Elon Musk, CEO of X, SpaceX, Tesla and Starlink, met with the leadership of the BRIDGE Summit at Tesla’s headquarters in Palo Alto, California, to discuss the future of technology and media and explore avenues for collaboration.

According to an official announcement, the meeting saw Musk being formally invited to participate in the inaugural BRIDGE Summit, described as the world’s largest debut gathering for media, content and entertainment.

The summit will take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from December 8 to 10.

The BRIDGE delegation was led by Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE National Media Office, the UAE Media Council and BRIDGE.

“The meeting aligns with BRIDGE’s strategy to build partnerships with technology leaders and global innovation hubs, and broaden avenues of collaboration between media industry and advanced technologies,” the announcement stated.

“The discussion focused on artificial intelligence, data centres and content integrity as drivers of transformation,” it added.

On his part, Musk stressed that “innovation will depend on countries’ ability to provide data centres powered by clean and affordable energy”, referencing the UAE’s strong positioning in this area.

Meanwhile, Al Hamed affirmed that the UAE “provides clean, low-cost energy with large-scale capabilities and global competitiveness, reinforcing its readiness to lead in AI and advanced technologies”.

The announcement further stated that “Musk praised the UAE’s forward-looking vision” under the leadership of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and “commended the efforts” of Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the role of Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in “consolidating the UAE’s standing as a hub for innovation”.

During a tour of the Optimus robotics lab, the parties discussed how to strike a balance between rapid innovation and regulatory frameworks that safeguard ethical values.

Both sides stressed the need for a global framework for the responsible use of AI in content creation, regulation and distribution to ensure credibility and public trust.

“Regional and global cooperation opportunities were reviewed, including the UAE’s ecosystem for media and technology, potential collaboration in media and AI innovation, educational content to enhance youth engagement in science and entrepreneurship, and initiatives linking green technologies with media narratives,” the announcement mentioned.

Moreover, Al Hamed stated that “the UAE believes that the media is a powerful force capable of reshaping knowledge and building awareness”.

He added that “collaboration with leading institutions enables the exchange of expertise, accelerates the adoption of innovative solutions, and delivers tangible, sustainable impact”.

“The BRIDGE Summit will provide an exceptional platform for testing bold and unconventional solutions” to help reshape the media industry, rebuild trust and define a shared future,” he concluded.