Elon Musk, the visionary behind Tesla and SpaceX, is taking an unconventional route to securing a $5 billion investment for his AI startup, xAI. He turned to his massive following on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to gauge public opinion on the potential investment.
Musk posed a simple question: “Should Tesla invest $5 billion into xAI, assuming the valuation is set by several credible outside investors? (Board approval & shareholders vote are needed, so this is just to test the waters).” The poll, which garnered 958,086 votes, saw a resounding 67.9% of respondents voting “yes.”
While this public poll doesn’t guarantee a $5 billion investment from Tesla into xAI, it certainly represents a unique approach to gauging public sentiment and potentially influencing a major corporate decision. It remains to be seen whether Tesla will ultimately commit the funds, but the results of Musk’s poll are sure to raise eyebrows and fuel speculation within the tech world.
This unconventional method of seeking public input on a significant investment decision is undoubtedly intriguing. It raises questions about the role of social media in shaping corporate strategy and the extent to which public opinion can influence multi-billion dollar ventures.
