Stakeholder #2

Stakeholder #2: Elon Musk.

elon-musk.jpg, 07/2017, wp-content; Public Domain.

1. Can you describe this stakeholder in 200-250 words? If they're an individual, vividly describe how they look, what they wear, how they move. Tell us how they sound, how they talk, what their mannerisms are. Conjure them in our mind's eye, by appealing to at least THREE of our FIVE senses. If the stakeholder is an insitution or group, then describe the institution and how it appears in the world. How do people encounter this group or institution, digitally or physically? Describe their website or headquarters or something else that physically represents the group to the world at large.

Elon Musk is very similar to Mark Zuckerberg in terms of his mannerisms. Both of them love to use their hands as a device to both issue dominance gently to the people interviewing them, listening to their lectures, etc. However, the body language differs when it comes to facial expressions. Elon Musk likes to smile, whereas Mark Zuckerberg is much more sparing in that department. Elon Musk feels more like your friend who is talking about his cool new invention to you. Mark Zuckerberg, however, feels more like your boss. He is constantly talking in certainties, and never addresses potential vulnerabilities in his arguments. If Elon Musk were a smell, he would be the smell of your favorite childhood blanket – familiar, warming, comforting. Elon Musk’s companies, Tesla, Space-X, and eBay, are received extremely well by users. The companies are extremely professional and especially catered to the user’s experience. Elon’s ability to listen to the customer’s demands justifies the high price points of Tesla. The ability to list your own goods on eBay gives users a little bit of cash in the pocket, but more importantly, a good experience – that little bit of pride you get when you dive in and snatch an item for a good deal, or you get some extra cash for that extra bicycle you had lying around.

2. Can you identify THREE specific claims being made by this stakeholder? The claims should be public and about the specific story you're investigating. Provide direct quotes for three different claims or ideas made in public by this stakeholder. Each quote sould be clearly hyperlinked to the original source.

Claim 1: "[My biggest mistake is probably] weighing too much on someone's talent and not someone's personality. I think it matters whether someone has a good heart." (LINK)

Claim 2: “With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like – yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon. Doesn’t work out." (LINK)

Claim 3:  "Please note that I am normally super pro technology, and have never raised this issue until recent months. This is not a case of crying wolf about something I don't understand." (LINK)

3. Can you explain how valid these claims are? Objectively, how much weight do these claims carry? How credible are they? Be specific. Think about how poorly or successfully the stakeholder cites FACTS, plays on our EMOTIONS, or presents themself as a CREDIBLE actor in the debate.

Claim 1 serves to establish rapport with the reader. It basically is a good example of his character, but also his weakness. He plays to our sense of sympathy when he talks about the "personality", because we all can sympathize with feeling like the inferior man in the workforce. Claims 2 and 3 are extremely instigating. Now instead of staying in his own lane, he comes out and puts it all on the table. If we wage war with our best judgment and advance forward and create these all-powerful, autonomous robots, it's completely our fault if they go haywire.

4. Can you explain how these claims are similar and/or different to the other stakeholders? Be clear and precise - does this stakeholder have anything in common with others involved in the debate? Who do they have the least in common with? Why?

Zuckerberg is responding to what Musk and other head technology officials said across a span of about 2 months. All parties agree that AI is extremely powerful, but the huge debate that divides the community is HOW we should go about using that power. Musk is not against AI, as he is well-involved in the self-driving car world with Tesla. He, however, does believe that Zuckerberg has the wrong intentions in trying to make these AI as powerful as possible to reach the most people. It almost appears as if Musk wants to keep it for himself!