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  • Inside X with Nikita Bier: Viral Growth, Elon Musk, and “Doing the Hard Thing”

    In a recent episode of the Out of Office podcast, Lightspeed partner Michael Mignano sat down with Nikita Bier, the Head of Product at X (formerly Twitter). Filmed in Bier’s hometown of Redondo Beach, California, the interview offers a rare, candid look into the chaotic, high-stakes world of running product at one of the world’s most influential platforms.

    Bier, famous for founding the viral apps TBH and Gas, discusses everything from his unorthodox hiring by Elon Musk to the specific growth hacks being used to revitalize a 20-year-old platform. Here is a breakdown of the conversation.

    TL;DW (Too Long; Didn’t Watch)

    • The Hire: Elon Musk hired Nikita via DM. The “interview” was a 48-hour sprint to redesign the app’s onboarding flow, which Nikita presented to Elon at 2:00 AM.
    • The Role: Bier describes his job as “customer support for 500 million people” and admits he acts as the company mascot/punching bag.
    • The Culture: X runs like a seed-stage startup. There are roughly 30 core product engineers, very few managers, and a flat hierarchy.
    • Growth Strategy: The team is focusing on “Starter Packs” to help new users find niche communities (like Peruvian politics or plumbing) rather than just general tech/news content.
    • Elon’s Management: Musk is deeply involved in engineering reviews and consistently pushes the team to “do the hard thing” rather than take shortcuts for quick growth.

    Key Takeaways

    1. Think Like an Adversary

    Bier credits his early days as a “script kiddie” hacking AOL and building phishing sites (for educational purposes, mostly) as the foundation for his product sense. He argues that understanding how to break a system is essential for building consumer products. This “adversarial” mindset helps in preventing spam, but it is also the secret to growth—understanding exactly how funnels work and how to optimize them to the extreme.

    2. The “Build in Public” Double-Edged Sword

    Nikita is a prolific poster on X, often testing feature ideas in real-time. This creates an incredibly tight feedback loop where bugs are reported seconds after launch. However, it also makes him a target. He recounted the “Crypto Twitter” incident where a critique of “GM” (Good Morning) posts led to him being meme-d as a pig for a week. The sentiment only flipped when X shipped useful features like anti-spam measures and financial charts.

    3. Fixing the Link Problem

    One of the biggest recent product changes involved how X handles external links. Historically, social platforms downrank links to keep users on-site. Bier helped design a new UI where the engagement buttons (Like, Repost) remain visible while the user reads the article in the in-app browser. This allows X to capture engagement signals on external content, meaning the algorithm can finally properly rank high-quality news and articles without penalizing creators.

    4. Identity and Verification

    To combat political misinformation without compromising free speech, X launched “Country of Origin” labels. Bier explained that this allows users to see if a political opinion is coming from a local citizen or a “grifter” farm in a different country, providing context rather than censorship.

    Detailed Summary

    From TBH to X

    The interview traces Bier’s history of building viral hits. He famously sold his app TBH (a positive polling app for teens) to Facebook, and years later, built Gas (effectively the same concept) and sold it to Discord. He dispelled the myth that he simply “sold the same app twice,” noting that while the mechanics were similar, the growth engines and social graph integrations had to be completely reinvented for a new generation.

    The Musk Methodology

    Bier provides a fascinating look at Elon Musk’s leadership style. Contrary to the idea of a distant executive, Musk conducts weekly reviews with engineers where they present their code and progress directly. Bier noted that Musk has a high tolerance for pain if it means long-term stability. For example, rewriting the entire recommendation algorithm or moving data centers in mere months—projects that would take years at Meta or Google—were executed rapidly because Musk insisted on “doing the hard thing.”

    Reviving a 20-Year-Old Platform

    The core challenge at X is growth. The app has billions of dormant accounts. Bier’s strategy relies on “resurrection”—bringing old users back by showing them that X isn’t just for news, but for specific interests. This led to the creation of Starter Packs, which curate lists of accounts for specific niches. The result has been a doubling of time spent for new users.

    The Financial Future

    Bier teased upcoming features that align with Musk’s vision of an “everything app.” This includes Smart Cashtags, which allow users to pull up real-time financial data and charts within the timeline. The long-term goal is to enable transactions directly on the platform, allowing users to buy products or tip creators seamlessly.

