Elon Musk could become wealthier under Trump’s potential second term: ‘There will be some retribution’, says Elon Musk

Posted on November 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

DDonald Trump’s resounding victory in the 2024 presidential election can be largely attributed to the unwavering support of the richest man in the world. Elon Musk, in the leading months to the election, fully embraced the MAGA movement, stood up for Trump on a significant podcast, and utilized his influence through X to shape political conversations. A staggering amount of around $120 million was injected into the former president’s campaign by Musk. Now, Trump is expressing his gratitude, mentioning that he intends to appoint Mr. Musk as the “cost reduction secretary.” Musk humorously suggested his interest in leading the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) to slash government spending by $2 trillion. This move could potentially impact Musk’s companies like Tesla, SpaceX, X, and Neuralink directly through deregulation and policy alterations.

Experts foresee a reciprocal relationship where the Trump administration might ease regulations and redirect federal resources in a manner that favors Musk. This transparent and transactional exchange sets a unique precedent in recent U.S. political history, as noted by Gita Johar, a professor at Columbia Business School. The possibility of quid pro quo benefits for Musk has raised concerns about conflicts of interest.

President Trump: “Bad for electric cars, good for Elon”

Although President Trump has been vocal in his criticism of electric vehicles, Tesla’s fortunes surged under his administration. Tesla’s stock price soared by 13% to reach a 52-week high following the announcement of Trump’s endorsement by the Associated Press. This bolstered Musk’s personal wealth by $26 billion, despite Trump’s public skepticism towards environmentally friendly cars and his plans to revoke Biden’s electric vehicle-related mandates.

However, Trump’s stance on EVs softened after Musk extended his support to him, displaying a shift in policy alignment. The potential reduction in tax credits for EV buyers under the Trump administration could adversely affect emerging EV startups and traditional automakers but benefit Tesla, which heavily relies on these incentives.

President Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and son Barron give their victory speech on Tuesday night. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush, highlights Tesla’s advantageous position due to its scale and scope in the EV market, which could provide a competitive edge amidst changing regulatory landscapes. However, the potential implications of Trump’s tariffs on Tesla’s supply chain from China pose significant challenges, especially concerning the production costs and materials sourcing for Tesla’s vehicles.

The Trump administration’s policies could reshape the environment for Musk’s autonomous vehicle ambitions, namely Tesla’s self-driving car rollout, by potentially streamlining regulations and federal approval processes. This could accelerate Tesla’s progress in catching up with more advanced competitors in the autonomous vehicle space.

SpaceX could secure lucrative government contracts for Starlink deployment and Mars missions

SpaceX, Musk’s private space company, stands to benefit substantially from potential government partnerships under the Trump administration. Musk’s alignment with Trump could strengthen SpaceX’s position in securing space contracts, especially with the intensifying competition from other space ventures. The relationship between Musk and Trump could pave the way for SpaceX to capitalize on government contracts for projects like Starlink deployment and Mars missions.

Furthermore, Musk’s engagement with the Trump administration could influence policies favoring SpaceX’s interests, such as with regards to space exploration and satellite internet services. Republican-led initiatives may open doors for SpaceX to expand its services like Starlink, offering new opportunities for government collaboration and funding.

Musk’s push for Mars colonization aligns with Trump’s vision of space exploration and could lead to lucrative government contracts for SpaceX in the realm of interplanetary missions. The collaboration between Musk and Trump on space ventures could mark a new era of space exploration and government partnerships.

Preparing the ground for Musk’s self-driving cars

Musk’s involvement in shaping regulations for self-driving cars, particularly Tesla’s autonomous vehicles, could greatly impact the future of transportation. Trump’s administration may play a pivotal role in streamlining regulations and approval processes for advanced autonomous vehicles, potentially benefiting Tesla’s efforts in the space of self-driving technology.

Experts highlight the importance of regulatory decisions under the Trump administration that could influence Tesla’s autonomous vehicle roadmap, as well as the broader implications for the transportation industry.

Trump’s potential impact on Neuralink and X oversight

Aside from Tesla and SpaceX, Trump’s presidency could affect other Musk-owned ventures like Neuralink and X. Regulatory changes under the Trump administration, particularly at the FDA, could potentially reduce oversight on Neuralink’s brain-computer interface experiments and X’s operations.

Despite concerns about conflicts of interest, Musk’s influence in the Trump administration could shape policies in ways that benefit his businesses. The dynamics of this relationship raise ethical questions about the intersection of business interests and governance in the political landscape.

“The conflict of interest seems pretty strange.”

Elon Musk’s expanding role in American politics and the Trump administration poses unique challenges and opportunities. Musk’s deep pockets and close ties to Trump signal a shift in the traditional power dynamics of politics and business. The potential conflicts of interest inherent in Musk’s involvement in policy decisions underscore the need for greater transparency and accountability in government and corporate relations.

The uncertain future of Musk and Trump’s alliance raises questions about the ethical implications of such relationships and the broader impact on governance and public trust. As Musk continues to navigate the political landscape, his influence and actions will undoubtedly shape the future of technology, business, and politics.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk unexpectedly joins Trump and Zelensky phone call, reports say

Posted on November 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk made a surprise appearance on a phone call between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, during which he was appointed as Ukraine’s most influential private citizen in January as Tesla’s CEO. The role was confirmed.

Musk was reportedly on the call with Trump for approximately 25 minutes. Axios first reported the call. Trump handed the phone to Musk, and Musk briefly spoke with Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy thanked Musk for providing satellites to Ukraine through Starlink, as reported by AFP. Musk mentioned he would continue providing satellite internet connectivity.

Although Musk supported Trump’s campaign, his stance on issues related to Russia’s conflict with Ukraine has been mixed. Initially, Musk offered Ukraine free internet access through Starlink satellites, but later received funding from various organizations, including the U.S. government.

Zelenskiy’s call with Trump provided reassurance for the Ukrainian president. Trump assured Zelenskiy of continued support without going into specifics. Zelenskiy praised Trump and his team for their successful campaign in a statement.

Musk’s actions towards aiding Ukraine have been ambiguous at times. Following an emergency request from Ukraine to launch a satellite over Crimea, Musk refused, stating he wanted to avoid escalating conflict and war through Starlink’s parent company, SpaceX.

In a tweet, Musk presented a peace plan that some experts deemed pro-Kremlin. Zelenskiy responded by polling followers on whether they preferred Russia or Musk, who has been supportive of Ukraine.

Recent reports from the Wall Street Journal indicate Musk has been in communication with Vladimir Putin since 2022. The content of their discussions remains unknown, but Starlink was reportedly discussed in one instance, with Putin requesting Musk not activate Starlink over Taiwan as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Musk responded to a post on I can’t.

I had a great call with the president. @realDonaldTrump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory. His incredible campaign made this result possible. I praised his family and team for their great work.

We agreed to maintain close dialogue and advance our bilateral relations.

— Volodymyr Zelensky / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 6, 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk files lawsuit over $1 per day election donation | Elon Musk

Posted on November 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk is facing a proposed class action lawsuit from registered voters who participated in a sweepstakes by signing a constitutional petition, hoping to win a month’s worth of donations each day. However, the lawsuit now alleges fraud.

According to a complaint filed by Arizona resident Jacqueline McCafferty in federal court, Musk and his organization, America Pac, allegedly misled voters into signing petitions under the pretense of a random selection process, when in fact, winners were chosen by members of the pack. Musk’s lawyer admitted that the sweepstakes results were not random, with the winner being pre-selected.

During a court hearing in Pennsylvania, Musk’s attorney Chris Gober stated, “The recipient of the $1 million was not chosen by chance. We know exactly who will be announced today and tomorrow as the recipients of $1 million.” Musk also mentioned at a campaign rally that the winners would be randomly selected.

McCafferty further claimed that the defendants used Musk’s social media platform “X” to gather personal information such as names, addresses, and phone numbers for potential profit. Representatives for Musk and McCafferty did not immediately respond to the allegations in the complaint.

The lawsuit was filed after a Philadelphia judge denied a request to stop the giveaway, which was deemed an illegal lottery by District Attorney Larry Krasner. The ruling was largely symbolic, as Musk had no plans for additional funding post the U.S. presidential election.

Musk, the world’s richest man, distributed gifts to voters in seven battleground states who supported free speech and gun rights through signed petitions. The lawsuit filed on Tuesday seeks at least $5 million in damages for all petition signatories.

During his presidential campaign against Kamala Harris, Musk backed Donald Trump and donated over $100 million through America Pac.

Read more of the Guardian’s 2024 US election coverage

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Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk Shapes TechScape: X into its Ultimate Form

Posted on November 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Hello. Welcome to TechScape. I’m Blake Montgomery, technology news editor at Guardian US. In today’s newsletter, we discuss the final form of X, learnings from a jam-packed week of earnings, and niche online Halloween costumes. Thank you for your participation.

The US election culminates the transformation of X into Elon Musk’s weapon. He has managed to bend social networks to his will.

Last week, Musk tweeted and linked to a forum within X called the Election Integrity Community, encouraging his followers to report “potential voting fraud or fraud.” Experts told my colleague Johana Bhuiyan that the community, which has more than 50,000 members, has a swamp of conspiratorial overtones and uncorrected misinformation that will make it a face in 2020. It is said that it is similar to the book “Stop the Steal” group.

Users posting to the self-contained feed quickly began pointing out what appeared to be evidence of fraud and election interference.

Tweets showing everything from torn ballots to ABC News to system tests to postal workers doing their jobs and dropping mail-in ballots were all presented as evidence that the presidential election was compromised. Some of the tweets include attempts to record personal information and identify people who users have falsely accused of stuffing ballots and interfering with voting by Trump supporters. Before anyone can decide whether the allegation is true or false, users occupy the post and assume the unsuspecting person they see is guilty.

Mr. Musk has weaponized the ability of X. He is trying to bend the posts of others to his own political will and frame the discussion into an alternate reality. He gives preferential treatment to some posts and hides others. The Washington Post reported last week that of the top 100 tweeting accounts in Congress, only Republicans are spreading the word. When he first acquired Twitter, Musk deployed Twitter’s internal documents to rebuild its public image. twitter file. He then criticized his own account for supporting Donald Trump. He bombarded his followers with pro-Trump messages and flawed Trump interviews on the Twitter space.

We have never seen a transformation like X. Billionaires are not afraid of campaigning or naked partisanship, bending the connected networks of tens of millions of people to their own vision of reality. The October surprise was Elon Musk.

With no economic success with forced purchases, Musk turned to politics to make his $44 billion bet pay off. My colleague Dan Milmo says: “Company X’s continued influence as a news source and its role as a vehicle for broadcasting its owner’s right-wing views to over 200 million followers requires measuring the benefit to the world’s richest people. That means no ‘financial benchmarks alone.” Think of the restoration of Trump’s account and all of Musk’s pro-Trump tweets as an in-kind donation that Musk will cash in on during Trump’s presidency.

Will it ever end once the election is over? – The value of X decreases. It will become less important for the world’s richest man to make noise about voter fraud conspiracies. As with any media that has seen an increase in interest in political battles and the associated craters, X’s traffic will likely decline. We will see the effects of Mr. Musk’s weaponization in the light.

Lessons learned from profits

The floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Photo: Spencer Pratt/Getty Images

Five of the Magnificent Seven (Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Apple) announced their quarterly results last week. Not all stocks rose, but all beat Wall Street’s earnings expectations. Several lessons can be learned from their impressive performance.

