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Elon Musk talks AI, free speech with Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Credit: Benjamin Netanyahu | X

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Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday in a live-streamed conversation on subjects like artificial intelligence (AI), free speech, and more. Most prominently, the two parties discussed the emerging landscape of AI and how to mitigate potential risks from the technology.

Netanyahu live-streamed the roughly 40-minute conversation, which took place in San Francisco, California, on X on Monday morning. The meeting was a part of a series of discussions Netanyahu plans to have with world AI leaders.

During the conversation, Netanyahu asked Musk how he thought the global rewards of AI could be maximized while minimizing its potential risks.

“I’ve actually met with a number of world leaders to talk about AI risk, because I think for a lot of people, unless you’re really invested in the technology, you don’t know just how significant the risk can be,” Musk responded.

Elon Musk: AI poses a ‘civilizational risk’ if not regulated

Musk and Netanyahu also discussed various applications of AI, including potential uses like senior care and precision agriculture. Additionally, Musk noted that AI might look different than some people imagine, highlighting the massive, heat-producing data centers required to power artificial general intelligence (AGI) systems.

“If you see a movie like, say, Terminator, the intelligence appears to be in the robot,” Musk said. “But actually, the intelligence is in large data centers, large server centers. And you see some of these data centers, you just see computers, like, you can practically see the curvature of the Earth. That’s how long the corridors are.”

Musk described the “gigantic, massive warehouses” that are needed to house these kinds of servers, saying that, in some cases, these buildings could hold hundreds of thousands of computers. He went on to explain that this is what would be needed for “extreme digital superintelligence.”

Hundreds of protestors also gathered outside the San Francisco meeting, criticizing Netanyahu’s recent judicial overhaul plan, which seeks to cancel a key “reasonableness standard” in the country. When the meeting was first announced, Musk said he got “the most amount of negative pushback from people at Tesla about this interview than anything else” he has done in the past.

In the meeting, Netanyahu also asked Musk to condemn anti-semitism within the confines of free speech, commenting that free speech was a “foundational” part of democracy. The question came after the Tesla CEO threatened to sue the Anti-Defamation League in recent weeks over a study claiming that X has seen a rise in hate speech since Musk took over.

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“I hope you find within the confines of the First Amendment, the ability to stop not only anti-semitism, or roll it back as best you can, but any collective hatred of a people that anti-semitism represents,” Netanyahu said. “And I know you’re committed to that, and I hope you succeed in it. It’s not an easy task, but I encourage you and urge you to find the balance — it’s a tough one.”

“I’m sort of against attacking any group,” Musk responded. “Doesn’t matter who it is, I’m in favor of that which furthers civilization and which ultimately leads us to become a space-faring civilization, where we understand the nature of the universe.”

“We can’t do that if there’s a lot of infighting and hatred and negativity, so obviously I’m against antisemitism,” Musk added.

Following the one-on-one meeting, Netanyahu and Musk also had an AI roundtable discussion with OpenAI President Greg Brockman and MIT physicist Max Tegmark, which was also streamed on X.

You can watch the full conversation between Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Tesla CEO Elon Musk below on X, or watch the roundtable discussion on AI here.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Giga Texas to feature massive Optimus V4 production line

This suggests that while the first Optimus line will be set up in the Fremont Factory, the real ramp of Optimus’ production will happen in Giga Texas.

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Credit: Tesla/YouTube

Tesla will build Optimus 4 in Giga Texas, and its production line will be massive. This was, at least, as per recent comments by CEO Elon Musk on social media platform X.  

Optimus 4 production

In response to a post on X which expressed surprise that Optimus will be produced in California, Musk stated that “Optimus 4 will be built in Texas at much higher volume.” This suggests that while the first Optimus line will be set up in the Fremont Factory, and while the line itself will be capable of producing 1 million humanoid robots per year, the real ramp of Optimus’ production will happen in Giga Texas. 

This was not the first time that Elon Musk shared his plans for Optimus’ production at Gigafactory Texas. During the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, he stated that Giga Texas’ Optimus line will produce 10 million units of the humanoid robot per year. He did not, however, state at the time that Giga Texas would produce Optimus V4. 

“So we’re going to launch on the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever, starting with building a one-million-unit production line in Fremont. And that’s Line one. And then a ten million unit per year production line here,” Musk stated. 

How big Optimus could become

During Tesla’s Q4 and FY 2025 earnings call, Musk offered additional context on the potential of Optimus. While he stated that the ramp of Optimus’ production will be deliberate at first, the humanoid robot itself will have the potential to change the world. 

