Musk says he should have turned to AI sooner after White House exit

what happened

Elon Musk says he should have turned his attention to artificial intelligence sooner and spent less time working in government. Seeking Alpha, citing Axios, reported the comments came from an interview Musk gave to biographer Walter Isaacson for a new podcast, The Builders with Walter Isaacson, due to premiere on Tuesday.

Musk formally stepped down from the administration in May 2025, after 130 days leading the Department of Government Efficiency, which took part in thousands of federal layoffs. He told Isaacson he got "kinda carried away" and was absent from his companies for too long, adding that a month or two would have been enough. Tesla sales fell 13% in the first quarter of 2025 amid public backlash over his political ties.

Musk also addressed the US budget deficit, which he had earlier said would grow because of Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill." He argued the government cannot close the gap from within, and that AI and robots are the only way to tackle national debt.

why it matters

Musk leads SpaceX, which recently completed its IPO, and also runs Tesla, so his emphasis on AI matters for the investment story of both companies. The report contains no new financial figures or company decisions, so it is unlikely to move shares directly.

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