With co-founders leaving and an IPO looming, Elon Musk turns talk to the moon

Elon Musk recently held an all-hands meeting with employees of his AI company xAI, where he outlined a bold vision involving the construction of a lunar manufacturing facility. This moon-based factory would produce AI satellites and launch them into space using a giant catapult, aiming to harness unprecedented computing power. Musk emphasized that xAI is moving faster than any competitor and suggested that different personnel may be suited to different stages of the company’s growth, amid ongoing organizational changes. The meeting came shortly after the departure of two xAI co-founders, Tony Wu and Jimmy Ba, both leaving amicably as the company prepares for a potential IPO targeting a $1.5 trillion valuation. Musk’s lunar ambitions mark a significant strategic shift from SpaceX’s long-held focus on Mars colonization to building a self-sustaining city on the Moon, which he argues could be achieved in half the time. This pivot aligns with a broader vision, as explained by a venture capitalist familiar with Musk’s plans, to