1. Advertising remains the lifeblood of the internet economy
Google’s revenue, Meta’s revenue, and even Amazon’s revenue show that digital advertising can still maintain an empire.

2. Investments in AI, especially in cloud businesses, are paying off.
Bully Google, Microsoft, and Amazon! Like Meta, these companies have increased their capital spending by tens of billions of dollars to pay for their artificial intelligence products, but investors think it’s worth it. It seems so. Each company reported strong growth in its cloud business. Meta’s investments in open source AI likewise led to Meta AI being deployed at Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, and claiming the title of most used AI. Investors loved it.

3. Both of these outcomes benefit one company in particular
Last week, Reddit became the first publicly traded company to report a profit, posting a massive 68% increase in revenue compared to the same period last year. The company makes most of its revenue from advertising, so a strong market means Reddit makes more money, even if it’s a smaller player than Google or Meta. Reddit’s ad revenue increased by 56%.

Reddit chief Steve Huffman also attributed the company’s better-than-expected results to a new revenue stream: deals with AI companies. Anyone who wants to build a large-scale language model that generates English text uses Reddit to train their AI. That social network is a huge, well-organized collection of human-written texts. Reddit licenses its datasets to Google, OpenAI, and others for tens of millions of dollars. That funding source may not last forever, but it’s not going away anytime soon.

Reddit is also benefiting from AI. The social network’s monthly user count increased by half to 97 million in the past quarter alone. Huffman attributes the dramatic increase to the social network’s new translation feature, which uses AI to transliterate English posts into French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and German. The company plans to expand this feature in the coming months.

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new york magazine John Herman points out on Reddit:As a repository of human-written material, it is also useful for people who want to be sure that what they are reading was not written by an AI. As a result, Reddit has become “Google’s favorite website” and a throne with the Sword of Damocles, Herman writes. Huffman said Reddit became the sixth most searched word on Google. Many digital media reach similar heights only to be brought down by a crash.

This week on iPhone

Halloween costumers made headlines on Twitter and Instagram this week. Photo: Sonia Bonnet/Alamy

Niche Halloween costumes have received meme treatment with a proliferation of jokes starting with “I hate gay Halloween…” on Instagram with X. This meme seems to point to something bigger. Online culture has gotten to the point where we’re not just debating the appeal of individual specific references. NeNe Leaks and the white refrigeratorFor example, we discuss the value of taking internet inside jokes seriously. Is it worth wearing a bulky cardboard box all night screaming, “This is from an early season of ‘The Real Housewives’!” It’s a little self-loathing to start a tweet about your costume with “I hate it.” We expect to see more witches and cats next year.

Although perhaps not. a Rebuttal from X In the Name of Joy: “I love everyone’s niche Halloween costumes!! “I love the specificity of it. I love the creativity. Putting so much time and effort into something literally just to make yourself laugh And I really love having things explained to me when I don’t understand.

As for me, I dressed up as a skeleton for the third year in a row.

Wider Techscape

Keeping up with tons of messages in group chats can be a pain. Photo: Weare/Getty Images

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk’s “Election Integrity Community” on X is rife with unfounded allegations

Posted on November 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk is currently facing election integrity issues offline, while X owner is advocating for the discovery and reporting of “potential instances of voter fraud or misconduct” through a representative. The community established by Musk is filled with unfounded claims masquerading as evidence of voter fraud.

Despite being absent from a mandatory court appearance in Philadelphia to address a lawsuit challenging his political action committee’s significant donations to voters, Musk has launched an online platform, X (formerly Twitter), dedicated to enabling users to share their voting-related concerns. The Election Integrity Community within this space swiftly began identifying what they perceived as signs of fraud and electoral interference.

Various tweets showcasing torn ballots, ABC News system tests, postal workers in action, and individuals submitting mail-in ballots are being presented as evidence of a compromised presidential election. Some users are even posting videos of people they suspect without substantial evidence, making it challenging for the community to verify these claims.

Misinformation is spreading within X and other platforms, with right-wing influencers amplifying false accusations of ballot stuffing and voter suppression. Such baseless claims are contributing to the harassment of innocent individuals, including postal workers, as seen in a viral video from Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

Experts note that this community, consisting of over 50,000 members, is employing tactics reminiscent of past online forums to propagate claims of a stolen election. These tactics were previously utilized in the aftermath of the 2020 election by groups like “Stop the Steal” on platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, and Parler.

In their attempt to bolster the narrative of a “stolen election,” these groups disseminate unverified stories to a large audience, which are then leveraged by influencers to fuel suspicions of electoral malpractice. The Election Integrity Partnership has compiled a report highlighting the dangers posed by such disinformation campaigns.

Lenny DiResta, an associate professor at Georgetown University, warns of the real-world consequences of unfounded rumors being weaponized by propaganda outlets. Ordinary individuals are inadvertently caught up in these campaigns, facing unwarranted scrutiny and harassment.

The Election Integrity Community provides insight into a nationwide echo chamber where beliefs of election rigging against Trump are widespread. While distinct from the main X feed, Musk occasionally shares concerns from this community on his page.

One prevalent conspiracy theory within the community revolves around Elon Musk, who has falsely insinuated that the Biden administration is orchestrating voter fraud through undocumented immigrants. Additionally, a Musk-backed Superpac has been implicated in disseminating misleading information about Kamala Harris with the “Project 2028” campaign.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Other Techies in Silicon Valley are Concerned About the US Election Beyond Elon Musk

Posted on October 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The slogan “the personal is political” was influential in the 1960s, highlighting power dynamics in marriage. Today, a slogan like “technology is political” is equally relevant, showing how a few global corporations hold political sway in liberal democracies. Elon Musk’s recent appearance alongside Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally underscored technology’s prominent role in American politics. Despite Musk’s reluctance to tweet, his company provides internet to Ukrainian troops and his rocket was selected to land the next American on the moon.

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In the past, tech giants like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple flourished in a lenient political climate. Democratic governments overlooked technology’s influence, and antitrust regulators were hampered by legal restrictions. The University of Chicago Law School promoted the idea that corporate dominance was permissible unless it harmed consumers. However, recent regulatory actions led by the DOJ and FTC show a shift towards addressing tech monopolies like Google facing antitrust allegations.

The tech industry’s political awakening is evident in the substantial financial support crypto companies provide to political campaigns. Rather than aiming to sway election results, this money is directed towards influencing the composition of Congress. This contrasts with the tech pioneers of the past who shunned politics, highlighting the current intertwining of technology and politics.

John Norton is a Professor of Public Understanding of Technology at the Open University.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk Sends X Dispute to Conservative Texas Court by Updating Terms of Service

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Company X, owned by Elon Musk, has recently updated its terms of service. These changes redirect disputes from users of the social media platform formerly known as Twitter to federal court in Texas. Federal judges in Texas have a reputation for favoring conservative litigants in political cases.

The updated terms state that any legal action against Company X must be filed exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas or the state court in Tarrant County, Texas. This venue clause is a common practice for companies, but it is notable that Company X is located in Bastrop, Texas, which falls under the Western District of Texas.

It is speculated that this choice of venue is related to the political leanings of judges in the Northern District of Texas, which has fewer Republican-appointed judges compared to the Western District. This district is known for conservative activism and has become a preferred destination for lawsuits challenging Joe Biden’s policies, leading some to criticize the tactic as “judge shopping.”

Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University, suggested that the new language in the terms of service may be connected to Company X’s recent legal strategy. Elon Musk, known as the world’s richest man, has shown support for conservative causes and was a significant financial backer of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

Company X has already filed two lawsuits in the Northern District of Texas, including one against Media Matters for allegedly defaming the platform. Additionally, an antitrust lawsuit has been filed against multiple advertisers for conspiring to boycott and causing revenue loss. These cases are assigned to U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, known for controversial rulings on healthcare and gun control.

Despite concerns over potential conflicts of interest, Judge O’Connor has refused to recuse himself from the cases involving Company X. The federal court in Fort Worth, where the cases are being heard, has only two active judges, with the other judge, Mark Pittman, appointed by President Trump.

Source: www.theguardian.com

TechScape: Elon Musk Faces Challenges in Dealing with Donald Trump | Technology

Posted on October 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Hello. Welcome to TechScape. I’m Blake Montgomery. I’m the technology news editor for the Guardian US. Thank you for your participation.

This week on iPhone

Slack notifications: 121. Photo: Sascha Steinbach/EPA

Average daily notifications:270

Apps with the highest total number of notifications:
– message:391
– new york post:190
– slack:121

Elon during the election campaign

Elon Musk spoke on stage alongside Donald Trump at a campaign event in Pennsylvania this month. Photo: Alex Brandon/AP

Elon Musk is having a very difficult time against Donald Trump.

The CEOs of Tesla and SpaceX gave tens of millions of dollars to pro-Trump political action committees and planned a packed campaign schedule to boost the former president in Pennsylvania. The newspaper said he speaks with President Trump multiple times a week and has encouraged other billionaires to support the Republican candidate en masse in private gatherings. new york times.

Taken together, Mr. Musk’s actions are unprecedented in modern times. Musk, the world’s richest man and owner of one of the most influential mass communications outlets, is putting all his efforts into political candidates. He is no longer a billionaire dabbling in politics. Elon Musk is here to stay as a political actor.

Last weekend, Musk appeared with President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, the site of Trump’s first assassination attempt. He plans to make additional stops in the Keystone State in the three weeks leading up to the election. Politico coverage. he also $47 referral bonus Anyone who is registered to vote in a battleground state can sign a petition filed by his political action committee, America Pac. Remember, Musk forced all Tesla employees to return to the office five days a week in mid-2022. One might wonder how he will manage the company’s affairs since he will be spending so much time in Pennsylvania.

Tesla’s CEO contributes not only IRL but also online. He is bending Twitter/X to his political ends: He @America behind the wheel For this week’s America pack. Last month he Hacked materials from the Trump campaign Published by independent journalists. Musk’s own feed is filled with support for Trump and retweets from people who support him.

President Trump seemed excited about all of the above, sending out a fundraising email with the subject line “Elon!” Elon! Elon! ”’ He also asked supporters to buy the black-on-black “Dark Maga” hat that Musk wore while jumping for joy behind Trump in Pennsylvania.

Elon Musk stands on stage with President Trump during a campaign rally at the site of Trump’s first assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, on October 5, 2024. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

As the world’s richest man fights for the Republican nomination, he is following a familiar rabbit hole down the rabbit hole for President Trump’s surrogates. He is increasingly appealing to the fringe of the “Make America Great Again” movement. “If you don’t vote, this will be your last election in America,” Musk said in Pennsylvania. It’s an irony reminiscent of the storming of the Capitol. He repeats the line, “If Kamala Harris wins, she’s going to jail.”

President Trump expressed a similar idea, albeit a more optimistic one, telling a group of Christian supporters in July: We’ll fix it just fine, so there’s no need to vote. ” This is a hopeful statement in the sense of ending democracy. Mr. Musk’s version is a repudiation of Mr. Trump’s, and is full of the doom of election deniers. This contrast is similar to the dynamic between President Trump and J.D. Vance, who has expressed extreme anti-abortion views in speeches and interviews, although Trump himself has said he would return the issue to the states. I’m trying to get around this problem by repeating this.

You might think science is a top priority for a tech CEO, but Musk also defers to Trump on science issues. but, This week’s interview with former Fox News host Tucker CarlsonMusk touted the anti-vaccination movement while walking off a cliff, saying, “I’m not anti-vaccine in general…we shouldn’t force people to get vaccinated,” before praising smallpox and polio vaccines. did. Trump himself called the coronavirus “one of humanity’s greatest achievements.” But during the campaign, he said he would cut funding to schools that require vaccinations and appoint the nation’s most notorious anti-vaxxer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to his transition team.