    Thoughts

    What stands out most in this interview is the sheer precariousness of Nikita Bier’s position. He is attempting to apply “growth hacking” principles—usually reserved for fresh, nimble startups—to a massive, entrenched legacy platform. The fact that the core engineering team is only around 30 people is staggering when compared to the thousands of engineers at Meta or TikTok.

    Bier represents a new breed of product executive: the “poster-operator.” He doesn’t hide behind corporate comms; he engages in the muddy waters of the platform he builds. While this invites toxicity (and the occasional death threat, which he mentions casually), it affords X a speed of iteration that is unmatched in the industry. If X succeeds in revitalizing its growth, it will likely be because they treated the platform not as a museum of the internet, but as a product that still needs to find product-market fit every single day.

  • Elon Musk x Nikhil Kamath: Universal High Income, The Simulation, and Why Work Will Be Optional

    In a rare, long-form conversation that felt less like an interview and more like a philosophical jamming session, Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath sat down with Elon Musk. The discussion, hosted for Kamath’s “People by WTF” podcast, veered away from standard stock market talk and deep into the future of humanity.

    From the physics of Starlink to the metaphysics of simulation theory, Musk offered a timeline for when human labor might become obsolete and gave pointed advice to India’s rising generation of builders. Here is the breakdown of what you need to know.

    TL;DR

    The Gist: Elon Musk predicts that within 15 to 20 years, AI and robotics will make human labor optional, leading to a “Universal High Income” rather than a basic one. He reiterated his belief that we likely live in a simulation, discussed the economic crisis facing the US, and advised Indian entrepreneurs to focus on “making more than they take” rather than chasing valuation.

    Key Takeaways

    • The End of Work: Musk predicts that in less than 20 years, work will become optional due to advancements in AI and robotics. He frames the future not as Universal Basic Income (UBI), but Universal High Income (UHI), where goods and services are abundant and accessible to all.
    • Simulation Theory: He assigns a “high probability” to the idea that we are living in a simulation. His logic: if video games have gone from Pong to photorealistic in 50 years, eventually they will become indistinguishable from reality.
    • Starlink’s Limitations: Musk clarified that physics prevents Starlink from replacing cellular towers in densely populated cities. It is designed to serve the “least served” in rural areas, making it complementary to, not a replacement for, urban 5G or fiber.
    • The Definition of Money: Musk views money simply as a “database for labor allocation.” If AI provides all labor, money as we know it becomes obsolete. In the future, energy may become the only true currency.
    • Advice to India: His message to young Indian entrepreneurs was simple: Don’t chase money directly. Chase the creation of useful products and services. “Make more than you take.”
    • Government Efficiency (DOGE): Musk claimed that simple changes, like requiring payment codes for government transactions, could save the US hundreds of billions of dollars by eliminating fraud and waste.

    Detailed Summary

    1. AI, Robots, and the “Universal High Income”

    Perhaps the most optimistic (or radical) prediction Musk made was regarding the economic future of humanity. He challenged the concept of Universal Basic Income, arguing that if AI and robotics continue on their current trajectory, the cost of goods and services will drop to near zero. This leads to a “Universal High Income” where work is a hobby, not a necessity. He pegged the timeline for this shift at roughly 15 to 20 years.

    2. The Simulation and “The Most Interesting Outcome”

    Nikhil Kamath pressed Musk on his well-known stance regarding simulation theory. Musk argued that any civilization capable of running simulations would likely run billions of them. Therefore, the odds that we are in “base reality” are incredibly low. He added a unique twist: the “Gods” of the simulation likely keep running the ones that are entertaining. This leads to his theory that the most ironic or entertaining outcome is usually the most likely one.

    3. X (Twitter) as a Collective Consciousness

    Musk described his vision for X not merely as a social media platform, but as a mechanism to create a “collective consciousness” for humanity. By aggregating thoughts, video, and text from across the globe and translating them in real-time, he believes we can better understand the nature of the universe. He contrasted this with platforms designed solely for dopamine hits, which he described as “brain rot.”

