Elon Musk’s xAI Holdings is reportedly seeking $20 billion in fresh funding, aiming for a $120 billion valuation. If it closes, it would be the second-largest private funding round ever. The money could help ease X’s $1.3 billion annual debt costs. Musk’s key investors from Tesla and SpaceX are expected to back the raise.
Elon Musk ignored warnings from Tesla’s analysts and chose to focus on the Cybercab instead of the $25,000 Model 2. The team thought the Model 2 would sell well globally, but Musk went with the robotaxi. With Tesla facing tough competition and falling stock prices, this decision might hurt the company big time.
Elon Musk’s AI startup, xAI, has acquired social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in an all-stock deal, valuing xAI at $80B and X at $33B. The merger integrates data, AI models, and talent, strengthening xAI’s competitive edge. Musk aims to leverage X’s vast user base and data to accelerate AI development.
Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) is suing the Indian government over alleged unlawful censorship. The lawsuit challenges the use of Section 79(3)(b) to bypass legal processes for content removal. X claims this violates Supreme Court rulings and free speech protections. It also opposes the government’s Sahyog portal, calling it a tool for unchecked censorship.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally home after nine months on the ISS—way longer than their planned week-long trip. Boeing’s Starliner had issues, so SpaceX stepped in, landing them in the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday. Elon Musk stirred drama, claiming Biden blocked an earlier rescue, but NASA says no such offer came.
Mira Murati, who previously served as the CTO at OpenAI, has started a new AI company called Thinking Machines Lab. This initiative is all about developing AI systems that are more accessible, customizable, and powerful. The goal is to connect the cutting-edge capabilities of AI with what the public can truly understand. Thinking Machines Lab plans to create multimodal systems that are not only collaborative but also tailored to fit individual user needs, all while prioritizing safety to help prevent misuse. Murati has brought in top talent from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and other prestigious firms. They’re currently on the lookout for more hires and there’s buzz that they might be in the process of raising substantial venture capital.
OpenAI has unanimously rejected Elon Musk’s $97.4 billion offer to acquire its nonprofit arm, reaffirming that “OpenAI is not for sale.” CEO Sam Altman dismissed Musk’s bid as an attempt to slow down OpenAI, calling him “insecure” and urging him to compete by building a better product.
Over 1,250 Google employees from the U.S. and Canada signed a petition titled ‘Googlers for Job Security’ demanding better severance terms and job stability. The petition, addressed to CEO Sundar Pichai, criticizes ongoing layoffs, poor performance reviews, and lack of buyout options, highlighting the impact on work quality and morale. It seeks a response within two weeks.
Elon Musk’s X is partnering with Visa to launch the “X Money Account” for real-time payments, aiming to make X an “everything app.” The service will allow digital wallets and P2P transfers linked to debit cards, with plans for future expansion. This move aligns with Musk’s long-term vision of creating a multifunctional platform like WeChat.
SpaceX successfully caught the Super Heavy booster for the second time during its seventh Starship test flight. However, the upper stage, Starship, was lost after SpaceX lost contact 8.5 minutes into the flight due to an “oxygen/fuel leak” that caused pressure buildup.
Key Highlights:
CEO Elon Musk announced plans to add fire suppression systems and improve venting to prevent future issues.
The ship was loaded with 10 dummy Starlink satellites for its first payload test.
SpaceX upgraded Starship with new avionics, cameras, and heat tiles to test re-entry technologies.
Debris was spotted over Turks and Caicos, prompting FAA action.