The Quick 1, 2, 3
Here’s what you need to know about Elon Musk’s grip on the tech world:
- Tesla’s first delivery decline in over a decade has investors scrambling between AI promises and harsh reality
- Musk’s influence spans from deepfake governance to military networks, making him impossible to ignore
- The disconnect between his companies’ ambitious claims and actual safety concerns is reaching a breaking point
The Uncomfortable Truth About Genius
So Gary Marcus declared Elon Musk the worst person in tech. And honestly? I get it. There’s something deeply unsettling about watching one person wield this much influence across every corner of our digital future.
But here’s the thing that keeps me up at night: Musk isn’t going anywhere. Not because we love him. Because we can’t look away.
Tesla just posted its first annual delivery drop since 2011. An 8.6% decline that should have investors running for the hills. Instead, they’re doubling down on promises of “reasoning” AI and robotaxis that are still “several years” away. The stock trades like it’s already solved autonomous driving, while safety regulators are investigating reports of drivers trapped in burning vehicles because they couldn’t find the emergency door release.
Let me paint you a picture of the absurdity: Tesla’s fair value sits around $300 according to Morningstar, yet bulls maintain $600 targets based on… what exactly? Hope? The word “AI” sprinkled into earnings calls like fairy dust?
The Gravity Well Effect
What makes Musk genuinely dangerous isn’t his Twitter antics or political theater. It’s that his companies have become foundational infrastructure for the AI revolution. Starlink isn’t just providing internet anymore; it’s embedded in military kill chains. xAI’s Grok is forcing global conversations about deepfake governance. Neuralink is literally rewiring human brains.
This isn’t normal CEO influence. This is something closer to a natural monopoly on the future.
Writers wrestling with AI’s impact on creativity might find tools like Sudowrite offering collaboration rather than replacement, but Musk’s vision feels more totalizing.
The Reckoning Approaches
The cracks are showing. Safety investigations multiply. Delivery numbers disappoint. Even his most devoted investors are starting to ask uncomfortable questions about when promises become reality.
But until we build systems that don’t depend on the whims of singular figures, we’re stuck in Musk’s gravity well. The worst person in tech might also be the most essential. And that should terrify us all.