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Elon Musk talks Neuralink, coronavirus, and the future in Joe Rogan podcast Round 2

Credit: YouTube | Joe Rogan Experience

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Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recently made his second appearance on the widely popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which was released today. Unlike many of Rogan’s podcasts that are streamed live for viewers to watch in real-time, Musk’s second episode was pre-recorded and released on May 7.

Musk and Rogan, who is a commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and a comedian, discussed several topics that have been in the news recently. The two shared their thoughts on Musk’s plans to sell his estate and possessions, as well as his plans for Neuralink and Mars. Rogan and Musk also discussed the coronavirus, which has been a talking point of the CEO for some time.

Plans for houses, real estate, and Mars

Last week, Musk announced on Twitter that he would be selling his houses and almost all of his physical possessions. “Devoting myself to Mars and Earth. Possession just weigh you down,” he said when a follower asked about his reasons.

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Musk provided an interesting explanation about his decision to sell his possessions to Rogan. “People say, ‘Hey, billionaire, you’ve got all this stuff’ Well, now I don’t have stuff. Now, what are you going to do?” Musk also stated that possessions were a roadblock in personal development. Thus, instead of focusing too much on houses on Earth, the CEO stated that he’d rather dedicate his efforts to Mars.

Musk further noted that he did not see the merit in owning so many properties. After Rogan and Musk talked about Gene Wilder’s house, which is located across the street from his live-in estate, he stated that owning many homes is not practical. Also, he did not want to get caught up in the small details that come with owning a property, like interior design and features. “Does it really make sense for me to spend time designing and building a house, and I’d be getting OCD on the little details…or should I be allocating that time to getting us to Mars. I should probably do the latter,” Musk said.

Neuralink

Neuralink could come as soon as next year, Musk detailed during the podcast. The CEO outlined the process for how a brain chip will be installed, and how it would be implanted in the skull of a patient. According to Musk, a portion of the skull would be removed and replaced by a Neuralink device.

Musk believes that Neuralink could help people with brain-related health issues. It could restore limb functions, eyesight, hearing, help with neurological diseases like Parkinson’s, and improve human movement. Musk also believes that there are potential cognitive benefits to Neuralink, as it could pave the way for hindering brain issues like epilepsy, Alzheimers, and strokes. He thinks the Neuralink device could recognize these issues before the body has time to react and send a “counter pulse” that could stop the problem from occurring in the first place.

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The developments of Neuralink could revolutionize human life as we know it. Development is still ongoing, and Musk believes hat a year from now, Neuralink will be available for use.

Thoughts on Coronavirus

Musk has been vocal for his discontent on COVID-19 and how it is currently being handled. Last week during Tesla’s Q1 2020 Earnings Call and then on Twitter two days later, Musk vocalized his request to lift Stay-at-Home orders, stating they were inhibiting the freedom of Americans.

“I think the mortality rate is much less than what the World Health Organization said it was,” Musk said.

He maintained this point of view during the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, stating that more freedom should be given to citizens. Those who do not want to stay home should not be required to, and those who want to stay home should have the right to do so. Musk did maintain that he is supportive of the use of face masks when people are out in public because it could stop the transmission of any germs, illness, or virus. “I think that would be a great adoption throughout the world,” he said.

Musk’s second meeting with Joe Rogan also included a brief update to Tesla’s plans with the Cybertruck and Roadster, where he indicated the all-electric pickup should come before the supercar.

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The constructive conversation between the two influential figures helped clear the air with some of the more controversial topics surrounding Musk today. A year and a half removed from their first meeting, Musk and Rogan’s relationship seems to be relaxed and constructive as the two men maintained plenty of interesting conversational pieces for viewers to feast on.

Watch Episode 1470 of the Joe Rogan Experience, featuring Elon Musk below.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.

The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.

Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video

With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:

To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”

Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.

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Elon Musk

xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

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(Credit: xAI)

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area. 

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs

Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.

In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.

“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.

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Musk Foundation donation

Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students. 

The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”

“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.

The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”

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EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

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Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

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In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

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