In 2014, during an interview with Charlie Rose at the TED Conference, Google cofounder Larry Page made headlines with an unusual revelation. Page did not refer to traditional charities or heirs when asked about his thoughts on inheritance and philanthropy. Instead, he floated the idea of leaving his fortune to Elon Musk, the technology visionary behind Tesla and SpaceX.
Page thinking? Musk’s audacious goal of taking over Mars and “supporting humanity.” In an interview, Rose echoed what Page had said about the idea, asking for clarification.
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According to what is written on the Charlie Rose site, Rose said: “You once said – actually, I think I have this about it – what you would think, instead of giving your money to a cause, you just give to Elon Musk. because you were confident that he would change the future.”
Larry Page replied: “He really wanted to go to Mars – he wants to go to Mars to support people.” He explained, “It’s corporate and it’s kind. So I think, you know, we’re aiming to do the same things.”
Page then took a look at Google’s culture of innovation, adding, “We have a lot of employees at Google who are rich … A lot of people there are very rich. You are working because you want to change the situation. So why is the company they work for not only worth your time, but your money as well?
For Page, Musk’s immediate goals are based on his belief that companies, when run effectively, can drive revolutionary change. He explained, saying, “Most companies don’t succeed in the long run. They often miss the future… I try to focus on that: What will the future really look like? And how do we create it?”
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Page and Musk once shared a close friendship. Musk stayed at Page’s house during a visit to Silicon Valley and their shared passion for pushing the boundaries of technology made them a real partnership. Their friendship landed them on Fortune’s 2016 list of “Business Leaders You Didn’t Know Were BFFs.”
Musk even tried to sell Tesla to Google for $11 million, according to Ashlee Vance’s biography, “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Search for a Better Future.” The two friends actually agreed to a deal by shaking hands, but stopped once Tesla “didn’t want a savior.”
However, their relationship is said to have soured around 2013. Musk is increasingly worried about the dangers of artificial intelligence as opposed to Page’s more optimistic view. At Musk’s birthday party that year, the two had a heated argument about AI. Page is said to have called Musk “a genius” for putting people’s interests ahead of other kinds of intelligence.
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The conflict grew after Musk created OpenAI, a non-profit that maintains AI, which was seen as a direct challenge to Google, which had acquired DeepMind, a leading AI company. Musk even tried to dissuade DeepMind’s CEO from selling to Google, further straining their relationship.
But despite their failures, Musk recently wanted to mend fences. In a 2023 podcast with Lex Fridman, Musk said, “I want to be friends with Larry again. I haven’t seen him in ages. We’ve been friends for a long time.” However, he admitted that Page may not feel the same way, noting, “He doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.”
Larry Page’s 2014 speech about leaving his wealth to Elon Musk reflects his belief that radical change trumps incremental progress. Although the future of their friendship remains uncertain, Page and Musk remain key players in shaping the future of technology – and perhaps even humanity.
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The article Larry Page, Google Co-Founder, Said He Will Leave His Own To Elon Musk About Help With His Plans ‘Going To Mars To Support Humanity’ appeared first on Benzinga.com