    4. The US Debt Crisis and Deflation

    Musk issued a stark warning about the US national debt, noting that interest payments now exceed the military budget. He believes the only way to solve this crisis is through the massive productivity gains AI will provide. He predicts that within three years, the output of goods and services will grow faster than the money supply, leading to significant deflation.

    5. Immigration and the “Brain Drain”

    Discussing his own background and the flow of talent from India to the US, Musk criticized the recent state of the US border, calling it a “free-for-all.” However, he distinguished between illegal immigration and legal, skilled migration. He defended the H1B visa program (while acknowledging it has been gamed by some outsourcing firms) and stated that companies need access to the best talent in the world.

    Thoughts and Analysis

    What stands out in this conversation is the shift in Musk’s demeanor when speaking with a fellow builder like Kamath. Unlike hostile media interviews, this was a dialogue about first principles.

    The most profound takeaway is Musk’s decoupling of “wealth” from “money.” To Musk, money is a temporary tool to allocate human time. Once AI takes over the “time” aspect of production, money loses its utility. This suggests that the future trillionaires won’t be those who hoard cash, but those who control energy generation and compute power.

    For the Indian audience, Musk’s advice was grounded and anti-fragile: ignore the valuation game and focus on the physics of value creation. If you produce more than you consume, you—and society—will win.

  • Joe Rogan Experience 2281: Elon Musk Unpacks DOGE, Government Waste, Space Plans, and Media Lies

    Summary of the Joe Rogan Experience #2281 podcast with Elon Musk, aired February 28, 2025:

    Joe Rogan and Elon Musk discuss a range of topics including government inefficiency, AI development, and media propaganda. Musk details his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), uncovering massive fraud and waste, such as $1.9 billion sent to a new NGO and 20 million dead people marked alive in Social Security, enabling fraudulent payments. They critique the lack of oversight in government spending, with Musk comparing it to a poorly run business. The conversation touches on assassination attempts on Trump, the unreleased Epstein and JFK files, and the potential of AI to address corruption and medical issues. Musk expresses concerns about AI risks, predicting superintelligence by 2029-2030, and defends his ownership of X against Nazi smears, highlighting media bias and the need for free speech.

    On February 28, 2025, Joe Rogan sat down with Elon Musk for episode #2281 of the Joe Rogan Experience, delivering a nearly three-hour rollercoaster of revelations about government inefficiency, assassination attempts, space exploration challenges, and media distortions. Musk, a business titan and senior advisor to President Donald Trump, brought his insider perspective from running Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and X, while diving deep into his latest mission with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This recap breaks down every major topic from the episode, packed with jaw-dropping details and candid exchanges that fans won’t want to miss.

    Elon Musk’s DOGE Mission: Exposing and Slashing Government Waste

    Elon Musk’s work with DOGE dominates the conversation as he and Joe Rogan peel back the layers of waste and fraud choking the U.S. federal government. Musk compares it to a business spiraling out of control with no one checking the books.

    Billions Lost to Waste and Fraud

    Musk doesn’t hold back, dropping examples that hit like gut punches. He talks about $1.9 billion handed to an NGO that popped up a year ago with no real history—basically a front for grabbing cash. Then there’s the Navy, which got $12 billion from Senator Collins for submarines that never showed up. When she asked where the money went, the answer was a shrug: “We don’t know.” Musk calls it a level of waste only the government could get away with, estimating DOGE’s fixes could save hundreds of billions yearly.

    Social Security’s Dead People Problem

    One of the wildest bombshells is the Social Security database mess: 20 million dead people are still listed as alive. Rogan and Musk dig into how this glitch fuels fraud—scammers use it to claim disability, unemployment, and fake medical payments through other systems. It’s a “bankshot scam,” Musk explains, exploiting sloppy communication between government databases. The Government Accountability Office flagged this in 2018 with 16–17 million, and it’s only grown since.

    Untraceable Treasury Payments

    Musk zeroes in on “Pam,” the Treasury’s payment system handling $5 trillion a year—about a billion an hour. He’s stunned to find many payments go out with no categorization or explanation, like blank checks. “If this was a public company, they’d be delisted, and the execs would be in prison,” he says. His fix? Mandatory payment codes and notes. It’s a simple tweak he guesses could save $100 billion annually, cutting off untraceable cash flows.

