In his recent interview with mainstream media, Elon Musk apologized for what he termed as his “dumbest” social media post, acknowledging that it might be the worst and dumbest post he has ever made among the 30,000 he has posted. Musk expressed frustration with advertisers leaving his platform due to rising antisemitism, stating that he doesn’t want them to advertise and using strong language to emphasize his stance.
During the conversation at the New York Times DealBook Summit, Musk, clad in a leather jacket and black jeans, also mentioned that he has no problem being hated and sees a weakness in wanting to be liked. He acknowledged making mistakes and occasionally saying the wrong thing.
Elon Musk (Credits: Axios)
Regarding the recent advertising exodus on X (formerly Twitter) following Musk’s public embrace of an antisemitic conspiracy theory, he attempted to clarify that he is, in fact, Philosemitic. Musk admitted that his antisemitic tweet might be the worst he has ever done and expressed regret for it.
Musk’s visit to Israel was discussed, where he visited a Kibbutz attacked by Hamas, spoke with families of Israeli hostages, and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. Musk clarified that the trip wasn’t an apology tour, and while he considers himself a good person, he won’t “tap dance” to prove it to others.
Addressing the recent drama at OpenAI, Musk criticized the abrupt firing and rehiring of CEO Sam Altman. He expressed concern about the potential dangers of AI, comparing it to a “dangerous element” and suggesting that AI could be more perilous than a nuclear bomb. Musk also criticized OpenAI for deviating from its original open-source vision, proposing a rename to “super closed source for maximum profit AI.”
The conversation, initially centered around an apology for antisemitic tweets, took various turns, delving into topics like childhood trauma, aliens, cellphones in people’s heads, and using X in the bathroom. The interview concluded with a significant portion of the audience walking out.
