**Musk's X** is the rebranded incarnation of Twitter, a social media platform originally launched in 2006 as a microblogging service. Founded by Jack Dorsey and others, Twitter quickly grew into a major global communication platform used for real-time news, activism, cultural discourse, and political debate[1][2][3]. In April 2022, Elon Musk, the entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, made a landmark $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, taking the company private and initiating a radical transformation[3][6].
Following Musk's takeover in October 2022, Twitter underwent significant structural and cultural changes. Musk appointed himself CEO, dismissed top executives, and implemented extensive workforce reductions. The platform's policies shifted markedly, with a focus on "free speech absolutism," resulting in the reinstatement of previously banned accounts and a controversial easing of content moderation. This led to criticism over increased hate speech and misinformation, as well as a pronounced tilt toward right-wing content[2][3].
In 2023, Musk merged Twitter with his holding company X Corp and his AI startup xAI, further consolidating his vision under the brand "X." The iconic Twitter blue bird logo was replaced by an "X" symbol, reflecting a broader ambition to evolve beyond social media into an "everything app," encompassing communication, payments, and AI-driven services[3][4][6][7]. The platform introduced new features such as subscription tiers, audio and video calls, and an AI chatbot called Grok, aiming to diversify its offerings and revenue streams[4].
Despite ambitious innovations, X faces challenges including advertiser boycotts and regulatory scrutiny, notably in Europe under the Digital Services Act. The rebranding and Musk's leadership have sparked debates about the platform's role in public discourse and its future trajectory in the competitive social media landscape[6][7].
In essence, Musk's X represents a bold, controversial reinvention of Twitter, blending social media with cutting-edg