Twitter CEO Elon Musk is making waves again. Musk has merged the social media company with X Corp, the likely future parent company of Musk’s other companies such as Tesla, SpaceX and Neuralink. The Independent speculates that the merger brings Musk closer to turning Twitter into an ‘everything app.’
“Super apps, as they are known in the industry, are not a new thing. They’ve been hugely successful in Asia, but have not really caught on elsewhere,” said social media expert and industry commentator Matt Navarra. “Could Twitter form part of a super app that lets you buy goods, chat to friends, get news updates, book a taxi, etc? Sure. Can Elon Musk make it work? Possibly. Will Elon actually do it? Who knows.”
The merger was only disclosed to the public when the social media company was forced to share the news in an ongoing lawsuit. Everything apps, such as China’s WeChat, have been successful. However, no such apps have yet been successful in the Western world.
Elon Musk is Launching An AI Company
Beyond the merger, The Guardian reports that Elon Musk is also planning to launch an AI company to directly compete with ChatGPT developer, OpenAI. The Wall Street Journal states that Elon Musk has created a new company called X.AI that is dedicated to artificial intelligence.
Currently, Musk is building a team of AI engineers and researchers. Musk is also in talks with investors for the upcoming AI company. The Tesla CEO also acquired thousands of high-powered GPU processors for the new AI endeavour and is recruiting engineers from top AI companies.
Musk’s move into AI is ironic, considering he co-signed a letter only weeks ago demanding all AI research pause for six months. Since then, some of the 1,800 signatures on the letter were proven to be fake.
Elon Musk was one of OpenAI’s founders. However, he left the board in 2019 due to disagreements with management concerning AI safety. “Tesla was competing for some of the same people as OpenAI & I didn’t agree with some of what OpenAI team wanted to do,” Musk tweeted at the time.
Jack Brassell is a freelance journalist and aspiring novelist. Jack is a self-proclaimed nerd with a lifelong passion for storytelling. As an author, Jack writes mostly horror and young adult fantasy. Also an avid gamer, she works as the lead news editor at Hardcore Droid. When she isn't writing or playing games, she can often be found binge-watching Parks & Rec or The Office, proudly considering herself to be a cross between Leslie Knope and Pam Beasley.