In the same conversation with Carlson, Musk repeated a statement he had previously recanted and wondered out loud why no one was trying to assassinate Harris.

Musk previously called Trump a “ruthless loser.” Trump once said with a vengeance that he could make tech moguls “bend the knee.” This strange partnership affected at least one of Musk’s businesses. A shift to the right and the launch of the Hot Wheels-style Cybertruck transformed Tesla from a brand coveted by Hollywood and Silicon Valley people to a brand beloved by law enforcement. It’s a change similar to that of Mr. Musk himself. Corporate value has fallen by tens of billions of dollars.

We will be keeping a close eye on Mr. Musk’s next steps on the campaign trail.

Art on Samsung TV and Art in the Museum

Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night” is on display.

What is the purpose of digital reproduction of paintings?

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Samsung announced yesterday that it has entered into a partnership to license 20 paintings from the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York to be used on its Frame TVs. To promote this collaboration, the Korean electronics giant organized a tour of MoMA. I saw Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night”, Claude Monet’s giant “Water Lilies”, and surrealist painter Leonora Carrington’s “And I Saw the Daughter of the Minotaur”.

“Water Lilies” by Claude Monet. Photo: Noah Karina/Guardian

Two weeks before this announcement, the Mauritshuis Museum in the Netherlands published a study measuring the neurological effects of art. Scientists have discovered that an original work of art stimulates a response in the viewer’s brain that is 10 times stronger than the response evoked by a reproduction of the same painting.

Philosopher Walter Benjamin theorized this finding about 100 years ago. In “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” published in 1937, he argued that original works have an indescribable aura that replicas can never match. Samsung seems to agree with him to invite journalists on a private MoMA tour to view original works. So what are the benefits of artwork on Frame TV?

Robin Saetta, MoMA’s director of business development, said during the tour that the partnership aligns with the museum’s goal of “extending and expanding access to modern and contemporary art.” I agree. Benjamin writes of the reproduction of a work of art, “Above all, it allows the original to meet the viewer half-heartedly.”

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Elon Musk Issues Warning About Starlink Dominance in Brazilian Amazon: “I Can’t Survive Without It”

Posted on September 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The helicopter descended into a remote part of the Amazon rainforest, where Brazil’s special forces leaped off and dove into the waters teeming with caimans.

Their mission was to uncover a massive steel structure concealed in the forests along the Boia River in Brazil. An illegal mining dredger was caught in the act of excavating the riverbed for gold.

In the crackdown, authorities found mercury bottles, gold, and a drill bit on board. They also discovered a high-tech Starlink satellite internet receiver, linking the criminal network.

Starlink antennas have become ubiquitous in the Amazon, providing internet connectivity to remote areas where it was once unimaginable.

Brazilian special forces said they had seized a number of Starlink antennas from criminals this year. Photo: Joan Raet/The Guardian

Starlink’s expansion in Brazil has transformed connectivity in remote areas, but it has raised concerns about data privacy and national security.

Brazilian authorities worry about Musk’s influence over Starlink and his erratic behavior, which could jeopardize the country’s reliance on the technology.

The global reliance on Starlink, led by Musk, has sparked debates about the potential risks of a single company dominating the satellite internet market.

A Starlink device discovered by Ibama during an illegal mining operation in a remote area of the Amazon. Photo: AP

Countries like Ukraine have shown the strategic importance of Starlink for national defense against potential threats. However, concerns about over-reliance on Musk’s company have surfaced.

Starlink’s near-monopoly in providing satellite internet services has raised questions about the geopolitical implications of Musk’s control over critical infrastructure.

As the competition in the satellite internet market intensifies, the Musk factor could sway customers’ choices, influencing the future landscape of global connectivity.

Calls for diversifying satellite internet providers and reducing dependence on a single entity like Starlink have gained traction amid growing concerns about data security and political influence.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Calls for Royal Society to Expel Elon Musk Due to Behavior Concerns

Posted on August 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The Royal Society is facing pressure to remove technology mogul Elon Musk from its membership due to concerns about his behavior.

As reported by The Guardian, Musk, known for owning the social media platform X, was elected to the British Academy of Sciences in 2018. Some view him as a contemporary innovator comparable to Brunel for his contributions to the aerospace and electric vehicle sectors.

Musk, a co-founder of SpaceX and the CEO of Tesla, has been commended for advancing reusable rocket technology and promoting sustainable energy sources.

Nevertheless, concerns have been raised by several Royal Society fellows regarding Musk’s membership status, citing his provocative comments, particularly following recent riots in the UK.

Critics fear that Musk’s statements could tarnish the reputation of his companies. In response to inquiries, Musk’s companies, including X, provided comments.

Musk’s social media posts during the unrest were widely condemned, with Downing Street rebuking his remarks about civil war and false claims about UK authorities.

The concerns around potentially revoking Musk’s membership focus on his ability to promote his beliefs responsibly and not on his personal views.

The Royal Society’s Code of Conduct emphasizes that fellowship entails upholding certain standards of behavior, even in personal communications, to safeguard the organization’s reputation.

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The Code stipulates that breaching conduct rules may result in disciplinary measures, such as temporary or permanent suspension. Specific procedures are outlined if misconduct allegations are raised against a Fellow or Foreign Member.

Expelling a member from the Royal Society is rare, with no records of such action in over a century. Previous controversies included a dean resigning over remarks about teaching creationism in schools.

A Royal Society spokesperson assured that any concerns regarding individual Fellows would be handled confidentially.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Reasons Behind My Ongoing Focus on Elon Musk in the World of Technology

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

“I Last week, I sent out TechScape to our readers, hoping to take a break from writing about Elon Musk. However, my news editor had other plans: “Can you keep an eye on Elon Musk’s Twitter feed this week?”

Reading Musk’s tweets, I felt like my brain was melting. Even though I’d covered him for years, his online presence surprised me. From promoting Tesla and SpaceX to sharing cheesy nerdy jokes and diving into right-wing politics, his chaotic behavior had a new twist.

His briefest overnight break came on Saturday night, when he retweeted controversial content and then dived back in hours later with more questionable tweets.

Musk’s involvement in UK politics pushed him further into the far-right spectrum. Engaging with controversial figures like Lauren Southern and supporting Britain First’s co-leader, Musk’s online persona was more divisive than ever. Now, they are his supporters.

Well, that’s fine.

Today I’ll give you a good example from the world of AI that shows the difference between a scientific press release and a scientific paper. University of Bath’s press release claims AI poses no existential threat to humanity, but the actual research paints a different picture.

The study questions the capabilities of large-scale language models, suggesting that they are not as groundbreaking as claimed.

While the press release version is attention-grabbing, the scientific paper delves deeper into the limitations of AI capabilities. It highlights the challenges of ensuring AI safety in the face of emergent capabilities.

The paper reveals that emergent AI capabilities might not be as groundbreaking as they seem and are more controllable than believed. This sheds light on the complexity of AI safety in the face of evolving technology.

The pain of training

Nvidia’s use of YouTube data to train AI has led to legal troubles. A federal lawsuit alleges Nvidia stole videos from YouTube creators to train its AI, sparking a debate about intellectual property rights.

This lawsuit underscores the challenges AI companies face when sourcing training data. While some companies openly disregard copyright restrictions, others like Nvidia face legal battles over data usage.

On the other hand, companies like Google have a different approach due to their dominant position in the tech industry. Many websites allow Google to use their content for AI training to maintain visibility in search results.

Ask Me Anything

In my final TechScape after 11 years at the Guardian, I’m answering readers’ questions. Feel free to ask me anything tech-related, and I’ll do my best to provide insights and recommendations.

The Wider TechScape

Source: www.theguardian.com

Former President of Twitter Vows to Take Action Against Elon Musk if Troubles Continue – Bruce Daisley

Posted on August 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

TThe current social media trend is familiar, with self-absorbed individuals posting excessively on the platforms they dominate, a scenario we’ve seen play out in the past. Donald Trump’s incendiary tweets post-election loss resulted in the Capitol siege on January 6, 2021. Following this, the then-president was banned from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and even Pinterest, disappointing those aiming to emulate the Mar-a-Lago style on their mood boards.

The situation is likely to evolve differently this time, especially with social media provocateur Elon Musk at the helm of the platform he utilizes.

The two are set to engage on Monday, with Musk engaging directly with the former president. “An entertaining encounter is anticipated”.

During Trump’s tenure, I was stationed at Twitter as its highest-ranking official outside the U.S. Over my eight-year tenure, it became apparent that there was a disparity in the interpretation of free speech between the UK and the U.S., with the latter often championing a libertarian outlook on the concept.

As the UK subsidiary of an American entity, we witnessed a daily fervent defense of free speech. Twitter’s founding legal advisor, Alex MacGillivray, famously dubbed the company as “the free speech wing of the free speech party.” While the U.S. often assumes its freedoms are unique, the UK’s Human Rights Act of 1998 guarantees freedom of speech while also acknowledging its responsibility, stressing that it should not be used to incite criminal activities or spread hatred.

For American tech firms, the interpretation of “free speech” varies. During my tenure at Twitter under a more enlightened leadership, the UK team quickly realized that the Silicon Valley notion of “free speech” wasn’t always geared towards fostering an ideal world. Instead, it often allowed certain groups to target marginalized sections of society, such as women, the LGBTQ+ community, and ethnic minorities, with impunity, detracting from the platform’s original enjoyable nature.

Working within the UK office felt akin to operating within a parliamentary system devoid of a written constitution, relying more on external expectations to shape the organization’s direction.

Efforts to brand “free speech” as a philosophical conviction notwithstanding, its appeal to tech companies is primarily economic. As journalist Kara Swisher notes, Silicon Valley’s approach is more profit-driven than principle-based, evidenced by the support for Trump within San Francisco’s venture capital realm. Holding tech oligarchs accountable for their platforms’ content is feasible and necessary.

Considerations around Musk’s tweets often offer insights into his actions. For instance, his posts on social media platforms like Instagram highlight his late-night musings, providing clues about his mindset and geographic location. Musk’s propensity for controversial posts and real-world ramifications underscores the need for accountability on social media platforms.

The discussion centers on whether billionaire oligarchs like Musk should be allowed to influence societal discourse unchecked. Calls for regulation and accountability in the social media landscape are imperative to address the challenges posed by influential figures like Musk.

Bruce Daisley served as Twitter’s vice president for Europe, Middle East, and Africa from 2012 to 2020.
If you have any comments on the topics discussed in this article and wish to submit a response of up to 300 words for publication in our Letters section, please click here.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is Elon Musk alienating potential Tesla customers with his rhetoric? | Automotive industry

Posted on August 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

pictureRon Musk has long been interested in right-wing politics and has enjoyed portraying himself as a contrarian showman. However, his recent political affiliations have raised doubts about Tesla, the electric-car giant he founded. How much further can he push before customers start abandoning his product?

A German pharmacy chain, Rothmann, was among the first to speak out this week. The family business announced that it would not expand its fleet of 34 Tesla cars after Musk publicly supported Donald Trump for US president.

Rothmann’s spokesperson, Raul Rothman, wrote, “Mr. Trump has consistently denied climate change, which contradicts Tesla’s mission to protect the environment by producing electric vehicles.”

Musk’s support for Trump was followed by controversial posts about far-right riots in the UK. He made remarks like “Civil war is inevitable,” which sparked criticism from politicians across the spectrum. Musk engaged with far-right figures, raising concerns among some consumers.

