Elon Musk merges SpaceX with xAI: AI from space powered by solar energy

“It’s always sunny in space!” Elon Musk proclaims. “The sun always shines in space!” This almost constant solar energy is intended to power Musk's artificial intelligence, Grok, in the future. On a million satellites, to begin with. This is how Musk justifies the takeover of his company xAI by his space company SpaceX, which took place on Monday.

SpaceX with xAI will form the “most ambitious, vertically integrated innovation machine on (and off) Earth, with AI, rockets, internet from space, direct connections to cell phones, and the leading real-time information and free speech platform,” announces the richest man in the world. In a letter to employees, he presents them with their new task: “scaling to make a sentient sun to understand the universe and extend the light of consciousness to the stars!”

Mister Musk wants nothing less than to understand the universe and bring the “light of consciousness to the stars.” Given the current state of global finance, such a statement could actually boost SpaceX's planned IPO. And that would solve the financial worries that xAI has incurred through the expensive takeover of Twitter and high expenses for the AI service Grok.

Finite Energy on Earth

Musk points out that the current AI boom is consuming so much energy that it cannot be realized with terrestrial solutions without affecting the environment and settlements. The solution is to harvest solar energy directly in space. So his Grok data centers are to be installed there. In the form of a million satellites, “as a first step.”

According to his estimate, data centers in space will be cheaper than on the ground within two to three years. However, there would be a small transport problem. According to Musk, around 3,000 tons of payload were launched into space worldwide last year, mostly satellites from SpaceX's own satellite network, Starlink. Musk's dream cannot be realized with this.

Hourly Launches

Enter Starship: The giant rocket is expected to go into operation this year. A later, even larger version will be able to transport 200 tons of payload. One launch per hour, and millions of tons will fly into orbit and beyond annually. After all, Musk plans to establish factories on the moon and later, thanks to fuel depots floating in space, to travel to the stars.

“The basic calculation is that millions of tons of satellites each year… would add 100 gigawatts of AI computing power annually, with no ongoing costs for operation or maintenance,” writes the man. “Ultimately, there is a roadmap to launch a terawatt (AI computing power) annually.” This will then be used beyond Earth's orbit; after all, he wants to colonize other planets.

“The capabilities we develop through data centers stationed in space will finance self-managed moon bases, an entire civilization on Mars, and ultimately expansion into the universe,” says Musk. But the SpaceX IPO will likely be the start.

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