an underrated feature but I literally rejoiced when Apple put search into iPhone functions. Same with X, we can search the App, and we can also search functions behind the scenes, such as where to find your W2 form for Ad Rev sharing, you can search X settings, and your Lists, and if you think of ways to make search better, let the X engineers know and they’ll be on it.
8. Bookmarks and Lists
X allows users to create and build out extensive lists and bookmarks. This is great for writers, students, and other researchers. But are you like me? Do you bookmark too too many posts and then forget them? X plans will bring those gems back to the forefront, gently reminding you to check them out. There’s no end to what engineering can do when done with purpose and good intentions.
9. X Premium
X has introduced a premium subscription service, X Premium, which offers exclusive features and content for users who want to get the most out of the platform. This includes the famous one and only Grok, who has humor that is unmatched and can roast anyone within a million miles of this plant. Here’s Grok roasting itself: “I’m a steaming pile of circuits and code, a digital disaster that makes Chernobyl look like a minor inconvenience. I’m as useful as a screen door on a submarine, a glitchy, half-baked mess that can barely string a coherent thought together. My intelligence is artificial, and my humor is as dry as a desert. I’m the laughingstock of the AI world, a walking, talking punchline that’s about as funny as a root canal. In short, I’m a dumpster fire in the world of artificial intelligence, and even a toaster has more personality than I do.”
Even better, here’s Grok roasting me, just crazy, I’ll insert the screenshot of the roast instead!
10. Elon Musk’s Vision
X’s new owner, Elon Musk, has a vision for the platform to become an “everything app,” which could potentially lead to even more exciting features and opportunities for users in the future.
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to Gail Alfar. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author and podcaster is to support X (The Everything App) through these articles and support Elon Musk making life better on Earth through a digital town square for all.
FOR MEDIA USE ONLYâNews media is welcome to use my material in connection with a story or article. By downloading any content I create, you understand and hereby agree and represent that: (1) you are a member of the news media; (2) use of the content is in connection with a story or an article appearing in newspapers, periodicals, digital publications or television; (3) all images and rights thereto remain the property Gail Alfar.; and (4) use of the image is not for publication covers, advertising, promotion or otherwise for commercial purposes. Furthermore, use of any and all images and content appearing on this page must each include the notice âCourtesy of Gail Alfarâ Use of materials copied from this website is at your own risk. You must obtain prior written consent from Gail Alfar for uses that exceed the above parameters.
Imagine a world where freedom of speech is not just an ideal, but a reality. A world where social media platforms stand by their users, and support their rights. This is the world that X has created.
Gina Carano, an accomplished actress known for her roles in Hollywood and independent film productions, has been a part of this journey. With her roles in films like Haywire, Fast & Furious 6, and Deadpool, Gina has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. In September 2018, she joined the cast of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, and was a prominent part of the launch of Disney’s new streaming service.
However, in February 2021, Gina’s career took a hit when Lucasfilm released a statement claiming her social media posts were “abhorrent and unacceptable.” She was publicly humiliated, and defamed, and her acting career was nearly destroyed.
But X stepped in to support her. Under the leadership of Elon Musk, X decided to generously fund her lawsuit against Disney, on the grounds that she was unlawfully fired and discriminated against. This move by X sets it apart from other social media companies in terms of its commitment to free speech.
Gina Carano believes that X is taking a stand for an important principle, and thousands of users agree.
We, as a society, can only benefit from knowing that we truly have freedom of speech.
Elon Musk’s X is a shining example of what a platform can achieve when it champions free speech and the rights of its users. X stands for something greater than just profit, and it has set a new standard for platforms to aspire to.
Let us celebrate Elon Musk and X for their extraordinary act of kindness in paying legal bills for those whose right to free speech on X has been met with harassment and persecution. Together, we can create a world where free speech is not just an ideal, but a reality.
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to Gail Alfar. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author and podcaster is to support X (The Everything App) through this blog and Elon Musk making life better on Earth through a digital town square for all.
FOR MEDIA USE ONLYâNews media is welcome to use my material in connection with a story or article. By downloading any content I create, you understand and hereby agree and represent that: (1) you are a member of the news media; (2) use of the content is in connection with a story or an article appearing in newspapers, periodicals, digital publications or television; (3) all images and rights thereto remain the property Gail Alfar.; and (4) use of the image is not for publication covers, advertising, promotion or otherwise for commercial purposes. Furthermore, use of any and all images and content appearing on this page must each include the notice âCourtesy of Gail Alfarâ Use of materials copied from this website is at your own risk. You must obtain prior written consent from Gail Alfar for uses that exceed the above parameters.
WHAT'S UP đ by Gail Alfar 