Some Tesla owners are now reevaluating their choice of vehicle due to Musk’s recent behavior.

Given the divisive nature of Mr. Musk’s comments and his apparent enjoyment of creating discord, we have decided to discontinue our relationship with Tesla.”

Tesla has been reached out to for comment.

In online forums, Tesla owners debate the impact of Musk’s politics on the brand. Some have created bumper stickers like “I bought this before I knew Elon was crazy.”

David Bach, a strategy and political economy professor at IMD, noted that Musk’s recent behavior sets him apart from other CEOs. Musk’s actions have garnered mixed reactions, especially in the UK.

Tesla’s sales in the UK account for a small portion of its global business. Musk’s involvement in US politics, particularly with Trump, could have significant repercussions for Tesla.

Despite Musk’s polarizing comments, some consumers still support Tesla. However, there are concerns about the potential impact on business.

Musk’s actions have already affected X and could impact SpaceX as well. Some industry insiders believe that Musk’s current path could eventually lead to a decline in Tesla’s sales.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk: The Evolution from Humanitarian to Right-Wing Meme Poster

Posted on August 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

ohOtherwise, it would be news that the CEO of one of the world's largest companies endorsed and shared a fabricated headline published by the leader of a fascist party. For Elon Musk, that happened just Thursday.

Unusually for Musk, his post was a retweet of a tweet by Britain First co-leader Ashley Simon, who shared a fake Telegraph headline about British rioters being held in the Falkland Islands, which he deleted shortly after sending it. The 30-minute livestream on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, which Musk bought in 2022, garnered almost 2 million views.

Musk's outspoken criticism of the government has surprised many since unrest began across the UK last week, but it is just the latest sign that the billionaire is heading down a path of radicalisation.

After making his fortune in the dot-com boom and then from his involvement in PayPal, Musk invested in Tesla in 2004 and eventually became its chief executive. For a while, he presented himself as you'd expect of a former software executive running an electric car company, speaking at length about the risks of climate change while also launching and investing in projects that fit a broad vision of improving the future of humanity, including SpaceX, OpenAI and The Boring Company.

But starting in 2020, Musk's public profile began to shift. He'd always been a fairly active user of Twitter, but when the pandemic hit, he began posting much more frequently and for the first time faced the world of fact-checking, as soft-spoken claims about the danger and duration of the pandemic led to calls for his account to be suspended for spreading misinformation.

In his personal life, Musk's relationship with his family has been turbulent: His relationship with Claire Boucher, better known as the musician Grimes, began to fall apart in 2021. Boucher, mother of at least three of his 12 children, ended up in court over custody.

Around this time, Musk began sending Grimes “right-wing memes and conspiracy theories,” according to biographer Walter Isaacson, to which Grimes responded, “Is this from 4chan or something? You're really starting to sound like a far-right person.”

At the same time, his daughter Vivian She came out as transgender and changed her name.She declared that she no longer wanted to have “any kind of association with my biological father.”

Musk himself has cited Vivienne as the reason for his political switch, telling pop psychologist Jordan Peterson: [his] son [sic]essentially,” and concludes that his son was “killed by the virus of the awakened mind.”

“Many people who are radicalized have a formative personal experience that serves as a cognitive catalyst for their radicalization journey,” said one radicalization expert, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. “For Musk, it appears that was his daughter's gender transition.”

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The expert also believes Musk is essentially a man with “few beliefs beyond those that enrich him, and a strong desire for attention and validation. Since beginning his right-wing radicalization, he has received a flood of the latter from the far right, building for himself the largest echo chamber in the world that will only continue to grow.”

The expert added: “What's remarkable is that he experiences little to no consequences for his actions and is successful in blackmailing reality to make people comply with his beliefs.”

In July, Musk announced the creation of a political action committee, America PAC, which will “largely but entirely” support the Republican Party because it supports “meritocracy and individual freedom.” Musk did not say how much he planned to donate to the PAC, but previous reports had suggested he was considering donating as much as $45 million a month.

The extent of Musk's political transformation has even led to concerns about his health. In March, he He said he was not drunk “almost all the time.” He claimed that his use of ketamine to treat depression during his X posting sessions was unrelated to his social media presence.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Advertisers abandon corporate responsibility framework after Musk lawsuit | X

Posted on August 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A global coalition of advertisers has paused its corporate responsibility program following a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s X against the coalition, alleging it orchestrated a “massive advertiser boycott.”

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) announced to its members that the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) will be suspended in response to the legal action by X (formerly Twitter) as reported by Business Insider. Garm, a non-profit initiative within the WFA, helps brands avoid advertising on and monetizing harmful content.

The social media company brought an antitrust lawsuit against WFA members Unilever, Mars, CVS Health, and other advertisers for allegedly conspiring to withhold “billions of dollars in advertising revenue” from X.

Following the news, X CEO Linda Yaccarino expressed on Twitter: “What gets monetized shouldn’t be monopolized by a small group. This is an important recognition and a necessary step in the right direction. Hopefully, it means an ecosystem-wide shake-up is on the way.”

Rumble, a popular online video platform among the American right, also joined the lawsuit, filing its own complaint against WFA over Garm with similar allegations.

After Musk acquired the company in 2022 and swiftly disbanded the social network’s content moderation team, X’s advertising revenue plummeted sharply, leading to a surge in anti-Semitic content on X, including ads alongside pro-Nazi posts. X sued the watchdog group over a report on the proliferation of offensive content on the platform.

In a strongly worded statement, Musk warned advertisers to steer clear, labeling the policy changes as “blackmail.” Company X is now seeking unspecified damages and a court injunction to halt the alleged conspiracy of withholding advertising dollars.

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The WFA stated that it would release a statement shortly in response to a comment request. Unilever, Mars, and CVS Health did not immediately respond to comment requests. Check the ad The lawsuit is expected to further drive advertisers away from the platform.

“We all understand that advertising on X poses a risk for advertisers,” said Claire Atkin, co-founder of Check My Ads. “The positive aspect of today’s news is that advertisers will no longer depend on Garm and will take more direct responsibility for where their ads are placed.”

In July, a congressional committee held a hearing on “Collaboration in the Global Alliance for Responsible Media,” targeting advertising companies for alleged “anti-competitive collusion in online advertising.”

In response to the developments, the X account of a Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee posted, “Big win for the First Amendment. Big win for oversight.”

Invited to testify before Congress, Unilever USA President Herish Patel defended the company’s right to advertise wherever it chooses.

“Unilever alone controls our advertising spend,” stated Patel. “No platform has a monopoly on our ad spend.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk spreads false information about English rioters being relocated to the Falkland Islands

Posted on August 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk shared a fake Telegraph article claiming Keir Starmer is considering sending far-right rioters to “emergency detention camps” in the Falkland Islands.

Musk deleted the post about 30 minutes later. Screenshot taken by Politics.co.uk It is suggested that the video had nearly 2 million views before it was removed.

In it, Musk shared an image posted by Ashley Simon, co-leader of the far-right group Britain First, with the caption: “We will all be deported to the Falkland Islands.”

The fake article, purportedly written by a senior Telegraph news reporter and styled to resemble the paper, said that camps in the Falkland Islands would be used to hold prisoners from the ongoing riots because the UK prison system is already at capacity.

The Telegraph said on Thursday it had never published the story in question. A Telegraph Media Group spokesman said in a statement: “This is a fabricated headline for a story that doesn't exist. We have notified the relevant platforms and asked them to remove the story.”

In a post about X, the paper said: “We are aware that an image circulating purporting to be a Telegraph article about 'emergency detention centres' on X. The Telegraph has never published such an article.”

Musk has not apologized for sharing the fake report, but has continued to share material criticizing the UK government and law enforcement response to the riots.

The Guardian contacted Mr X for comment but received an automated response saying: “We're busy at the moment, please check back later.”

On Thursday, Musk said Share the Sky News interview Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions in England and Wales, said officers were searching social media for content that incited racial hatred. “This is something that is really happening,” Musk said. In another post about the same clip:Musk called Parkinson a “woke Stasi.”

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Musk has been embroiled in a spat with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and British police authorities after saying a “civil war is inevitable” in response to anti-immigration protests in England and Northern Ireland and claiming the police response had been “one-sided”.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said this week there was “no justification” for the comments. In response, Mr Musk has repeatedly attacked Mr Starmer on his platform, branding him a “second-rate keel”.

Musk, the billionaire co-founder of Tesla, SpaceX and the payments platform X.com that later became PayPal, bought Twitter for $44 billion in 2022. Last year, he renamed it X. The direction Twitter has taken under his leadership has sparked a series of controversies, including accusations that it has not taken harmful content seriously enough.

The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospitals NHS Trust said in a post on Thursday that after 13 years running X's account it was closing it because the platform “no longer aligns with the trust's values”. The trust directed followers to Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

This week, Musk announced he was suing a group of advertisers and major corporations for illegally agreeing not to advertise on X.

Source: www.theguardian.com

X, owned by Musk, files lawsuit against Unilever, Mars, and CVS for alleged participation in ‘massive advertiser boycott’

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

On Tuesday, Elon Musk’s social media platform X filed a lawsuit against a global advertising coalition and several major companies, including Unilever, Mars, and CVS Health. The lawsuit alleges that they illegally conspired to alienate the social network and intentionally cause it to lose revenue, claiming they engaged in a “massive advertiser boycott.”

Company X filed the lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers and the companies in federal court in Texas on Tuesday.

“We’ve been trying for peace for 2 years, now it’s war,” Musk tweeted on Tuesday.

The lawsuit claims that advertisers, through the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, withheld “billions of dollars in advertising revenue” from X, violating U.S. antitrust law.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino stated, “When the marketplace of ideas is restricted, people hurt. A few should not have a monopoly on what is monetized.” She expressed concern that the boycott aimed to deprive X of its users.

The World Advertising Federation, Unilever, Mars, CVS Health, and Ørsted did not provide immediate comments on the lawsuit.

X’s advertising revenue declined after Musk acquired the company in 2022. The lawsuit mentions the surge in anti-Semitic content on X following changes made by Musk and a pending trial against Media Matters in April 2025.

The Responsible Media Initiative was launched in 2019 to address harmful content monetization. X claims to meet or exceed the standards set by the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, seeking damages and an injunction to prevent further withholding of advertising dollars.

The complaint alleges that Company X has become less competitive in digital advertising sales.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Don Lemon files lawsuit against Elon Musk and X for breach of talk show contract termination

Posted on August 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Don Lemon, former CNN anchor, has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk and Company X for breaching a contract with the now-formerly known Twitter social media platform.

The lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco, alleges fraud, negligent misrepresentation, misappropriation of name and likeness, and breach of contract.

Shortly after filming an interview with Musk, Lemon received a text ending their partnership which led to the abrupt termination.

Don Lemon’s lawyer, Carney Shegerian, stated the executives at Company X used Lemon for their advantage and then tarnished his name.

When contacted for comment, Company X responded with an automated message of being busy.

Lemon, once a prominent CNN figure, was let go due to conflicts and poor reviews as a morning show host. He was fired in April 2023.

Linda Yaccarino, CEO of Company X, initially reached out to Lemon’s agent to propose a new show after his CNN departure. The platform aimed to become a video-centric platform.

Lemon’s first scheduled episode on the platform, an interview with Musk, turned tense as Lemon questioned Musk on various topics, leading to the show’s cancellation over creative differences.

