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Silicon Valley’s social licence is in jeopardy
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Mr Elon Musk's behaviour and his Grok AI are giving Silicon Valley's tech elite a bad name, says the writer.
PHOTO: EPA
Two stories last week, on opposite sides of the Atlantic, point to the same uncomfortable truth: Silicon Valley is running headlong into a legitimacy crisis of its own making.
The first is a proposed California ballot measure that would levy a one-time 5 per cent tax on the net worth of those who were billionaires living in the state on Jan 1, 2026. It would be due in 2027, with an option to spread payments over five years.


