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Elon Musk Declares War on Bill Gates, Promising “Annihilation” If Bill Gates Bets Against Tesla Again. Musk Predicts Tesla as an AI Colossus Valuing US$ 30 Trillion, Transforming the Future of Humanoid Robots and Electric Vehicles.
The rivalry between Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, is taking new turns. Musk, known for his controversial statements, stated that he could ‘annihilate’ Gates with just one act.
The tech mogul issued a public warning to Gates, stating that any new attempt to bet against Tesla will result in a catastrophic defeat for the former Microsoft CEO.
“When Tesla fully resolves the autonomy issue and has [its android] Optimus in mass production, anyone still holding a short position will be annihilated,” Musk posted on his social media on Tuesday (02). “Even Gates.” The message is a clear warning following the revelation that Gates had bet half a billion dollars against Tesla, which became public in 2022.
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Rivalry That Goes Beyond Business
The tension between the two billionaires is not new. In 2022, a leaked exchange of messages showed Musk refusing to support Gates’ philanthropic work due to his stance against Tesla.
“Sorry, but I can’t take your philanthropy regarding climate change seriously when you have a massive short position against Tesla,” Musk wrote in the messages.
Although Gates has expressed regret over his pessimistic view of Tesla, it’s unclear if he still holds that position.
According to Fortune magazine, Gates could not be reached for comment. Meanwhile, Musk remains determined in his mission to transform Tesla into an artificial intelligence (AI) giant.
Tesla: From Electric Vehicles to Humanoid Robots
Elon Musk believes Tesla will become a “colossus” in the AI market, valuing up to US$ 30 trillion. This transformation involves shifting from selling electric vehicles to operating fleets of robot taxis and humanoid robots.
“When Tesla fully resolves the autonomy issue and has [its android] Optimus in mass production, anyone still holding a short position will be annihilated,” Musk reaffirmed recently.
Musk has already outperformed other famous critics, such as David Einhorn and Jim Chanos, known for betting against large companies like Lehman Brothers and Enron.
The Tesla CEO continues to rebound since he set a floor for the stock in April, prompting the reveal of a new “CyberCab” robot taxi model and announcing new low-cost electric vehicle models for 2025.
Tesla’s Performance and Future Expectations
Despite Tesla vehicle sales dropping 6.6% in the first half of the year, Musk remains optimistic. The company faced challenges with the Cybertruck but recently revealed that it avoided a steeper sales decline in the second quarter by liquidating excess inventory.
Electric vehicle production has fallen to its lowest level since the third quarter of 2022, but this freed up battery cells, doubling the volume of its stationary energy storage business, reaching 9.4 gigawatt-hours.
The Future of Humanoid Robots and Company Valuation
Musk envisions annual demand for 1 billion androids, with Tesla controlling 10% of the global market. He estimates that each Optimus robot will cost US$ 20,000, but with a production cost of only US$ 10,000, resulting in a 50% profit margin. If Tesla achieves this goal, its annual profits would total US$ 1 trillion, leading to a market capitalization of US$ 25 trillion.
According to the billionaire, if he adds the robot taxi fleet to this, Tesla could be valued at US$ 30 trillion, equivalent to one-third of the combined world GDP. However, critics like Jim Chanos argue that Musk’s forecasts are exaggerated, comparing the demand for robots to that of smartphones, which have a significantly lower price point.
Do you believe Elon Musk will succeed in transforming Tesla into an AI empire, or are his predictions exaggerated? Share your opinion in the comments!
Robôs com materiais e equipamentos necessários poderiam ir primeiro a Marte e montar, preparar estruturas habitáveis para humanos.
Acho possível se essa tecnologia servir a produção de guerra. A humanidade está caminhando por sendas estranhas e táxis ou robôs pessoais não são importantes em meio a guerras. Mas ele já sabe disso.