“Optimus really will be a general-purpose robot that can learn by observing human behavior. You can demonstrate a task or verbally describe a task or show it a task. Even show it a video, it will be able to do that task. It’s going to be a very capable robot. I think long-term Optimus will have a very significant impact on the US GDP. 

“It will actually move the needle on US GDP significantly. In conclusion, there are still many who doubt our ambitions for creating amazing abundance. We are confident it can be done, and we are making the right moves technologically to ensure that it does. Tesla, Inc. has never been a company to shy away from solving the hardest problems,” Musk stated. 

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Elon Musk

Rumored SpaceX-xAI merger gets apparent confirmation from Elon Musk

The comment follows reports that the rocket maker is weighing a transaction that could further consolidate Musk’s space and AI ventures.

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Credit: xAI

Elon Musk appeared to confirm reports that SpaceX is exploring a potential merger with artificial intelligence startup xAI by responding positively to a post about the reported transaction on X.

Musk’s comment follows reports that the rocket maker is weighing a transaction that could further consolidate his space and AI ventures.

SpaceX xAI merger

As per a recent Reuters report, SpaceX has held discussions about merging with xAI, with the proposed structure potentially involving an exchange of xAI shares for SpaceX stock. The value, structure, and timing of any deal have not been finalized, and no agreement has been signed.

Musk appeared to acknowledge the report in a brief reply on X, responding “Yeah” to a post that described SpaceX as a future “Dyson Swarm company.” The comment references a Dyson Swarm, a sci-fi megastructure concept that consists of a massive network of satellites or structures that orbit a celestial body to harness its energy. 

Reuters noted that two entities were formed in Nevada on January 21 to facilitate a potential transaction for the possible SpaceX-xAI merger. The discussions remain ongoing, and a transaction is not yet guaranteed, however.

AI and space infrastructure

A potential merger with xAI would align with Musk’s stated strategy of integrating artificial intelligence development with space-based systems. Musk has previously said that space-based infrastructure could support large-scale computing by leveraging continuous solar energy, an approach he has framed as economically scalable over time.

xAI already has operational ties to Musk’s other companies. The startup develops Grok, a large language model that holds a U.S. Department of Defense contract valued at up to $200 million. AI also plays a central role in SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield satellite programs, which rely on automation and machine learning for network management and national security applications.

Musk has previously consolidated his businesses through share-based transactions, including Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity in 2016 and xAI’s acquisition of X last year. Bloomberg has also claimed that Musk is considering a merger between SpaceX and Tesla in the future. 

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Cybertruck

Tesla analyst claims another vehicle, not Model S and X, should be discontinued

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla analyst Gary Black of The Future Fund claims that the company is making a big mistake getting rid of the Model S and Model X. Instead, he believes another vehicle within the company’s lineup should be discontinued: the Cybertruck.

Black divested The Future Fund from all Tesla holdings last year, but he still covers the stock as an analyst as it falls in the technology and autonomy sectors, which he covers.

In a new comment on Thursday, Black said the Cybertruck should be the vehicle Tesla gets rid of due to the negatives it has drawn to the company.

The Cybertruck is also selling in an underwhelming fashion considering the production capacity Tesla has set aside for it. It’s worth noting it is still the best-selling electric pickup on the market, and it has outlasted other EV truck projects as other manufacturers are receding their efforts.

Black said:

IMHO it’s a mistake to keep Tesla Cybertruck which has negative brand equity and sold 10,000 units last year, and discontinue S/X which have strong repeat brand loyalty and together sold 30K units and are highly profitable. Why not discontinue CT and covert S/X to be fully autonomous?”

On Wednesday, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla planned to transition Model S and Model X production lines at the Fremont Factory to handle manufacturing efforts of the Optimus Gen 3 robot.

Musk said that it was time to wind down the S and X programs “with an honorable discharge,” also noting that the two cars are not major contributors to Tesla’s mission any longer, as its automotive division is more focused on autonomy, which will be handled by Model 3, Model Y, and Cybercab.

Tesla begins Cybertruck deliveries in a new region for the first time

The news has drawn conflicting perspectives, with many Tesla fans upset about the decision, especially as it ends the production of the largest car in the company’s lineup. Tesla’s focus is on smaller ride-sharing vehicles, especially as the vast majority of rides consist of two or fewer passengers.

The S and X do not fit in these plans.

Nevertheless, the Cybertruck fits in Tesla’s future plans. Musk said the pickup will be needed for the transportation of local goods. Musk also said Cybertruck would be transitioned to an autonomous line.

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