    The NGO Grift: A Trillion-Dollar Scam?

    Musk calls government-funded NGOs a “gigantic scam”—maybe the biggest ever. He points to George Soros as a pro at this game, turning small investments into billion-dollar hauls through nonprofits with fluffy names like “Institute for Peace.” These groups often pay their operators lavish sums with zero oversight. Rogan asks if any do good, and Musk concedes maybe 5–10% might, but 90–95% is pure grift. With millions of NGOs—tens of thousands big ones—it’s a system ripe for abuse.

    Transparency via DOGE.gov

    Musk pushes DOGE’s openness, directing listeners to doge.gov, where every cut is listed line-by-line with a savings tracker. “Show me which payment is wrong,” he dares critics. Mainstream media, he says, dodges specifics, spinning tales of “starving mothers” that don’t hold up. Rogan marvels at the silence from liberal talk shows on this fraud and waste—they’re too busy protecting the grift machine.

    Assassination Attempts and Media-Driven Hate

    The mood shifts as Musk and Rogan tackle assassination attempts on Trump and threats against Musk, pinning much of the blame on media propaganda.

    Trump’s Close Calls

    Musk recounts two chilling incidents: the Butler, Pennsylvania rally shooting and a golf course attempt where a gunman poked a barrel through a hedge. The Butler case obsesses them—a 20-year-old with five phones, no online footprint, and a scrubbed home. Rogan floats a “curling” theory: someone nudging a troubled kid toward violence without touching the stone. Musk nods, suggesting cell phone records could expose a trail, yet the investigation’s gone quiet. He recalls standing on that Butler stage, eyeing the roof as the perfect sniper spot—inexplicably unguarded.

    Musk’s Personal Risks

    Musk gets personal, sharing threats he’s faced. Before backing Trump, two mentally ill men traveled to Austin to kill him—one claiming Musk chipped his brain. Now, with media branding him a “Nazi,” he’s a target for homicidal maniacs. “They want to desecrate my corpse,” he says, citing Reddit forums. He ties it to propaganda boosting his name’s visibility, making him a lightning rod for unhinged rage.

    Media’s Propaganda Machine

    Both rip into CNN, MSNBC, and the Associated Press for coordinated lies. Musk debunks AP’s claim DOGE fired air traffic controllers—they’re hiring, not firing—while Rogan recalls CNN’s slanted weigh-in photos from his own controversies. They dissect the “fine people” hoax—Trump condemning neo-Nazis, yet smeared as praising them—and Obama’s election-eve repeat of the lie. “It’s mass hypnosis,” Musk warns, stoking violence against public figures.

    Space Exploration: Mars Dreams and Technical Hurdles

    Musk’s love for space lights up the chat as he and Rogan explore Mars colonization and spacecraft challenges.

    Mars as Humanity’s Backup

    Musk pitches Mars as a second home to shield civilization from Earth’s doomsday risks—asteroids, super volcanoes, nuclear war. He speculates a square Mars structure might be ancient ruins, craving better photos to confirm. “It’s a hedge,” he says, a backup plan for humanity’s survival. Rogan’s hooked, picturing a trek to check it out.

    Micrometeorite Challenges

    Rogan digs into SpaceX’s micrometeorite shielding, and Musk breaks it down: an outer layer spreads impact energy into a cone of atoms, embedding into a second layer. It works on low-heat areas but falters on main heat shields. A hit on Dragon’s primary shield could spell disaster, needing ISS rescue and a risky deorbit. “Plug the hole,” Musk shrugs, admitting material tech needs a boost.

    Avatar Depression and Human Grit

    A detour into Avatar depression—fans pining for Pandora—sparks Musk’s awe at human feats. Current space tech, he notes, predates advanced systems, a testament to “monkeys” paving the way for future leaps.

    Government Corruption and Stalled Disclosures

    Musk and Rogan tackle systemic corruption and the maddening delays in releasing Epstein and JFK files.

    Bureaucracy vs. DOGE

    Musk frames DOGE as the first real jab at a bureaucracy that “eats revolutions for breakfast.” He cites horrors like $250 million for “transgender animal studies” and Beagle torture experiments—taxpayer-funded nightmares. Rogan’s floored by Congress members’ wealth, like Paul Pelosi’s trading skills, on $170,000 salaries, hinting at insider games.