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Musk’s increasing conservatism and Lemon’s conflict with the platform’s content direction resulted in the show’s cancellation. Musk’s efforts to attract talent ended with limited success.

The platform’s shift to video content and creator outreach faced challenges with extremism and content moderation issues leading to advertisers pulling out.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk under fire for sharing edited Kamala Harris video and accused of spreading misinformation

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Kamala Harris’ campaign has accused Tesla CEO Elon Musk of spreading “manipulated lies” after he shared a fake video of the vice president on his X account.

Musk reposted a video on Friday evening that had been doctored to show Harris saying, “I was selected because I’m the ultimate diversity hire,” along with other controversial statements. The video has garnered 128 million views on Musk’s account. He captioned it with “This is awesome” and a laughing emoji. Musk owns X, which he rebranded from Twitter last year.

Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar criticized Musk for violating platform guidelines on sharing manipulated media. Users are not allowed to share media that may mislead or harm others, although satire is permitted as long as it doesn’t create confusion about its authenticity.

Harris’ campaign responded by stating, “The American people want the real freedom, opportunity, and security that Vice President Harris is providing, not the false, manipulated lies of Elon Musk and Donald Trump.”

The original video was posted by the @MrReaganUSA account, associated with conservative YouTuber Chris Coles, who claimed it was a parody.

However, Musk, a supporter of Donald Trump, did not clarify that the video was satire.

California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that the manipulated video of Harris should be illegal and indicated plans to sign a bill banning such deceptive media, likely referring to a proposed ban on election deepfakes in California.

Musk defended his actions, stating that parody is legal in the USA, and shared the original @MrReaganUSA video.

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An expert on deepfakes commented on the video, highlighting the use of generative AI technology to create convincing fake audio and visuals.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk refutes claims of donating $45 million monthly to Trump Super PAC

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has denied reports that surfaced last week that he plans to donate $45 million a month to a super PAC working to elect President Donald Trump.

Musk appeared on Jordan Peterson’s show on Tuesday and said the allegations were “simply not true.” “I’m not giving $45 million a month to Donald Trump,” he said.

“What I’ve done is I’ve created a pack, or a super pack, or whatever you want to call it,” he said. “It’s called the America Pack.”

Super PACs (short for political action committees) are independent political organizations that allow donors to give unlimited amounts, but there are contribution limits on individuals and organizations other than super PACs.

After his interview with Peterson, Musk Reply “Yeah right,” he commented on a clip of X’s interview, as well as another tweet addressing the reports. To tell“Yeah, that’s ridiculous. I donate some money to America PAC, but at a much lower level. The PAC’s core values are supporting meritocracy and individual liberty. Republicans are largely, but not entirely, on the side of meritocracy and liberty.”

The denial came days after Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who has enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination in August.

Also on Tuesday, The New York Times report The super PAC employed former staffers from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign. “The super PAC has created an air of mystery around Trump, with other outside groups knowing almost nothing about its plans,” the Times reported.

But aides to DeSantis’ initial campaign manager, Genera Peck, and Phil Cox, former chairman of the Republican Governors Association, said the campaign was seeking to become one of the major groups supporting Trump, which could help increase its legitimacy within the Republican establishment.

“It’s about promoting the principles that made America great in the first place,” Musk said on Peterson’s show. “I wouldn’t say I’m, like, a MAGA,” he added, referring to Trump’s catchphrase. “I think America is great. I’m more of a MAG, someone who makes America greater.”

Musk did not disclose how much he plans to donate to the PAC.

AmericaPac already has the backing of Musk’s friends and allies in the tech industry, the Times reported. reportJoe Lonsdale, who co-founded the software company Palantir with Peter Thiel, Major Political Donors President Trump’s new running mate is Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio.

The Winklevoss twins, crypto entrepreneurs who have accused Joe Biden of waging a war on cryptocurrencies through regulation, have also contributed to the effort, The Wall Street Journal reports. reportIn June, they praised Trump as a “pro-Bitcoin, pro-crypto and pro-business.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk to Donate $45 Million Monthly to Pro-Trump Super PAC, Sources Say

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to The Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk has announced plans to donate $45 million per month from July onwards to support a super PAC working towards the election of Donald Trump.

Musk, a tech billionaire who recently endorsed Trump, has already made a substantial donation to America PAC. The exact amount of this donation will be revealed in election filings on July 15, as per Bloomberg.

Reports from both The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg are based on anonymous sources familiar with Musk’s plans. With an estimated net worth of $252 billion, Musk is considered one of the wealthiest individuals globally.

The potential donation from Musk is described as “tremendous” by The Wall Street Journal, highlighting that the largest known donation in the 2024 election cycle so far is $50 million. This amount was contributed by the great-grandson of banker Thomas Mellon to a pro-Trump super PAC.

As of June 30, there were no records of Musk donating to the super PAC, according to a review by The New York Times.

America PAC has garnered support from Musk’s tech industry associates, as reported by The New York Times. Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir with Peter Thiel, has also endorsed the PAC, along with the Winklevoss twins, crypto entrepreneurs critical of Biden’s policies.

America PAC, launched recently, aims to finance robust Republican voter mobilization initiatives in key states to counter Democratic efforts, according to The New York Times.

Contrary to earlier reports, Musk clarified in a tweet in March that he had not made any donations to U.S. presidential candidates.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tesla asserts Elon Musk was awarded a $56 billion compensation package even though a judge found it to be invalid.

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to court documents released on Friday, Tesla Inc. states that Elon Musk has emerged victorious in a legal battle over his $56 billion compensation package. This victory comes after shareholders voted in favor of the pay, despite a judge previously setting it aside earlier this year.

The company’s submission comes following Tesla shareholders’ approval of his stock option package for 2018, conducted two weeks ago. This decision was made after a Delaware judge voided the compensation in January due to alleged mismanagement by Musk during negotiations and misleading shareholders about critical details.

The ongoing lawsuit has strained Musk’s relationship with Tesla, as the company grapples with declining sales and mounting competition. Musk has hinted at developing products outside of Tesla if he fails to secure a larger ownership stake.

In its proposal, Tesla has outlined to Delaware Chancery Court Judge Katherine McCormick how the final order should be drafted to implement her January ruling. The company argues that the order should declare “judgment is entered in favor of the defendants.”

Shareholders’ lawyers are urging the judge to uphold the previous ruling that invalidated Musk’s compensation package. They are seeking a directive for Tesla to issue billions of dollars in Tesla stock to cover legal expenses.

Tesla has suggested a fair fee of up to $13.6 million.

McCormick has instructed both parties to prepare briefs discussing the impact of the shareholder vote on the case and to schedule oral arguments on the matter in late July or early August.

Oral arguments on costs are set for July 8, with a decision likely to be reached after several weeks. Even if the January ruling remains unchanged, McCormick may acknowledge that the shareholder vote indicates little merit in winning the case, as Tesla shareholders appear to desire substantial compensation, which could undermine the plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fee claim based on the value they have provided by overturning the compensation packages.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk Confirms Tesla Shareholders to Vote on $56 Billion Compensation Package

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla shareholders are set to approve Elon Musk’s $56 billion remuneration package by a significant margin before the company’s important annual general meeting later today. The compensation package, the largest ever granted to a CEO of a U.S. company, will be subject to an investor vote after being previously rejected by a U.S. court this year. Shareholders will also vote on Musk’s proposal to relocate Tesla’s legal base to Texas.

Several investors, including Norway’s sovereign wealth fund and the California State Teachers Retirement System, have indicated their intent to oppose the compensation package. Proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services have also advised shareholders to reject the pay.

On the eve of the meeting, Musk suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that investors overwhelmingly supported both the compensation package and the Texas relocation: “Both Tesla shareholder resolutions have now passed by large margins! Thank you for your support!!”

The results will be disclosed at Tesla’s headquarters in Texas at 4:30pm ET (9:30pm UK time).

Even if the remuneration package is approved, Musk may encounter further obstacles, including potential litigation. Legal experts doubt that the Delaware court that rejected the initial package would accept a new, nonbinding vote to reinstate it.

Originally approved by Tesla’s board in 2018, the compensation has faced legal challenges from shareholders. Judge Kathleen McCormick of Delaware raised concerns about the size and necessity of the package in her January ruling.

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In her ruling, McCormick questioned the necessity of the compensation plan, stating, “Perhaps swayed by the ‘all-positive’ rhetoric or enthralled by Musk’s superstardom, the board never asked the $55.8 billion question: Was this plan truly necessary for Tesla to retain Musk and achieve its goals?”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk unexpectedly withdraws legal action against Sam Altman and OpenAI

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk has submitted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against ChatGPT developer OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, claiming that the startup has deviated from its original goal of developing artificial intelligence for the betterment of humanity.

Musk filed the lawsuit against Altman in February, and the legal process has been progressing slowly in a California court. Up until Tuesday, Musk had not shown any intention of dropping the case. Just a month ago, his legal team filed an objection, leading to the presiding judge stepping down.

Musk’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit did not provide any rationale. A San Francisco Superior Court judge was set to consider arguments from Altman and OpenAI on Wednesday to have the lawsuit thrown out.

The dismissal brought an abrupt end to the legal dispute between two influential figures in the tech realm. Musk and Altman co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but Musk resigned from the board three years later following disagreements over the company’s governance and direction. Their relationship has become increasingly strained as Altman’s prominence has grown in recent years.

Musk’s lawsuit centered on his assertion that Altman and OpenAI breached the company’s “foundation agreement” by collaborating with Microsoft, transforming OpenAI into a predominantly profit-driven entity, and withholding its technology from the public.

OpenAI and Altman contested the existence of such an agreement, citing messages that appeared to show Musk supporting the shift towards a for-profit model. They vehemently denied any wrongdoing and published a blog post in March suggesting Musk’s motivations were rooted in jealousy, expressing regret that a respected figure had taken this course of action.

Musk’s lawsuit raised eyebrows among legal experts, who pointed out that certain claims, such as OpenAI achieving artificial intelligence equivalent to human intelligence, lacked credibility.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is Tesla’s Board Operating as a Public Company or a Fan Club for Elon Musk? | Nils Pratly

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

ohThe rational view on the Elon Musk compensation issue is that Tesla shareholders should stick to their guns and re-approve his astronomical $56 billion compensation, sending a message to the interventionist Delaware judge who struck down the 2018 plan that they are more than capable of making their own decisions.

Broadly speaking, that’s the stance taken by Baillie Gifford, an early and large investor in electric-car companies. “When we agreed the compensation package with Tesla in 2018, we were doing it because we had set ambitious targets that, if met, would deliver huge returns for shareholders,” says Tom Slater, manager of FTSE 100 Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust. He told the Financial Times “Since we agreed to this, we believe we should pay it,” he said last month. Certainly, this statement has the virtue of consistency: we know what we voted for, and a deal is a deal.

Similarly, no one is likely to complain that Norway’s sovereign wealth fund will vote in opposition on Thursday, just as it did in 2018. The fund opposed the plan then, and sees no reason to change its view just because Tesla’s shares have since soared, triggering a record payout to Musk before a Delaware court stepped in.

So the reapproval vote would produce a similar result to the original 73% majority. The shareholder register has changed over the years, but not by much. If anything, retail investors, who make up almost 40% of the stock, seem to have become even more enamoured with Musk lately. And if the majority is indeed secured, that would be the end of the matter and we wouldn’t have to go to court again.

But before this furor fades from the headlines, there’s the small matter of what Delaware Judge Katherine McCormick actually said. Her 200-page ruling January. Read in its entirety, the impression one gets is that Tesla’s 2018 board is a collection of casualties too subservient to its boss to even implement a semi-robust process for setting his incentives.

