A surprising rivalry has emerged between Donald Trump and Elon Musk, two figures not commonly linked by their interest in historical accuracy. On July 22, Musk posted on X, taking aim at the US History course framework proposed by Trump’s 1776 Commission. The framework, established during Trump’s presidency, aims to promote a more “patriotic” and “accurate” understanding of American history.
Musk’s beef with the 1776 Commission
Musk’s issue with the framework is its purported attempt to whitewash American history and downplay the role of slavery in shaping the nation. In his post, Musk called for “actual history” and accused the framework of being “a travesty.” Trump, however, has long been associated with his own brand of revisionist history, often downplaying or distorting facts that contradict his worldview.
The disturbing connection to AI
What’s more, both Trump and Musk have ties to AI development that raise concerns about their influence over the narrative of American history. Trump has been a vocal supporter of AI, particularly in the context of its potential applications in education. Musk, on the other hand, has been open about his plans to create an AI-powered ” digital realm” where people can relive historical events in immersive virtual reality. His company, Neuralink, is also working on brain-machine interfaces that could potentially enhance human cognition – or, in some scenarios, compromise it.
What this means
The implications of Trump and Musk’s involvement in shaping historical narratives are far-reaching. If they succeed in promoting a distorted view of American history, they may erode public trust in institutions and exacerbate social divisions. Their AI connections only add to the concern: if AI is used to manipulate or distort history, it could have lasting consequences for our collective understanding of the past and its impact on the present.