    Epstein and JFK File Delays

    Both fume over Epstein’s evidence—videos, recordings—vanishing into redacted limbo, and JFK files promised but undelivered. Musk suspects insiders like James Comey’s daughter, a Southern District of New York prosecutor, might shred damning stuff. He pushes for snapping photos of all papers and posting them online, letting the public sort it out.

    Resistance from Within

    New FBI Director Kash Patel and AG Pam Bondi face a hostile crew, Musk says, like captaining a ship of foes. Rogan wonders what’s left in 1963 JFK files, but Musk bets on resistance, not lost evidence—maybe hidden in a special computer only a few can access.

    Cultural Critiques: Media, Vaccines, and Politics

    The duo closes with sharp takes on cultural flashpoints, from media bias to vaccine policy and political traps.

    Media’s Downfall

    Musk cheers Jeff Bezos’ Washington Post ditching “wacky editorials” and CNN’s Scott Jennings for calm logic amid screechy panels. But he slams a left-leaning legacy media “in an alternate reality,” unlike X’s raw pulse. Rogan notes people are done with tired narratives.

    Vaccine Overreach

    Musk supports vaccines but questions overloading kids or pushing unneeded COVID trials—like a 10,000-child study RFK Jr. axed. Rogan wants Big Pharma’s TV ads banned, cutting their news sway, and liability for side effects enforced.

    Two-Party Trap

    Rogan calls the two-party system a “trap” fueling tribalism, recalling Ross Perot’s 1992 charts exposing IRS and Federal Reserve truths. Musk guesses 75% of graft leans Democratic, with 20–25% keeping Republicans in the “uniparty” game.

    A Historic Shake-Up Unveiled

    JRE #2281 casts Musk as a disruptor dismantling waste, battling lies, and pushing for Mars. Rogan praises his DOGE work and X ownership as game-changers, urging listeners to see past propaganda. It’s a must-listen for anyone tracking Musk’s impact or Rogan’s unfiltered takes.

  • Elon Musk Takes a Courageous Stand Against Corporate Censorship on X

    In a bold move that underscores his commitment to free speech, Elon Musk, the innovative billionaire owner of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has fiercely defended his platform against advertisers withdrawing over alleged antisemitic content. Musk’s candid retort to these advertisers, “Go fuck yourself,” during a Wednesday interview, exemplifies his unwavering stance on freedom of expression and his refusal to capitulate to corporate pressures.

    Previously, at a New York Times DealBook Summit interview, Musk had shown a reflective side, acknowledging his regret over a controversial tweet made on Nov. 15. This tweet, which aligned with the so-called “Great Replacement” theory, was criticized for its perceived anti-Jewish sentiment. However, Musk’s subsequent clarification and apology highlight his recognition of the sensitivities involved and his dedication to constructive discourse.

    Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, echoed Musk’s sentiments in a recent post, affirming the platform’s unique role in balancing free speech with mainstream values. Despite challenges, Musk’s frank approach to advertisers signals a new era for X, emphasizing transparency and open dialogue over traditional corporate relationships.

    This confrontation signifies a pivotal moment for X, underscoring its leadership’s commitment to protecting free speech, even amidst potential financial pressures. Musk’s stance is not just a defense against what he perceives as financial blackmail by advertisers but also a statement about the integrity and independence of his platform.

    The withdrawal of major companies like Walt Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, and Comcast from X, catalyzed by a Media Matters report, has only strengthened Musk’s resolve. His response to these developments points to a deeper conviction about the importance of unfiltered communication in today’s digital age.

    In a world increasingly concerned about the rise of antisemitism, as noted by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House, Musk’s actions demonstrate his awareness of these issues. His recent visit to Israel and conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu further reinforces his stance against hate speech and his commitment to using X as a platform for positive change.

    Musk’s bold approach may have sparked controversy, but it also reveals a leader unafraid to challenge the status quo and stand firm on principles. His vision for X as a bastion of free speech and open dialogue sets a new standard in the social media landscape, emphasizing the power of unbridled expression in shaping public discourse.