What to Do with a Trillion Dollars? Elon Musk's Surprising Answer

Elon Musk, who became the first trillionaire in history in June, responded to economist Daron Acemoglu's appeal and pledged to donate his fortune to charity. Acemoglu urged him to move from words to action and donate his estimated trillion-dollar fortune by 2036, basing his claims on the power of AI. Musk replied, "I really intend to do something in this style!" but did not elaborate. However, a New York Times investigation found that his previous donations were directed mainly to organizations aligned with his business interests.

Elon Musk, who became the first trillionaire in history in June, responded to economist Daron Acemoglu's appeal and pledged to donate his fortune to charity. Acemoglu, a Nobel laureate in economics, addressed him via platform X and suggested he commit to donating his estimated trillion-dollar fortune by 2036, basing his claims on the power of AI. Musk replied, "I really intend to do something in this style!" but did not elaborate. However, a New York Times investigation found that his previous donations were directed mainly to organizations aligned with his business interests, such as a nonprofit in Texas that operates schools in areas where his companies are active.