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TikTok’s new boss is a close ally of Benjamin Netanyahu

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 16h

Last month, the Trump administration announced that it had finally struck a deal to overhaul TikTok’s ownership structure, as required under a law passed during the Biden administration.

The push to ban TikTok in the U.S. began with allegations that it was undermining the Israeli government. It now seems poised to end with tech oligarch Larry Ellison, a close ally of Israeli Prime Min...

TikTok’s new boss is a close ally of Benjamin Netanyahu

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 16h

The push to ban TikTok in the U.S. began with allegations that it was undermining the Israeli government.

It now seems poised to end with tech oligarch Larry Ellison, a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, overseeing the video platform’s powerful algorithm.

The push to ban TikTok in the U.S. began with allegations that it was undermining the Israeli government. It now seems poised to end with tech oligarch Larry Ellison, a close ally of Israeli Prime Min...

Sam Altman’s $1 trillion AI gamble

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 8d

In an interview with Oligarch Watch, Zitron, the author of the Where’s Your Ed At newsletter and host of the podcast Better Offline, predicted that the current AI “boom” will result in “the worst bubble of all time.”

Last week, OpenAI presented its plans to build $1 trillion of artificial intelligence infrastructure, including sprawling data centers across the U.S.

Sam Altman’s $1 trillion AI gamble

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 8d

But tech writer Ed Zitron, a fervent skeptic of the AI industry, believes that OpenAI’s spending commitments are not credible.

Last week, OpenAI presented its plans to build $1 trillion of artificial intelligence infrastructure, including sprawling data centers across the U.S.

Sam Altman’s $1 trillion AI gamble

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 8d

Last week, OpenAI presented its plans to build $1 trillion of AI infrastructure, including sprawling data centers across the U.S. that will require immense amounts of power and freshwater.

OpenAI’s announcement and a flurry of deals that followed have driven the stock market to record highs.

Last week, OpenAI presented its plans to build $1 trillion of artificial intelligence infrastructure, including sprawling data centers across the U.S.

Billionaire surveillance enthusiast set to acquire TikTok's US operations

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 14d

Ellison has a lengthy history of advocating for government surveillance. During a 2014 speech, he criticized NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, suggesting that no one had been "wrongly injured" by the agency's domestic spying operations.

In the near future, Larry Ellison, an 81-year-old tech oligarch, could be in control of one of the world's most powerful media empires.

Billionaire surveillance enthusiast set to acquire TikTok's US operations

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 14d

Ellison believes that humanity would greatly benefit from a surveillance society governed by an all-seeing system of AI.

"Citizens will be on their best behavior because we're constantly recording and reporting everything that is going on," he said during a Q&A with Oracle investors last year.

In the near future, Larry Ellison, an 81-year-old tech oligarch, could be in control of one of the world's most powerful media empires.

Billionaire surveillance enthusiast set to acquire TikTok's US operations

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 14d

Last week, Donald Trump announced that Ellison would be among the group of American billionaires allowed to acquire TikTok's domestic operations to prevent the app from being banned in the U.S.

In the near future, Larry Ellison, an 81-year-old tech oligarch, could be in control of one of the world's most powerful media empires.

Billionaire surveillance enthusiast set to acquire TikTok's US operations

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 14d

In August, Skydance Media, a firm funded by Larry Ellison and led by his son David, completed an $8 billion merger with Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS.

Now, the elder Ellison also has eyes set on TikTok, the social media app owned by a company based in China.

In the near future, Larry Ellison, an 81-year-old tech oligarch, could be in control of one of the world's most powerful media empires.

Musk's xAI flaunts lax attitude on security, seeks top secret government contracts

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 22d

xAI has relaxed cybersecurity and safety protocols, which appear to fall short of federal requirements for vendors handling sensitive data.

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company is seeking to expand its work for the government, including securing contracts involving the country's most sensitive national security information.

Musk's xAI flaunts lax attitude on security, seeks top secret government contracts

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 22d

xAI is currently hiring at least 5 roles related to government work. For 2 of those roles, xAI requires applicants to have an active Top Secret or Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance, indicating that some of the work would involve highly sensitive national security issues.

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company is seeking to expand its work for the government, including securing contracts involving the country's most sensitive national security information.

Musk's xAI flaunts lax attitude on security, seeks top secret government contracts

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 22d

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company is seeking to expand its work for the government, including securing contracts involving the country's most sensitive national security information.

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company is seeking to expand its work for the government, including securing contracts involving the country's most sensitive national security information.

The little-known think tank pushing Trump to replace the federal workforce with AI

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 26d

The White House has already turned FAI white papers on AI into official policy. But FAI wants things to move even faster and is advising the Trump administration to reduce its scrutiny of the potential risks of AI.

