"Never underestimate Elon Musk," Bill Gates said. (File)
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Wednesday warned that Tesla's chief executive officer (CEO) Elon Musk could potentially make Twitter a "worse" platform.
Speaking at The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council Summit, Mr Gates was asked about Elon Musk's potential impact on Twitter following his $44 billion acquisition of the social media platform last month. To this, the philanthropist replied saying that while Mr Musk has a good track record, he could make misinformation on the platform worse.
“He actually could make it worse,” Mr Gates said. But he also added, “It's not totally clear what he is going to do”.
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Further, Mr Gates admitted that Mr Musk's track record at other companies is impressive, hailing his time at the helm of Tesla and SpaceX as “mind-blowing”. He said that he believed Mr Musk had done a good job of putting together a great team of engineers at those companies. However, he went on to say, “I kind of doubt that will happen this time,” adding, “but we should have an open mind and never underestimate Elon.”
In the same interview, Mr Gates questioned Mr Musk's intentions with the micro-blogging website. Notably, Elon Musk has previously said that his purchase of Twitter is motivated primarily by a wish to restore the app as a place for the free exchange of ideas. He repeatedly has stated that he wants to move away from “censorship” and promote free speech. Mr Musk has even criticised Twitter's moderation policies.
Speaking about this, Mr Gates questioned whether Mr Musk's drive to promote free speech is sensible. He noted that he was often the subject of misinformation amid the COVID-19 pandemic and that not all misinformation stems from social media. The Microsoft co-founder warned that if Mr Musk lets people say whatever they want, then it can be dangerous.
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Mr Gates urged the SpaceX and Tesla CEO to really think about his plans to focus on freedom of speech for Twitter. He believes those who own social media platforms have a role to play when it comes to ensuring the truth gets shared effectively.