Twitter, Starlink, Tesla: Elon Musk’s busy year

Published: 30/12/2022 – 10:46

Elon Musk became “Chief Twit” this fall. These are the words that “Chief Kretin” displayed on his Twitter profile when he bought the social network for $44 billion. It came at a huge cost to Twitter and left Twitterers in doubt. According to Forbes, the second richest man in the world announces his intention to get his hands on the bluebird in the spring, then in the summer he doesn’t want more. before completing the transaction to avoid trial.

Buying and selling does not quell the noise

Elon Musk, soon to be in possession of the keys to the store, fires the management team and the board of directors to find himself alone at the helm of a company he has taken public. Outright dismissive It is half of the 7,500 employees and gives an ultimatum to the remaining employees: work “full time” or leave.

Employees don’t just distance themselves. Several major brands are suspending their ads for fear of being associated with toxic content. Libertarian came with the intention of reducing moderation. Freedom of expression manifested through variable geometry. The new head of the social network recently suspended the accounts of journalists covering the news of Twitter and its owner, who have not changed their mind.

In the weeks following his admission, he alternately tried to placate advertisers or threatened to call for a “thermonuclear” boycott. In particular, he briefly declares “war” on “Apple”, for which he criticizes the commissions received from the App Store. A surprising episode for Carolina Milanesi, president of consulting firm Heart of Tech: “ It shows how little he knows about this world. He criticized Apple for this work “secret” with 30%. But it’s not a secret. This has been known for years. »

“personal matter”

If all this turmoil worries investors or regulators, Elon Musk seems to be amused. The troublemaker even posts a photo of a man posing in front of a grave, one decked out in a bluebird, as if Twitter is gleefully participating in its own funeral. Something to ask about their intentions: ” I don’t think he bought Twitter because he saw an economic opportunity there, if the opportunity to recoup his stake should be huge. Carolina Milanese continues. I think it’s a personal matter. He thought he was going to be some kind of hero. »

Finally, after surveying Twitter users Elon Musk has promised to resign of general management as you will find someone crazy enough to take the job “.

His successor will have to fix the financial issues

Elon Musk expects revenue to decline by more than 40% in 2023 compared to 2021. The trouble could also affect other businesses controlled by Musk. Tesla’s name is collapsing: -70% for the year. Not all of the decline is related to that acquisition, but it sold nearly $40 billion worth of Tesla stock this year, in part to buy Twitter, and investors are worried.

The headline is further weighed down by expectations that manufacturing will decline in Shanghai.

► Read also : The movement of Elon Musk’s company Tesla is the lowest in the last two years

Tesla’s 2018 compensation plan, estimated to be worth $56 billion over 10 years, has led to a lawsuit.

Starlink helps Ukraine stay connected

Along with Twitter and Tesla, SpaceX has caused a lot of ink to flow. SpaceX flew the Heavy Falcon, the world’s most powerful rocket, for the first time since 2019. He also won a contract with NASA for lunar missions.

SpaceX distinguished itself in the Ukraine conflict. Its Starlink constellation provided the fighters with telecommunications. Again, this is not without some confusion. In the fall, he threatens to no longer provide Ukraine with free internet and asks the Pentagon to take over.

Yet Elon Musk ends up taking a step back. Once hailed as a hero, Pretoria’s image has been tarnished in Ukraine by her Twitter footprint for a peace plan between Moscow and Kyiv. Especially the plan that proposes that Crimea be officially part of Russia. Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Andrij Melnyk answered himstill on Twitter, “off the face” to go.

In a very different context, some Starlink terminals are also located in Iran to avoid restrictions imposed by the authorities.

Electric truck after car

All this was not enough to fill Elon Musk’s year. The small inventory of the rest à la Prévert does not cover the news of 2022: it presented the first “Semi”, Tesla’s electric truck. According to the owner’s promises, it can travel 800 km with a load of 37 tons, which is almost twice what other cars in the segment have offered so far.

On Neuralink’s side, Elon Musk announced that the startup will be able to implant the first connected device into the human brain in 2023. It still needs approval from health authorities.

Finally, one of his companies, BoringCompany, which usually digs tunnels, released a perfume. Surprisingly, perhaps not as much as the name: “ Burnt hair » [cheveu ou poil brûlé en français, NDLR].

► Also read: Twitter: “Elon Musk’s real project is political”