Musk picks his top genius: Who’s the smartest in his eyes? VIDEO

In a revealing and dynamic episode of the "Verdict" podcast released on March, 17 Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas posed a thought-provoking question to none other than Elon Musk: "Who is the smartest guy you've ever met, or which CEO do you greatly admire?"

Musk didn't hesitate. As he adjusted his black blazer, he responded, “Larry Ellison is very smart. I will say Larry Ellison is one of the smartest people.” The co-founder of Oracle, who has built an empire in the software industry, earned Musk's high praise. But the conversation didn't stop there.

Musk continued, adding another tech titan to the mix: “Larry Page, the co-founder and first CEO of Google, is also someone I greatly respect.” Musk’s admiration for these industry leaders reflects his high regard for their immense contributions to technology and business.

But Musk was quick to underscore his view on what defines intelligence. “To some degree, smart is as smart does,” Musk said thoughtfully. “What have they done that is difficult and significant? Jeff Bezos has done a lot of difficult and significant things.” Even amid a two-decade rivalry with Bezos, fueled by their competing space ventures — Musk’s SpaceX versus Bezos’ Blue Origin — Musk acknowledged Bezos' achievements with a compliment that seemed to transcend their professional rivalry.

🚨CRUZ: "Who's the smartest guy you've ever met?"

MUSK: "Larry Ellison is very smart. I'll say Larry Ellison. Larry Page is also smart. Smart is as smart does. Jeff Bezos has done difficult and significant things. There's a lot of people who are smart for a human." 😂🤖 pic.twitter.com/nw333nkU2X

— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) March 17, 2025

These compliments come at an interesting time, as Musk and his billionaire peers see a notable drop in their net worth. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Ellison, Page, and Bezos are valued at $169 billion, $149 billion, and $218 billion, respectively. However, the recent downturn in the Nasdaq due to economic uncertainty has hit their fortunes hard. Musk, in particular, has experienced a drastic reduction in his wealth—30% wiped out in just 10 weeks, largely due to Tesla's stock slump.

Ellison, still the chairman and co-founder of Oracle, owns around 40% of the company. After stepping down as CEO in 2014, he has remained a key figure in the tech world. Musk, who had Ellison on Tesla’s board from 2018 to 2022, also noted Ellison’s unique lifestyle. The software magnate now resides on the Hawaiian island of Lanai, which he nearly bought for $300 million back in 2012, according to Forbes.

The interview didn’t solely focus on Musk’s admiration for his peers. The conversation veered into Musk’s work at the White House, where he discussed his creation of the DOGE office and his attempts to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Musk described the situation at the federal government as “worse than I expected,” though he expressed optimism about the potential for improvement.

However, Musk's tactics in addressing federal bureaucracy have drawn sharp criticism. Both federal employees and everyday Americans have voiced concerns about the practicality and fairness of his approach, adding a layer of controversy to his sweeping ambitions.

By Tamilla Hasanova