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Google founder publicly announced that he will give his billions to Elon Musk

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

During a 2014 TED interview with Charlie Rose, Larry Page explained that backing Elon Musk's goal to make humanity a multiplanetary species qualified as philanthropic work. Venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson also recalled Page remarking at a 2013 lunch that he should leave everything to Musk if he were hit by a bus. However, their close relationship eventually soured over opposing views on advanced artificial intelligence development. Page embraced an optimistic view of tech progress, while Musk continuously stressed the existential risks of unregulated AI.

Key points

  • Larry Page favored funding ambitious technological endeavors over contributing to traditi…: Larry Page favored funding ambitious technological endeavors over contributing to traditional philanthropic organizations to address global challenges.
  • Early alignment on the future of humanity and space exploration initially established a s…: Early alignment on the future of humanity and space exploration initially established a strong bond between the two executives.
  • Conflicting philosophies on artificial intelligence safety ultimately fractured the perso…: Conflicting philosophies on artificial intelligence safety ultimately fractured the personal and professional dynamic between Larry Page and Elon Musk.

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Google co-founder Larry Page once said he would consider leaving his entire fortune to

Elon Musk rather than giving it to a traditional charity. The two billionaires were once close friends who shared a vision of changing humanity's future. But years later, their relationship reportedly cooled over disagreements about artificial intelligence (AI) and the risks it could pose to humanity. Larry Page's unusual idea of giving his wealth to Musk came into the spotlight during a 2014 TED interview with Charlie Rose. The interviewer reminded Page of an earlier statement in which the Google co-founder had expressed confidence in Musk's ability to shape the future.

"You once said ... that you might consider, rather than giving your money to a cause, simply giving it to Elon Musk because you had confidence he would change the future," Rose said.

Larry Page agreed with the idea, explaining that Musk's ambition to make humanity a multiplanetary species was itself a form of philanthropy. "He wants to go to Mars — to back up humanity. That's a company, and it's philanthropical. So I think…

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