No one disputes that Tesla’s stock price would have needed to undergo a minor miracle to realize Musk’s full prize money, which had to top $650 billion by 2028, compared with a valuation of around $50 billion (it actually took just three years to achieve that goal). Rather, the problem was the people Tesla appointed to negotiate with Musk and determine a fair prize.

As the judge noted, lead director Ira Ellen Price had a 15-year business relationship with Musk. Another member of the working group, Antonio Gracias, vacationed with Musk’s family. A third, Musk’s former divorce lawyer and company general counsel Todd Maron, “broke down in tears in praise of Musk during testimony.” McCormick concluded that the adjudication process was “deeply flawed” and that the terms were “not entirely fair” to all shareholders. In short, Musk said what he wanted and received minimal backlash.

In theory, Tesla’s board had some powerful cards to play. At the time, Musk owned just over a fifth of Tesla’s stock (before he sold some to fund his Twitter antics), so he couldn’t have lacked the appetite to pursue a goal of “transformative” growth. Even without a plan, every $50 billion increase in Tesla’s market cap was worth $10 billion to Musk. This negotiating point appears to have been ignored.

The company has not adequately addressed the judge’s criticisms of the process. Chairman Robin Denholm, who took over in late 2018, said: He said the board “supports this package” and feels vindicated by what has happened.As a precaution, the company adopted Musk’s plan to move Tesla’s headquarters to Texas.

If Musk asked for a larger stake to keep him focused on Tesla and not on his personal company, would the supposedly independent directors go along with it? Probably.

So even if we accept that contracts, even the obvious excesses, should be honored, the lack of soul-searching in Tesla’s boardroom is astonishing. The lesson to be learned from this is that this is a public company, and the job involves more than being a cheerleader for Elon Musk’s fan club.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tesla’s Chairman warns that Elon Musk may step down if shareholders reject $56 billion compensation package

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The chairman of Tesla has suggested that Elon Musk might leave the company if shareholders do not support his $56 billion (£44 billion) pay package, implying that Musk has other opportunities to explore. Despite the vote next week on the CEO’s compensation deal, Robin Denholm emphasized that the decision is not solely about money, as Musk will still be one of the richest individuals regardless of the outcome.

Denholm mentioned that if the June 13 vote does not go in Musk’s favor, he could potentially depart from Tesla or reduce his presence at the company. In 2018, investors approved a similar compensation plan for Musk, which was later invalidated, prompting the board to seek investors’ approval once more.

Denholm emphasized the importance of Musk’s time and energy, stating that while he has many ideas and potential endeavors, Tesla and its owners should be his primary focus. Concerns have been raised by some investors about Musk’s engagement with Tesla given his involvement in other ventures like SpaceX, xAI, and X.

Denholm clarified that the compensation package includes a provision requiring Musk to hold the Tesla shares he receives for five years before selling any of them. With Musk’s net worth at $203 billion, he is currently ranked as the third wealthiest person globally, according to Bloomberg.

ISS and Glass Lewis have advised shareholders to vote against the proposed pay package, citing excessive payouts. Despite differing opinions among major investors, Denholm stressed the need to uphold the 2018 agreement to ensure Musk’s continued dedication and commitment to Tesla.

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In a bid to streamline operations and facilitate growth, Denholm proposed relocating Tesla’s legal domicile to Texas, highlighting the state’s favorable corporate laws and potential for innovation. She noted that Texas legislators and courts are well-equipped to handle Tesla’s future endeavors effectively.

Analyst Dan Ives believes that while Musk is unlikely to leave Tesla entirely, a rejection of the compensation package could lead to his stepping down as CEO and reducing his involvement with the company over time.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk seeks shareholder approval for $56 billion payout from Tesla, judge rejects request

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla is seeking shareholders’ re-approval for CEO Elon Musk’s hefty $56 billion compensation plan from 2018, which was previously rejected by a Delaware judge in January for being excessive and unjustified.

Musk’s compensation, tied to Tesla’s market value increase to $650 billion over the next decade, currently stands at over $500 billion, according to LSEG data, excluding salary or cash bonuses.

The rejection from Delaware Court of Chancery’s Kathleen McCormick criticized the board’s decision, deeming the compensation “incalculable” and unfair to shareholders.

Tesla’s move for a fresh shareholder vote appears to bolster support for Musk’s pay package and challenge the court’s ruling, which disapproved the largest corporate pay package in America.

In response to the court’s decision, board chair Robin Denholm expressed disagreement, stating that the ruling did not conform to corporate law principles.

In 2023, Musk’s compensation was recorded as $0, as he does not draw a salary but is compensated through stock options. The court case also mentioned Musk’s involvement in an attempt to disrupt Twitter Inc.’s acquisition deal.

Tesla is suggesting a re-vote on the original 2018 compensation package, contemplating legal considerations, as well as seeking approval from shareholders to relocate its state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas.

Ahead of the market opening, shares of the leading automaker rallied by 1%.

This year has been challenging for Tesla, with reports of underperforming against market expectations and observing its first decline in deliveries in four years, prompting a workforce reduction of 14,000 employees. The broader electric vehicle industry has also experienced a slowdown, with major players like Ford revising their plans.

Meanwhile, Apple scaled back its self-driving electric car project, leading to layoffs, indicating a shifting landscape in the electric vehicle sector.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk aims to streamline Tesla with 14,000 job cuts to create a more efficient automaker

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, is reducing its global workforce by more than 10%, which is approximately 14,000 jobs, in response to decreased demand and pricing pressures. CEO Elon Musk made this announcement in a memo that was initially reported by Elektrek. Tesla currently employs 140,473 individuals, as stated in its annual report.

Musk explained that Tesla’s rapid growth led to duplicated roles and responsibilities, necessitating these layoffs. He noted, “There’s nothing we hate more, but it has to be done. This allows us to be lean, innovative, and greedy for the next cycle of growth.”

This decision comes after a challenging start to the year for electric car companies, with Tesla reporting lower-than-expected car deliveries in the first quarter of 2024. The company attributed this decline to production challenges and a slowdown in global demand.

According to critics, including Ross Gerber from Gerber Kawasaki, Tesla’s sales dip in a growing economy highlights concerns about lack of advertising, competition, and leadership. The company aims to boost profit margins amidst price cuts and increased competition.

The layoffs reflect the broader trend of slowing growth in the electric vehicle market, impacting Tesla’s performance. Tesla’s stock has seen a decline in value, losing around a third of its market capitalization this year.

Additionally, Reuters reported that BP is scaling back its electric vehicle charging business, reducing its workforce by more than 10% to focus on commercial electric vehicles. The company cited a need for greater precision and effectiveness in achieving its goals.

Tesla has facilities across the US, Germany, and China. The company has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Source: www.theguardian.com

What role does Elon Musk play in Tesla’s sales performance?

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The overwhelming sales on Tuesday were attributed to the actions of Tesla’s CEO by one Tesla investor.

In response to the sales figures, Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki, pointed to Elon Musk’s actions as the reason for Tesla’s inability to sell cars. He criticized the board of directors for not stopping Musk’s behavior, which he deemed toxic towards the Tesla brand.

Musk retaliated by calling Gerber an idiot and mentioning the challenges faced by Chinese rival BYD in the quarter.

Following Tesla’s revenue update and stock fall, Gerber expressed his disappointment, attributing the decline in deliveries to various factors including Houthi rebel attacks and delays in production.

Analysts raised concerns about slowing demand for Tesla vehicles, despite production challenges being mentioned as contributing factors.

While Musk’s controversial actions have led to a decline in sales in the US market, some analysts believe that Tesla’s long-term decisions will resolve the company’s problems.

Key figures in the financial industry voiced their concerns over Tesla’s sales figures, attributing the downturn to a combination of global EV demand slowdown and issues in China, rather than just Musk’s antics.

Tesla’s ongoing global fame, driven by Musk’s actions, continues to be a focal point, with experts highlighting the potential impact on sales and market perception.

Despite the challenges, Tesla is reportedly scouting locations in India for a new manufacturing plant, indicating long-term growth plans.

While some analysts downplay the impact of Musk’s behavior on sales, others believe that it contributes to the overall perception of the company and its products.

In conclusion, the future of Tesla remains uncertain, with various factors at play influencing the company’s performance in the market.

Tesla has not provided a comment on the situation at this time.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The distinctive chemical makeup of adolescent perspiration includes hints of musk and urine aromas

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Body odor usually worsens around puberty

Carlos Barquero/Alamy

Teens appear to produce chemicals in their sweat that cause body odor, such as urine, musk, and sandalwood. Awareness of these chemicals may lead to more effective odor control measures, such as more effective deodorants.

Because the chemical compounds in sweat are volatile, they easily turn into gases that are perceived as odor. Hormonal changes that occur during puberty are associated with increased body odor.

helen ruth Researchers at Germany’s Friedrich-Alexander University studied how body odor changes from childhood to adolescence.

The team recruited 18 children up to the age of three and 18 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18. They all washed themselves with unscented gel before bed and had cotton pads sewn to the sides of their clothes.

The researchers then extracted the compounds absorbed by the pads and identified them using a technique called mass spectrometry. They then used a process called gas chromatography and trained evaluators to detect the odorous chemicals. “The human nose is used as a detector,” Roos says.

Overall, the body odor-causing chemicals in the two groups were similar, but the chemicals collected from the teens contained higher levels of some carboxylic acids, and the judges described it as “cheap”, “musty” and “earthy”.

The researchers also identified two steroids unique to the teens’ samples, which smelled of “urine and musk” and “sandalwood and musk,” respectively. Chemical differences between teen body odor and toddler body odor may be why toddlers are generally considered to have more pleasant smells, the researchers write.

Ruth says further research into the scents we produce at different ages could help scientists develop more effective odor control measures.

but andreas natsch Swiss fragrance maker Givaudan notes that the study only assessed overnight body odor. “In adults, more pungent odors occur when they are under mental or physical stress,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Neuralink Question: Has Elon Musk Achieved a Revolutionary Advance in Brain Implant Technology?

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Noland Arbor can play chess using Neuralink implant

Neuralink

Neuralink, the brain-computer interface company founded by Elon Musk, has revealed the identity of its first patient who says its implant “changed his life.” But experts say it’s not yet clear whether Neuralink has done more than replicate existing research efforts.

Who was Neuralink’s first patient?

Musk announced in January that the first human patient had received a Neuralink implant, but few details were released at the time. We now know from something. Live stream video by company – Who is that person and how will the test be done?

Noland Arbaugh explains in the video that an accident eight years ago dislocated his fourth and fifth vertebrae, leaving him a quadriplegic. He previously controlled the computer with a mouth interface, and is shown moving the cursor with just his thoughts, apparently using a Neuralink implant.

“Once I started imagining the cursor moving, it became intuitive,” Arbaugh says in the video. “Basically, it was like using ‘force’ on the cursor, and I was able to move the cursor anywhere I wanted. I could just look anywhere on the screen and the cursor would move where I wanted it. It was a very wild experience.”

He uses the device for reading, language learning, and computer games such as chess, and claims he uses it for up to eight hours at a time, at which point he needs to charge the device. “It’s not perfect, I’ve run into some problems. But it’s already changed my life,” he says.

What does the implant contain?

Neuralink did not respond to requests for an interview, but its website says the current generation coin-sized implant, called N1, generates neural activity through 1,024 electrodes distributed across 64 threads that extend into the user’s brain. It is said that it records. These are so fine that they must be placed by a surgical robot.

