Elon Musk Names THESE 3 Tech Leaders Among The Smartest People He Knows
With Musk’s latest comments, it’s clear that, despite past rivalries, he acknowledges and respects the intellectual prowess of his industry counterparts.
Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently highlighted some of the sharpest minds in the tech industry. Speaking on the "Verdict" podcast, hosted by Senator Ted Cruz, Musk singled out Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Google co-founder Larry Page as among the smartest people he has encountered.
"Larry Ellison is very smart," Musk remarked, adding, "I will say Larry Ellison is one of the smartest people." His acknowledgement of Ellison comes as no surprise, given their long-standing professional and personal ties. Ellison served on Tesla’s board from 2018 to 2022 and was a key financial supporter of Musk’s Twitter takeover, pledging $1 billion toward the acquisition. The two business leaders share a strong friendship, with Ellison also assisting Musk in acquiring valuable Nvidia GPUs for AI advancements.
Musk on Jeff Bezos' Achievements
While Musk and Jeff Bezos have been known for their high-profile competition — especially in the space exploration sector with SpaceX and Blue Origin — Musk had positive words for his rival. "To some degree, smart is as smart does," Musk stated. "What have they done that is difficult and significant? You know, Jeff Bezos has done a lot of difficult and significant things."
Their relationship, once characterised by public rivalry, appears to have softened in recent months. In January, Musk shared a series of memes suggesting a friendly reconciliation with Bezos, using clips from the comedy film Step Brothers to illustrate the shift in their dynamic.
The Role of Reading in Tech Success
Beyond their business achievements, Musk, Bezos, and other tech visionaries like Bill Gates have emphasised the importance of reading in their success. Despite working in different industries, they share a deep passion for books, which has shaped their careers and influenced their innovative approaches. Musk, in particular, has credited books with guiding his knowledge and strategic thinking in fields ranging from engineering to artificial intelligence.
With Musk’s latest comments, it’s clear that, despite past rivalries, he acknowledges and respects the intellectual prowess of his industry counterparts.
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