The rivalry between Elon Musk and Bill Gates has intensified, with Musk warning Gates of severe repercussions if he continues to bet against Tesla. This escalation follows a leaked 2022 exchange where Musk refused to support Gates’ charitable efforts due to Gates’ substantial short position on Tesla stock. Musk asserted his vision of transforming Tesla into a $30 trillion AI giant, stating, “Once Tesla fully solves autonomy and has [its droid] Optimus in volume production, anyone still holding a short position will be obliterated. Even Gates.”
Musk’s strong stance stems from his belief in Tesla’s potential to revolutionize the automotive and AI industries. However, Tesla has faced significant challenges recently, being the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 this year. The company’s vehicle sales dropped 6.6% in the first half of the year, and its ambitious Cybertruck project has struggled to meet expectations. Despite these setbacks, Musk remains optimistic, teasing new developments like a “CyberCab” robotaxi model and predicting a return to EV sales growth with new low-cost models by 2025.
The ongoing feud between Musk and Gates highlights the high-stakes nature of their differing visions for the future of technology and climate change solutions. Musk’s dismissal of Gates’ philanthropy underscores his frustration with those betting against Tesla, which he sees as a leader in addressing climate change.
