In a gripping revelation from Walter Isaacson’s biography “Elon Musk,” an intense encounter between tech titans Bill Gates and Musk has been brought to light.
What happened: During their meeting in early 2022, as covered by CNBC, Gates sought to advise Musk on his recent $5.7 billion contribution to charity. Yet, the atmosphere grew tense when the pair toured Musk’s facility.
Gates questioned the feasibility of battery-powered semi-trucks and the significant contribution of solar energy in addressing climate change, in stark contrast to Musk’s visions for Tesla Inc. TSLA and SpaceX.
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The atmosphere thickened when Gates admitted to shorting Tesla stock, leading to a $1.5 billion loss on his part. Such a move was perceived by Musk, who has a well-known distaste for short-sellers, as a direct challenge to his mission of promoting sustainable energy.
Despite the strained interaction, Gates commended Musk for his trailblazing innovations, whereas Musk took a jab at Gates for what he perceived as double standards in the climate change fight. This episode offers a rare glimpse into the relationship of two dominant tech figures.
An earlier Twitter conversation from June 2022 also appeared, showing Musk rejecting any joint venture with Gates on philanthropic or climate change projects. Musk’s reason centered on Gates potentially benefiting from a drop in Tesla stock.
Musk took issue with Gates’ seeming dual stance: advocating for climate change solutions while shorting Tesla’s electric vehicle progress. Gates countered that Tesla was sufficiently capitalized, praising its vehicles and hinting that his short position wasn’t meant to obstruct Musk’s objectives.
After the news about the biography excerpt caught light, Elon Musk responded to a tweet referencing the story.
Musk humorously remarked, “He doesn't get enough negative feedback. This platform is great for that,” highlighting his appreciation for the candidness he sees on X, formerly Twitter, and the value he sees in receiving critical feedback.
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Photos: Musk at The Summit, Heigensberg Media via Wiki Creative Commons; Gates via Shutterstock
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