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Google co-founder Larry Page once made a statement that left the tech world buzzing: he would consider leaving his vast fortune not to traditional charities, but to fellow tech visionary Elon Musk. Get exclusive content with Gulf News WhatsApp channel Instead of giving it to a philanthropic organisation, he'd rather hand over his cash to Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and others. That statement was made about a decade ago.
Page, with a net worth $150 billion (as per Bloomberg), apparently admired the audacious goals of Musk, currently worth $326.4 billion (as per Forbes), particularly his plans to colonise Mars and “back up humanity”, a vision that aligned with Page’s belief in using innovation to drive transformative change. In an interview with Charlie Rose at the 2014 TED Conference, Page explained his perspective, highlighting Musk’s ability to channel resources into groundbreaking projects.
“You know, if I were to get hit by a bus today, I should leave all of it to Elon Musk," the Google co-founder once reportedly said. “He actually wanted to go to Mars—to back up humanity.” For him, Musk’s ambitions embodied the ideal of blending business with philanthropy, where well-run companies could achieve what traditional charitable organisations might not.
It was a friendship built on vision—and later, division. Page and Musk’s relationship went beyond mutual admiration; they were once close friends. Musk, 53, often stayed at the Silicon Valley home of Page, 51 years, and their shared passion for pushing the boundaries of technology made them frequent collaborators in spirit.
Their camaraderie even landed them on Fortune’s 2016 list of “Business Leaders You Didn’t Know Were BFFs”. At one point, Musk attempted to sell Tesla to Google for $11 billion, a handshake deal that ultimately dissolved when Tesla’s fortunes turned around. Despite these high-stakes interactions, their friendship began to fray in 2013 over starkly differing views on artificial intelligence (AI).
Musk, deeply wary of AI’s potential dangers, clashed with Page, who was more optimistic about its prospects. Their disagreement came to a head during a heated debate at Musk’s birthday party, where Page reportedly accused Musk of being a “specist” for prioritising humanity over other forms of intelligence. “Well, yes, I am pro-human,” responded Musk.
The comment from Page was “the last straw,” Musk told Tucker Carlson in April 2023. The tension deepened when Musk co-founded OpenAI, a nonprofit focused on ensuring AI safety — a move seen as a direct challenge to Google, which had recently acquired DeepMind, a leading AI company. Musk even attempted to dissuade DeepMind’s CEO from selling to Google, further straining relations.
Despite their falling out, Musk has expressed a desire to repair their relationship. In a 2023 interview with Lex Fridman, Musk admitted, “I would like to be friends again with Larry. I haven’t seen him in ages.
” However, he acknowledged the difficulty of mending ties, adding, “He doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.” It’s important to highlight that Musk and Page are no longer friends. This change is documented in Walter Isaacson’s 2023 biography of Musk, where it’s revealed that the rift between them stemmed from a disagreement over AI, leading to former close friends completely cutting off all communication.
Page’s remarks, however, highlight his belief that bold, revolutionary ideas—like Musk’s Mars ambitions—deserve support over incremental improvements. For Page, shaping the future requires visionary leaders willing to take enormous risks, even if it means diverging from conventional philanthropy. After stepping back from day-to-day operations at Google (Alphabet), he has dedicated much of his time to personal projects, particularly in health tech and emerging technologies.
He has funded projects such as flying car companies (e.g., Kitty Hawk) and initiatives focused on longevity, showing a broader philanthropic focus.
Musk’s ventures have grown significantly, especially Tesla and SpaceX, which have become dominant in their respective fields. His influence has also increased, though not without controversies. Page has remained intensely private and less outspoken in recent years.
This makes it unclear whether he still holds the same views about Musk as he did in 2013. And while the future of their friendship remains uncertain, both Page and Musk continue to influence technology and humanity’s potential trajectory in profound ways. Whether through groundbreaking AI, electric vehicles, a future involving interplanetary journey, their shared legacy underscores the power — and challenges — of dreaming big.
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