On Monday, Elon Musk revealed that SpaceX has completed the acquisition of his artificial intelligence venture, xAI, marking a significant consolidation of his technology-oriented enterprises. In a blog post announcing the deal, Musk positioned the merger as a long-term strategic investment centered on humanity's future, emphasizing the complementarity between SpaceX's spacefaring capabilities and xAI's AI development.
Musk described the combination of SpaceX's advanced rockets and satellite infrastructure with xAI's Grok chatbot and AI models as "not just the next chapter, but the next book" in the companies' collective mission to extend intelligence beyond our planet. Emphasizing the unity, Musk took to Twitter, stating, "To the stars! SpaceX & xAI are now one company."
A Merger of Unprecedented Scale
According to sources cited by Reuters, the transaction places SpaceX's valuation near $1 trillion, while xAI is valued at approximately $250 billion. This merger eclipses a longstanding record—the $203 billion Vodafone acquisition of Mannesmann in 2000—rendering it one of the largest deals in global mergers and acquisitions history, as per LSEG data.
Details emerging from an insider source indicate that the combined SpaceX-xAI entity plans to set share pricing around $527. Previously, SpaceX was valued around $800 billion in an insider stock sale, and xAI's valuation was close to $230 billion late in the previous calendar year.
Strategic Positioning Ahead of IPO and the Expanding "Muskonomy" Empire
This merger occurs as SpaceX readies itself for a potential initial public offering later in the year, with expected valuations potentially exceeding $1.5 trillion. Bringing xAI under SpaceX’s umbrella serves to reinforce the narrative of expansion and innovation, potentially increasing investor appeal ahead of any public listing.
The integration further consolidates Elon Musk's extensive business network—often informally termed the "Muskonomy"—which includes Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), Neuralink, The Boring Company, and the social media platform X, previously merged into xAI. Musk’s net worth currently stands at $670 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, positioning him as the world's wealthiest individual.
Anticipated Regulatory and Investor Considerations
The scale and structure of the merger are expected to attract rigorous regulatory and investor scrutiny. Areas of focus will likely include corporate governance, the appropriateness of the valuations, and possible conflicts of interest arising from Musk's overlapping business interests.
Given SpaceX's extensive contracts with U.S. government entities—including NASA, the Pentagon, and various intelligence agencies—regulatory attention is anticipated to be significant.
Neither SpaceX nor xAI provided immediate comment following inquiries from media outlets.
Market Response and Related Equity Movements
On the same day as the merger announcement, Tesla shares closed down 1.98%, though they recovered somewhat in after-hours trading, gaining 0.78% to $425.19. According to Benzinga Pro analytics, Tesla's stock demonstrates strong momentum over the long term but shows a declining trend in short- and medium-term outlooks.
Summary and Outlook
The merger combining SpaceX and xAI underscores Elon Musk's aim to unify space exploration and artificial intelligence under one strategic vision. Valued collectively near $1.25 trillion, this unprecedented transaction not only marks a historic milestone in global mergers and acquisitions but also serves to position SpaceX advantageously ahead of a prospective IPO.
While the integration promises to amplify growth prospects and deepen Musk’s corporate synergy, it simultaneously invites close regulatory review given the companies’ government contracts and complex governance structure. Market reactions demonstrate cautious optimism, reflective of the merger's transformative potential coupled with inherent uncertainties.