How Elon Musk changed the world
PC Pro|August 2023
He's created two of the world's most disruptive tech companies and is tearing up Twitter. James O'Malley talks to the people who have worked with Elon Musk to find out what makes him tick
How Elon Musk changed the world

On 26 October 2022, if you'd been inside the Twitter HQ on San Francisco's Market Street, you might have witnessed the world's richest man trying slightly too hard to be funny.

"Let that sink in," tweeted Elon Musk, as he posted a video of himself carrying a bathroom sink into the company's reception area. His $44bn acquisition of the social media platform was complete. Musk was now CEO and his new mission was to remake the company in his own image.

So began a tumultuous period for the company, one that's still ongoing.

Musk has earned himself a place as the platform's "main character" as he upended many of its functions and features, leading to reports of a chaotic atmosphere behind the scenes.

Yet the chaos that has been wreaked upon Twitter contrasts sharply with the undoubted success that Musk has delivered at companies such as SpaceX and Tesla, both enormous disrupters rather than disruptions.

So, who is the real Elon Musk? The pioneering genius behind industry-defining companies or the monstrous ego with a social media firm in his pocket? We've spoken to people who have worked with him to find out.

The Grand Vision

"He can't conceive a failure," said Jim Cantrell, SpaceX co-founder and author of Breaking the Rules: The Inside Story of the New Space Race. How bulletproof is Musk's confidence? Well, Cantrell once travelled with him to Moscow in an attempt to buy an intercontinental ballistic missile.

"It doesn't mean he can't see that things will go wrong, but he's so supremely confident that failure of the enterprise that he's engaged in is never something that ever keeps him awake at night," says Cantrell.

In his view, Musk is entirely consumed by his vision for his companies. And for SpaceX, that means that getting to Mars isn't mere marketing spiel- Musk means it.

This story is from the August 2023 edition of PC Pro.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 2023 edition of PC Pro.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PC PROView All
How to earn Cyber Essentials certification
PC Pro

How to earn Cyber Essentials certification

The UK's government-backed security standard provides reassurance for you and your customers. Nik Rawlinson explores what's involved - and how to get it

time-read
7 mins  |
June 2024
HP Omen Transcend 14
PC Pro

HP Omen Transcend 14

If you're sticking with Asus or Razer gaming laptops out of habit, the HP Omen Transcend 14 may just change your mind

time-read
6 mins  |
June 2024
AI TRİSM
PC Pro

AI TRİSM

New computing paradigms come with new challenges. Steve Cassidy explores how to use AI safely and securely

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2024
13 warnings about using AI at work
PC Pro

13 warnings about using AI at work

AI experts from industry and academia were gathered by the Turing Institute to consider the future of the technology. Nicole Kobie reveals the lessons they offered

time-read
9 mins  |
June 2024
Brilliant business comms at zero cost
PC Pro

Brilliant business comms at zero cost

Whether you choose 3CX Free or 3CX SMB V20, it's time to say goodbye to per-user pricing and bundle rip-offs

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
TURN YOUR DUMB TV INTO A SMART ONE WITH A RASPBERRY PI
PC Pro

TURN YOUR DUMB TV INTO A SMART ONE WITH A RASPBERRY PI

Enjoy video on demand and more Nik Rawlinson finds out how the humble Pi can transform your TV

time-read
9 mins  |
June 2024
GIGABIT INTERNET Get the speeds you're paying for
PC Pro

GIGABIT INTERNET Get the speeds you're paying for

Is your premium internet service not racing along like it should? Darien Graham-Smith goes in search of faster downloads on every device

time-read
7 mins  |
June 2024
7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IT PROS
PC Pro

7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IT PROS

The PC Pro team combine their collective wisdom to create seven tips for keeping on top of your IT game

time-read
10 mins  |
June 2024
BRILLIANT MONITORS from £149
PC Pro

BRILLIANT MONITORS from £149

Whether you’re looking for screens to roll out ina business, an entertainment centrepiece ora pro-quality monitor, one of our 15 displays holds the answer

time-read
1 min  |
June 2024
PORTABLESSDs FROM £69
PC Pro

PORTABLESSDs FROM £69

We review 12 portable SSDs that cover a wide range of standards, form factors and target users

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024