A think tank with ties to right-wing billionaires Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Charles Koch, the Foundation for American Innovation (FAI), is pushing a radical plan to replace large swaths of the feder...

The little-known think tank pushing Trump to replace the federal workforce with AI

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 26d

The Trump administration installed staffers from FAI in key positions and has begun implementing the think tank's agenda.

FAI has urged the government to "streamline the bureaucracy" by replacing what would amount to hundreds of thousands of federal workers with AI.

A think tank with ties to right-wing billionaires Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Charles Koch, the Foundation for American Innovation (FAI), is pushing a radical plan to replace large swaths of the feder...

The little-known think tank pushing Trump to replace the federal workforce with AI

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · 26d

A think tank with ties to right-wing billionaires Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Charles Koch, the Foundation for American Innovation (FAI), is pushing a radical plan to replace large swaths of the federal government with artificial intelligence.

A think tank with ties to right-wing billionaires Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Charles Koch, the Foundation for American Innovation (FAI), is pushing a radical plan to replace large swaths of the feder...

Government-linked Chinese firm claimed ownership stake in SpaceX

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Aug 12

The percentage of SpaceX acquired by Ping An was not made public, and it's unclear whether the firm is privy to the internal financial statements and corporate documents typically provided to shareholders. It is also possible that Ping An divested its stake in SpaceX at some point since 2016.

One of China's largest companies claimed to have purchased a stake in Elon Musk's SpaceX, a vital U.S.

Government-linked Chinese firm claimed ownership stake in SpaceX

Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Aug 12

Ping A Ventures, the investment arm of the partially state-owned Ping A Group, publicized its stake in SpaceX in April 2016, according to archived pages of the firm's Mandarin-language website.

The investment in Musk's rocket and satellite internet company has not been previously reported.

One of China's largest companies claimed to have purchased a stake in Elon Musk's SpaceX, a vital U.S.

Government-linked Chinese firm claimed ownership stake in SpaceX

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Aug 12

One of China's largest companies claimed to have purchased a stake in Elon Musk's SpaceX, a vital U.S. defense contractor.

One of China's largest companies claimed to have purchased a stake in Elon Musk's SpaceX, a vital U.S.

"Give them a little money, pollute, and kill" — Inside xAI's charm offensive in Memphis

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Jul 30

But Representative Justin Pearson (D), a member of the Tennessee House whose district includes the neighborhoods most harmed by xAI's pollution, described the gifts as a cheap PR stunt that Musk is using to distract and placate.

Elon Musk has recently launched a local charm offensive in the Memphis, Tennessee, neighborhoods where his artificial intelligence startup has become a leading polluter through its illicit use of smog...

"Give them a little money, pollute, and kill" — Inside xAI's charm offensive in Memphis

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Jul 30

Musk, meanwhile, said on Saturday that his nonprofit foundation had donated $350,000 — or 0.00009 % of his net worth — to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis, which recently closed nine of its high school programs due to a lack of funding.

Elon Musk has recently launched a local charm offensive in the Memphis, Tennessee, neighborhoods where his artificial intelligence startup has become a leading polluter through its illicit use of smog...

"Give them a little money, pollute, and kill" — Inside xAI's charm offensive in Memphis

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Jul 30

On Friday, Musk's xAI, which operates a massive, energy-guzzling supercomputer in southwest Memphis, said that it plans to make several contributions to improve the local school district without citing a monetary value.

Elon Musk has recently launched a local charm offensive in the Memphis, Tennessee, neighborhoods where his artificial intelligence startup has become a leading polluter through its illicit use of smog...

"Give them a little money, pollute, and kill" — Inside xAI's charm offensive in Memphis

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Jul 30

Elon Musk has recently launched a local charm offensive in the Memphis, Tennessee, neighborhoods where his artificial intelligence startup has become a leading polluter through its illicit use of smog-creating gas turbines.

Elon Musk has recently launched a local charm offensive in the Memphis, Tennessee, neighborhoods where his artificial intelligence startup has become a leading polluter through its illicit use of smog...

Musk’s Neuralink falsified federal forms, claims to qualify for racial diversity program

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Jul 17

Neuralink, which is developing implantable brain-computer interfaces, registered with the government as an SDB while Musk leveraged his position at the White House to cut federal funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

The company, owned by the world's wealthiest man, says it is a "small disadvantaged business"

Musk’s Neuralink falsified federal forms, claims to qualify for racial diversity program

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Oligarch Watch @muskwatch.bsky.social · Jul 17

The SDB designation can also only be legally claimed by companies owned by "economically disadvantaged individuals."

The company, owned by the world's wealthiest man, says it is a "small disadvantaged business"