Biography
Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen, betting that every home would one day need a personal computer. That bet paid off more than almost any in business history. Microsoft's domination of the PC operating system market through MS-DOS and Windows made Gates the world's richest person for most of the 1990s and 2000s.
Gates stepped down as Microsoft CEO in 2000, as chairman in 2014, and left the board in 2020. He now focuses almost entirely on philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has committed over $77 billion to global health, education, and poverty reduction. He also runs Breakthrough Energy, a $2 billion climate fund targeting nuclear power, next-gen batteries, and clean industrial processes.
Gates and Musk have one of tech's most publicly contentious relationships. A 2022 leaked text exchange revealed Gates maintained a large short position in Tesla stock while publicly advocating for EVs — which Musk called hypocritical and said made him unable to take Gates's climate advice seriously. They represent fundamentally different philosophies: Gates believes in systematic, process-driven philanthropy; Musk believes in building companies that structurally change the world.
Did You Know?
Gates reads 50 books per year and takes a twice-yearly 'Think Week' — a solo retreat in a secluded cottage with no internet — to think without distraction. Many of Microsoft's biggest strategic pivots originated during these retreats.
Elon MuskvsBill Gates
Gates and Musk represent two competing theories of how extreme wealth should change the world. Gates believes in systematic philanthropy — vaccines, sanitation, education. Musk believes in building transformative companies. Their feud over Tesla short-selling and climate policy revealed a deep ideological divide.
Head to Head
Net Worth Scale
Competing Businesses
Rivalry Timeline
Gates calls Tesla's EV success 'fantastic' but raises doubts about whether battery technology can fully decarbonize aviation and shipping — Musk disagrees publicly.
Leaked texts reveal Gates told Musk he had a large short position in Tesla. Musk: 'I heard from multiple people at Tesla that you had a large short against Tesla, which is why I don\'t take your climate advice seriously.'
Gates deepens Microsoft's $10B bet on OpenAI. Musk, who helped found OpenAI, had already left its board and is building xAI as a direct rival.
Both speak about AI safety — from completely different perspectives. Gates worries about misuse; Musk worries about misaligned superintelligence. Neither is fully reassured by the other.
