Elon Musk Sparks Fresh Speculation About Revolutionary AI-First Smartphone
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has once again ignited widespread speculation about potentially entering the highly competitive smartphone market with a groundbreaking AI-first device. The renewed discussion began when Sam D'Amico, CEO of Impulse Labs, posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) suggesting that both Meta and SpaceX should consider developing smartphones.
Musk's Cryptic Response Fuels Phone Rumors
When Hyperstition founder Andrew Côté commented that a "Starlink phone would be so sick," Musk responded with intriguing remarks that have set the tech world abuzz. The billionaire entrepreneur stated: "Not out of the question at some point," adding that such a device would be "a very different device than current phones," specifically optimized for "maximum performance/watt neural nets."
These comments align perfectly with Musk's broader predictions about the future of mobile technology. During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience in October 2025, Musk boldly declared that traditional smartphones are approaching obsolescence. He suggested that within five to six years, phones could lose their apps, operating systems, and even their conventional name, being replaced by AI-powered "edge nodes" that would serve as bridges to more powerful server-based intelligence.
Musk's Contradictory Stance on Phone Manufacturing
Despite the growing speculation, Musk has repeatedly expressed significant reluctance about entering the smartphone manufacturing business. At a Pennsylvania town hall event in October 2024, he dramatically stated: "The idea of making a phone makes me want to die," emphasizing the massive undertaking such a venture would represent.
During his conversation with Joe Rogan, Musk reiterated that while Tesla technically possesses the capability to build a smartphone, the company would only pursue such a project if tech giants Apple or Google began censoring apps or acting as restrictive gatekeepers in the app ecosystem.
Historical Context and Recent Developments
Musk first floated the idea of creating a smartphone back in 2022, shortly after acquiring Twitter (now X), amid growing concerns about potential app store access restrictions. The current wave of phone speculation coincides with reports that SpaceX is considering a strategic tie-up with Tesla and Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI.
Internal discussions within Musk's corporate empire have pointed toward a possible merger ahead of SpaceX's planned initial public offering, which could occur as early as June. This ambitious move targets a staggering valuation of approximately $1.5 trillion, which would instantly position SpaceX as one of the world's most valuable publicly traded companies.
The potential convergence of SpaceX's satellite technology, Tesla's hardware expertise, and xAI's artificial intelligence capabilities creates fascinating possibilities for what Musk describes as a "very different device" that could fundamentally reshape how we interact with mobile technology.
