Thread by @thefernandocz

Elon Musk just declared war on every AI company.

His $80B company, xAI, just bought X for $33B...

And he now has the ONE thing OpenAI, Anthropic, & Google desperately need.

Here's how Elon Musk is outplaying the entire AI industry:

Let's break down what just happened:

• X is valued at $33 billion
• xAI is valued at $80 billion
• Deal excludes $12 billion in X's debt

The final transaction is an all-stock deal.

But here's what's most surprising:

The $33 billion valuation of X represents a 25% drop from the $44 billion Musk paid for Twitter back in 2022.

A painful loss? Not exactly.

In fact, this might be one of Musk's most genius moves yet. Here's why:

When Musk bought Twitter, everyone was confused.

Why would a man focused on electric vehicles, space travel, and neural interfaces want a social media platform?

But Musk had a vision that's only becoming clear now:

He wasn't buying a social media company.

He was acquiring a data goldmine.

X has something incredibly valuable that most AI companies desperately need:

Real-time, human-generated, diverse data from 600 million active users.

This is the perfect fuel for AI models — and it's exactly what xAI needs to compete with OpenAI and Anthropic.

The timing is remarkable:

The merger announcement came just months after xAI closed a massive $6 billion funding round.

That funding valued xAI at $24 billion. But now?

xAI's valuation has more than tripled to $80 billion (faster growth than even OpenAI).

What makes xAI different from other AI labs?

While most AI companies struggle to get real-world data, xAI now has direct access to X's constant stream of conversations, trends, and human interactions.

This gives them a massive competitive advantage in training more human-like AI models.

The integration has already begun:

Grok, xAI's flagship AI assistant, is already available to X Premium subscribers.

Unlike other AI systems, Grok can access real-time information from X, making it uniquely capable of discussing current events and trends.

But this is just the beginning...

Musk's vision goes far beyond just adding an AI chatbot to X.

"Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent," Musk said in the announcement.

This suggests a much deeper integration — here's what that might look like:

First, expect hyper-personalized content feeds that understand not just what you like, but why you like it.

Current recommendation algorithms are primitive compared to what's coming with xAI's models analyzing every interaction on X.

Second:

We'll likely see AI-enhanced conversations.

Imagine writing a tweet and having AI suggest improvements, fact-check in real-time, or translate into multiple languages instantly.

The platform could even mediate heated discussions, identifying misunderstandings before they escalate into arguments.

Third, this merger positions X to become a true "everything app."

With AI integration, X could expand beyond social media into:

• Content creation tools
• Virtual assistant capabilities
• Knowledge sharing and education

The most interesting aspect of this acquisition?

The merger announcement strategically positions xAI as the acquiring company, NOT X.

With xAI as the acquiring entity, the deal appears more focused on AI development rather than social media consolidation.

This shields the deal from some regulatory hurdles that might have arisen if X had acquired xAI instead.

For users, the merger could transform how we interact online.

The combination of social connection and advanced AI could create entirely new forms of digital expression and community building.

But there's something even more significant about this merger:

X is transforming from a social media platform into an AI-powered ecosystem.

This means unprecedented opportunities for those who establish their presence on X now, before the full integration takes effect.

Think about it:

Early adopters who built audiences on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok had massive advantages.

And X is at that same inflection point.

As X integrates xAI's capabilities, having an established brand on the platform will become exponentially more valuable...

Your content will be enhanced, distributed, and surfaced by increasingly sophisticated AI.

Those who build their audience on X now will harness AI's advantages first.

It's like this generation's equivalent of real estate — and the opportunity cost of waiting is enormous.

So:

Founders: We’ll build your personal/company brand on 𝕏 (and beyond) without you lifting a finger.

To date, we've already helped 140+ founders get 3+ Billion combined views.

Interested in how we can do this for you? Book your free discovery call here: form.typeform.com/to/JWuXNkxQ?ut…

Thanks for reading! A bit about me:

2 years ago, I cofounded @ThoughtleadrX — a premium personal branding agency for world-class founders, executives, and investors to dominate socials.

If you enjoyed this, hit "follow" for more breakdowns!

Video Credits:
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