Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak voiced concerns about the increasing political influence of Big Tech and figures like Elon Musk, saying their direct involvement in government is problematic.
Speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 4, 2025, Wozniak criticized the overwhelming power of technology giants, stating that they are “running our lives” and shaping the political landscape in ways that go beyond traditional lobbying.
“Technology companies are huge, and as they’re huge and worth that much money, they have to have some political involvement,” Mr Wozniak acknowledged, pointing to a long history of lobbying.
“But actually taking a direct role… just because they’ve made it big in technology, I don’t like that at all.”
Several Big Tech figures have clung to Mr Donald Trump’s coat-tails as he stormed back to the presidency, such as Mr Peter Thiel, the co-founder of Paypal.
But Mr Wozniak aimed particular criticism at X, Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, a close confidant of Mr Trump who once worked with Mr Thiel at Paypal.
The world’s richest man also heads the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) that has taken an axe to swathes of federal government activity.
“I think that the skills of politics are very different than the skills for technology companies to have success… it doesn’t make sense to run a government like a business,” Mr Wozniak said.
“When you run a business, you look around and you look for a consensus… you negotiate, you compromise,” he added.
“I don’t see that happening in the case of Elon Musk… you don’t just say everything is out and start fresh,” he added.
AFP
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