Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with tech billionaire Elon Musk in California on September 18 to discuss the subject of Artificial Intelligence and online antisemitism on platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Israeli Prime Minister and Musk met at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California. Following a private meeting, the two held a live discussion on the subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI), reports the Israel National News.
Musk noted that he received considerable pressure not to meet with Netanyahu, including a request from Iran, but also a negative pushback from Tesla. Nevertheless, he claimed that with technology advancing at an exponential rate, it has to be ensured that it will be used to benefit humanity and that they both want the same thing.
Netanyahu added that while AI is a blessing, it is also a curse. While he recounted many benefits of AI in healthcare, agriculture, traffic and so on, he also warned that it „could be the destruction of democracy, the manipulation of minds, and AI-wars raging out of control”. Musk said that after having spoken with many world leaders, he believes it is important that the West controls the advancements and not China, a country that already has developed an artificial superintelligence. Netanyahu offered some ideas of his own, including a code of ethics between like-minded powers.
During the meeting, Netanyahu asked Musk to find a way to prevent antisemitism on X: „I know you’re an advocate of free speech, and I am as well. It’s a foundation of democracy. Still, I hope you can find a way to curtail antisemitism and hate speech online, as you’ve condemned it in every possible way.”
Musk responded: „I’m against antisemitism, I’m against anything that promotes hate and conflict, and in favour of anything that makes us a spacefaring people and takes us to a better future. We just need long-term thinking. Free speech keeps the X platform vibrant and interesting. It sometimes means someone you don’t like is saying something you don’t like, but without that, you can’t have free speech.”
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