Elon Musk’s Net Worth Hits $788 Billion In Record-Setting Surge

In a surprising turn of events, Elon Musk made his debut appearance at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Thursday, January 22, 2026. Despite years of calling the summit "boring" and criticizing it as an "unelected world government," Musk took the stage for a high-profile conversation with Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock.

During the session, Musk reiterated his vision of a world where technology fundamentally reshapes human society.

Key Predictions from Davos 2026

Robot Population: Musk predicted that humanoid robots will eventually outnumber humans, potentially reaching a population in the billions. He framed this as the "path to abundance," where robots perform all labor-intensive tasks.
The End of Poverty: He argued that the "explosion in the global economy" triggered by AI and robotics would saturate human needs, effectively ending global poverty and providing a "universal high income."
AGI Timeline: Musk shared his most aggressive timeline yet for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), stating he believes AI will be smarter than any individual human by the end of 2026 and smarter than the collective intelligence of all humanity within five years.⁷
Human Purpose: When asked what humans would do in a world where work is optional, Musk acknowledged the challenge, stating, "Nothing's perfect... You can't have work that has to be done and an amazing abundance for all."

Tesla’s Roadmap

Musk provided specific updates on Tesla's robotics and automation goals during the talk:

Project	Expected Milestone
Optimus (Humanoid Robot)	Performing simple factory tasks by the end of 2026; public sales could begin by late 2027.
Robotaxis	Widespread US deployment expected by the end of 2026.
European Expansion	Seeking regulatory approval for supervised self-driving in Europe as early as next month.

A "Pragmatic" Shift?

Analysts noted that Musk’s attendance at Davos—historically an event he mocked—signals a shift toward a more pragmatic relationship with global leaders. This follows his increased political involvement over the last year and the presence of other major figures at the 2026 forum, including President Donald Trump, who addressed the crowd earlier in the week.

The traditional résumé is dying a slow death, replaced by a "show-your-work" ethos championed by figures like Elon Musk. As Tesla recruits for its Dojo3 AI chip team, Musk has bypassed standard applications, instead asking candidates for three bullet points describing the "toughest technical problems" they have solved.

This shift toward skills-based hiring reflects a broader trend in Silicon Valley aimed at cutting through the "noise" of AI-generated résumés and inflated job titles.

The Shift to Skills-Based Hiring

According to Michelle Volberg, founder of the recruiting startup Twill, hiring managers are increasingly exhausted by "fluffy" résumés and LinkedIn profiles that fail to pinpoint a candidate's actual capabilities. By demanding concrete evidence of problem-solving, companies like Tesla are prioritizing outcomes over pedigree.

Key Drivers of the Trend:

The "AI Effect": With tools like ChatGPT making it easy to generate perfectly tailored but hollow résumés, employers are seeking authentic proof of work.
Austerity and Precision: Following the pandemic-era hiring boom, tech companies are more selective, focusing spending only on "exceptional" talent.
Nontraditional Paths: Musk has long maintained that college degrees are unnecessary at Tesla, favoring evidence of "exceptional ability" instead.

Risks of the "Bullet Point" Strategy

While the approach simplifies the initial screening, David Murray, CEO of Confirm, warns that it may introduce new biases into the hiring process.

Potential Pitfall	Description
The Extrovert Bias	The method rewards those who are good at self-marketing, potentially overlooking quiet but highly effective contributors.
Dunning-Kruger Effect	Low-performers may overestimate their impact, while experts might downplay complex achievements as "easy," leading to skewed self-reporting.
The "Faker" Factor	Bullet points are easy to fabricate. Volberg warns that candidates who cannot discuss their "wins" in granular detail risk being blacklisted.

The New Golden Rule: Outcomes Over Adjectives

For job seekers in this new landscape, the advice is clear: be specific. Whether applying to Tesla or the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the goal is to demonstrate how you made a manager's life easier by solving a high-stakes problem. In a market moving toward hiring austerity, the ability to articulate "battles won" is becoming more valuable than the name of the university on a diploma.