Business leaders praised Musk's entrepreneurial skills, with Ken Griffin, billionaire hedge fund manager, and Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, acknowledging his impact on their industries. However, they also expressed skepticism about his ability to influence federal spending and his potential to use his political power for personal gain. Meanwhile, political figures like Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and former President Bill Clinton appeared unfazed by Musk's new political role.
Key takeaways:
- Elon Musk was the most talked-about person at the New York Times DealBook Summit, despite not being in attendance.
- Musk has recently become a political advisor and major donor to President-elect Donald Trump, and co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency.
- Business leaders and politicians at the summit had mixed reactions to Musk's new role, with some praising his entrepreneurial ability while others questioned his potential impact on federal spending.
- Despite Musk's increased political influence, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and former President Bill Clinton appeared unfazed, with Clinton downplaying Musk's influence in a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.