Oracle's Ellison Overtakes Musk as World's Richest Person

Oracle's Ellison Overtakes Musk as World's Richest Person
Above: Larry Ellison in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 3, 2025. Image copyright: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Oracle's meteoric rise demonstrates that the company has cracked the code on AI infrastructure, a feat that its competitors are still struggling to master. The $455 billion in bookings highlights genuine demand from the biggest names in AI who need Oracle's superior cloud services. This isn't just a stock bubble — it's recognition that Oracle built the right technology at the right time.

Establishment-critical narrative

This massive stock surge looks suspiciously like AI hype driving unrealistic valuations rather than sustainable business fundamentals. Oracle's sudden jump from $138 billion to $455 billion in bookings in just three months raises serious questions about whether these highly speculative, possibly inflated contracts will actually materialize into real, dependable revenue anytime soon.

Cynical narrative

The obscene concentration of wealth has reached new heights as Oracle's Larry Ellison overtakes Elon Musk as the world's richest person. This isn't innovation rewarded — it's AI-fueled market euphoria enriching a select few while economic inequality deepens. Valuations soar on hype, not fundamentals, and billions funnel upward as everyday people struggle with stagnant wages and rising costs.

Metaculus Prediction



The Controversies



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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.15.2

© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.15.2