In a livestream video, Arbaugh said he was discharged from the hospital the day after his implant surgery, and that from his perspective the surgery was a relatively simple process.

The implant uses a small battery that is charged through the skin by an inductance charger and communicates wirelessly with an app on your smartphone.

Does this mean the first human trials were successful?

Reinhold Scherrer Researchers at the University of Essex in the UK will decide whether Neuralink’s first human trial was a success because the company “has not released enough information to form an informed opinion” He said it was too early.

“While the video is impressive and there is no doubt that it took a lot of research and development work to get to this stage, it is unclear whether what is being shown is new or groundbreaking,” he said. Masu. “Although control appears to be stable, most of the studies and experiments presented so far are primarily replications of past studies. Replication is good, but major challenges still remain. ”

Who else is working on brain implants?

Neuralink isn’t the only group exploring this idea. A number of academic organizations and commercial startups have already conducted human experiments that have successfully interpreted brain signals and produced some sort of output.

A team at Stanford University in California placed two small sensors just below the surface of the brain of a man who was paralyzed from the neck down. Researchers may be able to interpret the brain signals when a man decides to put pen to paper and translate them into text that can be read on a computer.

When will Neuralink be available and how much will it cost?

It’s too early to tell, as this has a long way to go before it becomes a commercial product, with much testing and certification to come. But Musk has made it clear that he intends to commercialize the technology.of The first product planned was named Telepathy.allows users to take control of their mobile phones and computers.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Elon Musk Addresses Controversial Post by Far-Right Austrian Linked to Christchurch Terrorists Following Account Recovery

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

An Austrian far-right individual who had connections with the Christchurch terrorists prior to the 2019 attack had his X account restored, and Elon Musk, the owner of X, responded to one of his tweets.

Martin Sellner, the founder of the Identity movement, which advocated for the superiority of European ethnic groups, was banned from Twitter in 2020 under previous management, along with several other accounts associated with the movement, due to criticism of the platform’s handling of extremist content.

Sellner was being sought by Austrian authorities in 2019 for suspected collaboration with Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant and a terrorist organization. Sellner has denied any involvement in the attack.

Tarrant had donated 1,500 euros (A$2,487) to Sellner’s identitarian organization, and in 2018, Sellner had invited Tarrant for a drink if he ever visited Austria. It was revealed that they had exchanged emails.

Although Tarrant visited Austria in 2018, Sellner claims they never actually met.

Sellner expressed gratitude towards Musk for reinstating his X account, which now has a blue checkmark and 51,000 followers.

“I am thankful to be back on Twitter/X. A special thanks to Mr. Musk for reopening this platform,” he stated in a translated tweet. “We hope this trend continues and others who were banned return as well.”

After Sellner posted a video about Swiss police shutting down an event he was attending in canton Aargau and restricting his movements, Musk responded by saying, “Is that legal?”

Reports surfaced last month that Germany was considering prohibiting Sellner from entering the country.

Dr. Josh Ruth, an extremism expert from Deakin University, noted that Sellner’s account was one of many far-right accounts, including leaders of Australia’s National Socialist Network, that had been allowed back on X under Musk’s leadership.

According to Ruth, these groups have been reconnecting and establishing international links post their return to the platform. He added, “There is a movement to build connections and expand globally.”

When asked for comment, Musk defended his decision to allow such accounts on the platform, arguing that as long as posts are not illegal, they should not be censored.

While this stance aligns with American free speech standards, critics argue that the account was previously taken down for spreading hate and fear online, and nothing has changed in that regard.

Julie Inman-Grant, the Australian eSafety Commissioner, raised concerns about the reinstatement of accounts that had previously been banned for hateful conduct, emphasizing potential risks to user safety.

X and five other tech platforms received legal notices from Australia’s online safety regulator regarding their handling of extremist and terrorist-related content, with fines being a possible consequence for non-compliance.

Ruth highlighted the need for decisive action against online extremism, emphasizing the importance of upholding fundamental democratic values such as mutual respect and recognition.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk stands firm on stance on diversity and free speech in controversial interview

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk defended his stance on diversity and free speech in a tense interview with former CNN anchor Don Lemon.

Tesla’s chief executive was openly irritated by Lemon’s line of questioning during an hour-long video interview. published on Monday.

Asked about prescribing ketamine, Musk said, “It’s a pretty private thing to ask someone about a medical prescription.” He said he took the drug to deal with “negative chemical conditions in the brain, such as depression.”

Asked if he had abused drugs commonly used as anesthetics, he said: If you use too much ketamine, you won’t be able to actually do any work. There’s a lot of work.”

Musk, who canceled his X platform’s contract with Lemon after the interview was taped earlier this month, has spoken out about diversity, equity and inclusion, including his support for conservative Ben Shapiro’s thread on X. (DEI) asked about criticism of the system. Experts argued that DEI was putting patients at risk.

Lemon told Musk there was “no evidence” that the DEI system was lowering standards of medical practice, and the billionaire said his responses to the X User interview “will be his own decision” on the issue. He said it would be helpful.

Asked if he believes in DEI, Musk said, “I think we should… treat people according to their skills and integrity.”

Musk also defended X’s content moderation standards after Lemon highlighted anti-Semitic and racist posts that still remain on the platform, which the Tesla CEO acquired in 2022.

When asked why it wasn’t removed, Musk said the post wasn’t illegal, saying, “I mean, Don, you love censorship.” Lemon said he believed in moderation, to which Musk replied, “Moderation is a propaganda word that means censorship.”

If a post is illegal, “we’re going to take it down,” Musk said, adding that if it doesn’t violate the law, “we either deserve the censorship or we’re the censors.”

Musk made his frustration with Lemon clear on several points. When the moderator asked if he was upset, the entrepreneur replied, “You’re upset because the way you phrased your question was not very convincing.”

Musk told Lemon that the next Tesla Roadster model will be a collaboration with the SpaceX business and “will incorporate rocket technology.”

He added, “I think the only way to make something cooler than the Cybertruck is to combine SpaceX and Tesla technology to make something that isn’t actually even a car.” Asked if it was a flying car, Musk replied, “Maybe.”

Musk also acknowledged that he had recently met Donald Trump, but said he had not donated to Joe Biden’s campaign, although he had “stepped back” from supporting him. Asked if he would support a presidential candidate, he said, “I may end up supporting a candidate, but I don’t know yet.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Kenan Malik argues that Elon Musk and OpenAI are fostering existential dread to evade regulation

Posted on March 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

IIn 1914, on the eve of World War I, H.G. Wells published a novel about the possibility of an even bigger conflagration. liberated world Thirty years before the Manhattan Project, “humankind'' [to] Carry around enough potential energy in your handbag to destroy half a city. ” A global war breaks out, precipitating a nuclear apocalypse. To achieve peace, it is necessary to establish a world government.

Wells was concerned not just with the dangers of new technology, but also with the dangers of democracy. Wells's world government was not created by democratic will, but was imposed as a benign dictatorship. “The ruled will show their consent by silence,” King Ecbert of England says menacingly. For Wells, “common man” means “Violent idiots in social issues and public affairs”. Only an educated, scientifically-minded elite can “save democracy from itself.”

A century later, another technology inspires similar awe and fear: artificial intelligence. From Silicon Valley boardrooms to the backrooms of Davos, political leaders, technology moguls, and academics are exulting in the immense benefits of AI, but they are also concerned about its potential. ing. announce the end of humanity When super-intelligent machines come to rule the world. And, as a century ago, questions of democracy and social control are at the heart of the debate.

In 2015, journalist Stephen Levy Interview with Elon Musk and Sam Altmanthe two founders of OpenAI, a technology company that gained public attention two years ago with the release of ChatGPT, a seemingly human-like chatbot. Fearful of the potential impact of AI, Silicon Valley moguls founded the company as a nonprofit charitable trust with the goal of developing technology in an ethical manner to benefit “all of humanity.”

Levy asked Musk and Altman about the future of AI. “There are two schools of thought,” Musk mused. “Do you want a lot of AI or a few? I think more is probably better.”

“If I used it on Dr. Evil, wouldn't it give me powers?” Levy asked. Altman responded that Dr. Evil is more likely to be empowered if only a few people control the technology, saying, “In that case, we'd be in a really bad situation.” Ta.

In reality, that “bad place” is being built by the technology companies themselves. Musk resigned from OpenAI's board six years ago and is developing his own AI project, but he is now accused of prioritizing profit over public interest and neglecting to develop AI “for the benefit of humanity.” He is suing his former company for breach of contract.

In 2019, OpenAI created a commercial subsidiary to raise money from investors, particularly Microsoft. When he released ChatGPT in 2022, the inner workings of the model were hidden. I didn't need to be too open about it, Ilya SatskevaOne of OpenAI's founders, who was the company's chief scientist at the time, responded to criticism by claiming that it would prevent malicious actors from using it to “cause significant damage.” Fear of technology became a cover for creating a shield from surveillance.

In response to Musk's lawsuit, OpenAI released a series of documents last week. Emails between Mr. Musk and other members of the board of directors. All of this makes it clear that all board members agreed from the beginning that OpenAI could never actually be open.

As AI develops, Sutskever wrote to Musk: The “open” in openAI means that everyone should benefit from the results of AI once it is developed. [sic] It's built, but it's totally fine if you don't share the science. ” “Yes,” Musk replied. Regardless of the nature of the lawsuit, Musk, like other tech industry moguls, has not been as open-minded. The legal challenges to OpenAI are more a power struggle within Silicon Valley than an attempt at accountability.

Wells wrote liberated world At a time of great political turmoil, when many people were questioning the wisdom of extending suffrage to the working class.

“Was that what you wanted, and was it safe to leave it to you?” [the masses],” Fabian Beatrice Webb wondered., “The ballot box that creates and controls the British government with its vast wealth and far-flung territories”? This was the question at the heart of Wells's novel: Who can one entrust their future to?

A century later, we are once again engaged in heated debates about the virtues of democracy. For some, the political turmoil of recent years is a product of democratic overreach, the result of allowing irrational and uneducated people to make important decisions. “It's unfair to put the responsibility of making a very complex and sophisticated historical decision on an unqualified simpleton.” Richard Dawkins said: After the Brexit referendum, Mr Wells would have agreed with that view.

Others say that such contempt for ordinary people is what contributes to the flaws in democracy, where large sections of the population feel deprived of a say in how society is run. .

It's a disdain that also affects discussions about technology.like the world is liberated, The AI debate focuses not only on technology, but also on questions of openness and control. Alarmingly enough, we are far from being “superintelligent” machines. Today's AI models, such as ChatGPT, or claude 3, released last week by another AI company, Anthropic, is so good at predicting what the next word in a sequence is that it makes us believe we can have human-like conversations. You can cheat. However, they are not intelligent in the human sense. Negligible understanding of the real world And I'm not trying to destroy humanity.

The problems posed by AI are not existential, but social.from Algorithm bias to surveillance societyfrom Disinformation and censorship to copyright theftOur concern is not that machines might someday exercise power over humans, but that machines already function in ways that reinforce inequalities and injustices, and that those in power strengthen their own authority. It should be about providing tools for

That's why what we might call “Operation Ecbert,” the argument that some technologies are so dangerous that they must be controlled by a select few over democratic pressure, It's very threatening. The problem isn't just Dr. Evil, it's the people who use fear of Dr. Evil to protect themselves from surveillance.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s Feud Unpacked: A Technology Showdown

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

After OpenAI’s launch in December 2015, co-founder Sam Altman spoke to Vanity Fair about the company’s mission to save the world from a dystopian future. Altman discussed the vision of keeping artificial intelligence safe and widely accessible, highlighting his strong relationship with co-chairman Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla.

