He’s definitely held true to that, with a raft of modifications which have been criticized as short-sighted, self-destructive and simply plain silly – although to Musk’s credit score, he has additionally held to the second half as properly, by reversing varied updates on account of such backlash.  

Which has occurred once more as we speak, with Twitter asserting that public utilities will be capable of re-access Twitter’s API without spending a dime.

Twitter elevated the value of its API entry final month, with many organizations and builders who had beforehand been capable of entry Twitter connectivity without spending a dime now being requested to pay upwards of $40k per 30 days for related entry.

That’s led to a spread of Twitter instruments, data bots, and different supplementary companies shutting down, together with some third-party posting apps, system replace instruments like Steam’s platform standing bot, the elimination of WordPress auto-tweet for weblog posts, and plenty of extra.

Amongst these, public data instruments, like Twitter accounts run by the Nationwide Climate Service and public transport updates have additionally been shut down, reducing off essential consciousness instruments from the app. Which appears backwards, if you wish to maximize utility – which Twitter how now acknowledged by reversing its choice to cost these suppliers.

Now it’ll simply must work with the related suppliers to get them again up and operating as regular within the app.

The MTA, for one, has welcomed the reversal.

It’s one other misstep from Twitter, which has seen it back-tracking – which, once more, Musk has stated goes to occur, and they’re rectifying a few of these selections as they go. But it surely’s the kind of factor that wouldn’t occur if Twitter took extra time to contemplate the total implications of its insurance policies, somewhat than performing on the whims of Musk, who usually appears to function out of sheer spite or private grievance.

On this case, the wrongdoer seems to be OpenAI, which had been utilizing Twitter information to coach the AI fashions behind its ChatGPT service. Musk was an early investor in OpenAI, giving the corporate $100 million when it was working as a non-profit, however now that it’s promoting entry to its programs, and making billions because of this, Musk is upset that his donation has gone unrewarded, and that he’s basically helped fund the event of an organization which he doesn’t instantly profit from.

The expanded context right here is that along with being an investor, Musk had additionally sought to change into OpenAI’s CEO again in 2018, as he felt that the corporate was falling behind Google within the AI race, and that he may proper the ship. OpenAI’s founders rejected Musk’s takeover push, which led to Musk distancing himself from the venture, and reneging on future funding that he had pledged to the group.

With this in thoughts, Musk, now answerable for Twitter, was reportedly lots irritated that OpenAI, and probably different AI corporations, have been nonetheless capable of entry Twitter information via the API, which is no less than a part of why he’s now upped the value of API entry, and reduce many smaller gamers out of the market.

The expanded impacts of that call, except for reducing off invaluable pubic data companies, will not be but clear, but it surely may result in quite a bit much less reliance on Twitter as a distribution platform, which, over time, could additional affect Twitter engagement.

However no less than Twitter has seen the sunshine on this entrance, and can replace its insurance policies accordingly – although once more, it’s one other instance of decreased oversight and trade data on the app, with all of its most skilled former leaders now gone, leaving Twitter extra on the course of Musk, whose self-confidence and impulsion can generally be misplaced.

Working example: Musk can also be reportedly threatening to promote the @NPR deal with to the best bidder if NPR holds agency on its choice to not return to the app. That would result in extra situations of misinformation and confusion, including to the mess brought on by Twitter’s blue checkmark reformation.

It’s arduous to wager in opposition to Musk, given the previous successes he’s seen at his different corporations, however as time goes on, it’s additionally arduous to again him as properly, as extra examples of his typically chaotic administration model are shared in public.

Possibly, that is all a part of some greater plan that we simply can’t see. However perhaps not, most likely not.

We’ll discover out within the coming months.