Addressing the 2023 DealBook Summit in New York on Wednesday, Elon Musk, the proprietor of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), dismissed concerns from advertisers abandoning the platform due to antisemitic content he shared.
In a candid moment, Musk rebuffed the notion of being blackmailed through advertising revenue, emphasizing, “If somebody’s gonna try to blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go f—yourself. Go. F—. Yourself. Is that clear?” He specifically called out Disney CEO Bob Iger in the audience, greeting him with a casual “Hi Bob!”
Musk’s provocative posts on X have prompted major advertisers, including Disney and Apple, to suspend campaigns, leading to the departure of notable users like Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
Despite allegations of antisemitism, Musk, also the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, asserted that extreme violence calls violate X’s terms of service, resulting in suspensions. Musk’s recent visit to Israel, where he engaged with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aimed at supporting Gaza’s deradicalization and reconstruction, as he had planned before the controversial tweets.
While Musk’s X account boasts over 164 million followers, concerns have arisen about the authenticity of a significant portion of his listed followers.
In response to the UAW launching campaigns against Tesla and other automakers, Musk expressed negative views on unions, describing them as fostering a divisive atmosphere. He hinted at potential repercussions for advertisers, suggesting that his supporters might boycott them.
In light of Musk’s recent promotion of controversial content, including what the White House termed “antisemitic and racist hate,” he acknowledged a regrettable tweet and apologized for it.
Asked about leverage, Musk asserted that user choices and regulatory oversight guide his companies. Regarding China, he defended adhering to local laws and questioned whether more could be done.
Touching on OpenAI’s boardroom struggles, Musk expressed mixed feelings about CEO Sam Altman, hinting at concerns over the concentration of power. Musk, a former board member, left in 2018 after recruiting a key engineer from OpenAI for Tesla.
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In a candid moment, Musk admitted to concerns about AI’s potential harm to humanity, noting difficulty sleeping at night due to these worries.