Nearly a decade later, Musk and Altman find themselves in a public disagreement and facing a legal battle. Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in California court, alleging that Altman and other executives deviated from the company’s original mission by pursuing private commercial interests. The lawsuit questions the direction of OpenAI, now valued at $80 billion, and the shift towards profitability.

The legal dispute highlights the tension between Musk and Altman, two prominent figures in the AI field. Allegations of breach of contract and divergence from OpenAI’s founding principles have escalated the conflict, with Musk accusing Altman of changing the company’s course towards commercial success.

In response to Musk’s lawsuit, OpenAI published a detailed blog post defending its actions and countering Musk’s claims. The post addresses the history of OpenAI, Musk’s involvement, and the evolution of the organization into a for-profit entity.

As the legal battle unfolds, Musk has publicly criticized OpenAI and Altman on social media, fueling further controversy surrounding the dispute. Legal experts question the grounds of Musk’s lawsuit and its implications for OpenAI’s future.

The feud between Musk and Altman traces back to their initial collaboration and shared vision for AI’s role in shaping the future. However, diverging interests and strategic decisions have led to a breakdown in their relationship, culminating in a legal confrontation over OpenAI’s direction and objectives.

Despite their past camaraderie, Musk and Altman now find themselves at odds, each defending their beliefs and actions in the realm of artificial intelligence innovation.

The origins of Musk and Altman’s feud

Prior to their discord, Musk served as a mentor to Altman, fostering a relationship based on shared aspirations for AI advancement. Their dialogue on AI’s societal impact led to the creation of OpenAI, but differences in approach and strategic direction strained their partnership over time.

The evolution of their feud sheds light on the complexities of navigating the ethical, commercial, and technological landscapes of artificial intelligence. Musk and Altman’s diverging viewpoints encapsulate the broader debates surrounding AI governance and responsibility.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk and Donald Trump to reportedly meet during fundraiser

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to The New York Times, former Republican President Donald Trump sought significant funding for his re-election bid by meeting with billionaire Elon Musk in Florida over the weekend.

Trump held talks with Musk, who is among the wealthiest individuals globally, along with various affluent Republican donors on Sunday. The Times reported that he is scheduled to have a one-on-one discussion with Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, as well as the owner and executive chairman of X, formerly known as Twitter.

Requests for comments from Reuters to Musk and the Trump campaign have not been immediately responded to.

In an attempt to enhance his presidential campaign after recent financial setbacks from legal cases, President Trump is looking to secure more major contributors, as per The Times.

Although Musk has not confirmed his financial support for Trump, he previously indicated his disapproval of incumbent Joe Biden and hinted at not wanting him to win a second term in a social media post following the 2020 election defeat.

While Musk has aimed to stay politically neutral, he previously revealed his vote for Biden in 2020 but has since criticized and clashed with the administration.

The White House condemned Musk’s tweets as allegedly showing anti-Semitism last year, and Musk’s mother accused the president of obstructing his plans for global betterment.

In light of his priorities to defeat the president, Musk, with an estimated net worth of $200 billion, holds a significant financial advantage over Trump in the upcoming 2024 general election campaign, as noted by Forbes.

Financial disclosures from the Federal Election Commission revealed a decrease in Trump’s cash reserves while Biden’s campaign reported an increase, giving him a more sizable financial backing.

This report includes contributions from Reuters.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ex-Twitter executive files lawsuit against Elon Musk seeking $128 million in unpaid severance package

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk is currently facing a $128 million lawsuit from four former Twitter executives for allegedly not paying them severance packages after acquiring the social network. The lawsuit, filed in California on Monday, follows a previous legal complaint from rank-and-file employees seeking $500 million in unpaid severance pay.

According to the complaint, “Mr. Musk decided not to provide severance packages to the plaintiffs, so he terminated them without valid cause, invented a false cause, and enlisted employees from various companies to support his decision.”

The four individuals in the lawsuit are former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, former CFO Ned Segal, former general counsel Sean Ejit, and former CLO Vijaya Segal, as well as Mr. Gadde. Following Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, he conducted a mass layoff, claiming at the time that these executives were terminated for cause and therefore not entitled to severance pay.

The lawsuit states, “The ’cause’ was not ‘a business decision approved by the board of directors that Mr. Musk disagrees with.’ In the termination letter, he accused each plaintiff of ‘gross negligence’ and ‘willful misconduct’ without providing any evidence to support this allegation.” Neither Mr. Musk nor Mr. No has commented publicly on the matter, and Alex Spiro, a lawyer who often represents Mr. Musk, has not responded to requests for comment.

This lawsuit is one of several linked to Musk’s involuntary takeover of Twitter and subsequent operation of the platform, now named X. Furthermore, the National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint earlier this year, alleging that Musk’s SpaceX unlawfully terminated eight employees after they criticized his leadership.

After assuming control of the company, Musk disclosed that he laid off approximately 80% of Twitter’s staff during an interview with the BBC last year. Since Musk’s acquisition, the platform has encountered numerous challenges, including a decrease in advertising revenue and a rise in hate speech as content moderation efforts were scaled back. Although Musk initially attempted to withdraw from the deal, Twitter sued to enforce its completion.

Musk attributed the decline in ad revenue to anti-hate watchdog groups that released a report detailing racist and extremist content on the platform. He is currently engaged in ongoing legal battles against two of these organizations, Media Matters and the Center for Countering Digital Hate. A California judge is expected to make a decision this week on whether to dismiss the lawsuit against the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk criticizes OpenAI for prioritizing profit over humanity

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk is suing OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman for prioritizing profit over humanity’s interests, contrary to its core mission.

As the wealthiest individual globally and a founding director of the AI company behind ChatGPT, Musk alleges that Altman violated OpenAI’s founding covenant by striking an investment deal with Microsoft.

The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco, accuses OpenAI of prioritizing profit over human well-being by shifting its focus to developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) for commercial gain rather than humanitarian purposes.

Musk claims that OpenAI has essentially become a subsidiary of Microsoft, the world’s largest tech company, under new leadership, diverting from its original principles outlined in the founding agreement.

The lawsuit raises concerns about AGI posing a significant threat to humanity, particularly if it falls into profit-driven companies’ hands, like Google.

Originally founded to be a nonprofit, open-source organization working for the greater good, OpenAI’s alleged transition to a profit-centric entity under Microsoft’s influence has prompted Musk to take legal action.

The lawsuit contends that the development of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, shrouded in secrecy, deviates from their initial mission and breaches contractual obligations.

Musk, who played a significant role in establishing OpenAI but exited in 2018, claims that the company’s recent actions concerning AGI technology are in direct conflict with its intended purpose.

The lawsuit aims to compel OpenAI to adhere to its original mission of developing AGI for humanity’s benefit, not for personal gain or for tech giants like Microsoft.

The deal between OpenAI and Microsoft is now facing scrutiny from competition authorities in various regions, including the US, EU, and UK.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk files lawsuit against OpenAI, seeks court ruling on artificial general intelligence

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk is concerned about the pace of AI development

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Elon Musk asked the court to resolve the issue of whether GPT-4 is artificial general intelligence (AGI). Lawsuit against OpenAI. The development of his AGI, which can perform a variety of tasks just like humans, is one of the field’s main goals, but experts say it will be up to judges to decide whether it qualifies for GPT-4. The idea is “unrealistic,” he said.

Musk was one of the founders of OpenAI in 2015, but left the company in February 2018 due to controversy over the company’s change from a nonprofit model to a profit-restricted model. Despite this, he continues to support OpenAI financially, with the legal complaint alleging that he donated more than $44 million to OpenAI between 2016 and 2020.

Since OpenAI’s flagship ChatGPT launched in November 2022 and the company partnered with Microsoft, Musk has warned that AI development is moving too fast, but with the latest AI model to power ChatGPT, Musk has warned that AI development is moving too fast. The release of GPT-4 made that view even worse. In July 2023, he founded xAI, a competitor of OpenAI.

In a lawsuit filed in a California court on March 1st, Musk said through his lawyer, “A judicial determination that GPT-4 constitutes artificial general intelligence and is therefore outside the scope of OpenAI’s license to Microsoft.” I asked for This is because OpenAI is committed to only licensing “pre-AGI” technology. Musk has a number of other demands, including financial compensation for his role in helping found OpenAI.

However, it is unlikely that Mr. Musk will prevail. Not only because of the merits of litigation, but also because of the complexity in determining when AGI is achieved. “AGI doesn’t have an accepted definition, it’s kind of a coined term, so I think it’s unrealistic in a general sense,” he says. mike cook At King’s College London.

“Whether OpenAI has achieved AGI is hotly debated among those who base their decisions on scientific facts.” Elke Beuten De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. “It seems unusual to me that a court can establish scientific truth.”

However, such a judgment is not legally impossible. “We’ve seen all sorts of ridiculous definitions come out of US court decisions. How can anyone but the most outlandish of her AGI supporters be persuaded? Not at all.” Staffordshire, England says Katherine Frick of the university.

It’s unclear what Musk hopes to achieve with the lawsuit – new scientist has reached out to both him and OpenAI for comment, but has not yet received a response from either.

Regardless of the rationale behind it, this lawsuit puts OpenAI in an unenviable position. CEO Sam Altman said the company will use his AGI issued a stark warning that the company’s powerful technology needs to be regulated.

“It’s in OpenAI’s interest to constantly hint that their tools are improving and getting closer to this, because it keeps the attention and the headlines flowing,” Cook says. But now they may need to make the opposite argument.

Even if the court were to rely on expert viewpoints, any judge would have a hard time ruling in Musk’s favor at best, or uncovering differing views on the hotly debated topic. will have a hard time. “Most of the scientific community would now say that AGI has not been achieved if the concept was considered sufficiently meaningful or sufficiently accurate,” says Beuten.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Elon Musk redeems himself at California bakery following $2,000 pie mishap

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A California bakery alleges that Tesla did not pay for a hefty order, amounting to thousands of dollars. The billionaire Elon Musk has reportedly assured to rectify the situation, resulting in the bakery confirming that the outstanding claims have been settled.

The owner of Giving Pies, a black-owned bakery in San Jose, California, revealed that Tesla ignored an order for 4,000 mini pies just five days ago. Voahunzi Lacetarinella made this known on his Instagram account.

Racetarinella, in an email to the Guardian, acknowledged that Tesla has now settled the missing $2,000 payment. This development came after Musk responded to the story on X (formerly Twitter) and assured, “Things will go well with the bakery.”

The bakery received a last-minute order of 2,000 pies from Tesla on Valentine’s Day, which was later doubled to 4,000 pies. However, Tesla canceled the order without making the payment, as reported by KTVU.

Racetarinella shared on Instagram that she turned down other Black History Month catering requests to fulfill the expanded order, but the bakery was left uncompensated for their efforts.

She criticized Tesla’s corporate culture for prioritizing convenience over accountability and disregarding the livelihoods of small business owners like herself. Racetarinella emphasized the challenges faced by small businesses when dealing with large corporations.

Following media coverage of the incident, Giving Pies garnered widespread support, leading to a surge of customers at the store. Racetarinella expressed gratitude for the overwhelming response and reflected on her entrepreneurial journey in a post on Instagram.

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Racetarinella concluded on a positive note, underscoring her determination as a Black female entrepreneur to overcome setbacks and continue serving her community with integrity and pride.

Source: www.theguardian.com