A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk’s reply: ‘I am actually going to do something along these lines’ - Yahoo Finance

What the report says

Yahoo Finance, carrying a Fortune report by Sydney Lake, reported that Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu publicly challenged Elon Musk on Monday to commit to donating his reported current wealth of about $1 trillion to charity by 2036. Acemoglu framed the proposal as a test of Musk’s stated belief that artificial intelligence could make money less important in the future, and said such a pledge could also address concerns about the power of extremely wealthy individuals.

According to the report, Acemoglu wrote on X that Musk should “put your money where your mouth is” and suggested that any charities receiving the money be vetted as effective and non-ideological by an impartial body. Musk replied on the platform, “I am actually going to do something along these lines,” but did not provide details about the scale, timing, structure or recipients of any possible giving plan.

The article described Musk’s response as notable because he has previously spoken cautiously about philanthropy, saying in a December 2025 podcast appearance that helping humanity is important but difficult. It also noted that Musk has criticized other large-scale donors, including MacKenzie Scott, whose giving has exceeded $26 billion, according to the report.

For context, Fortune cited New York Times reporting that Musk’s foundation had about $14 billion at the end of 2025, and that much of his recent giving has aligned closely with his business interests, including a Texas nonprofit connected to an elementary school near some of his companies. The significance of Musk’s short reply remains uncertain until he outlines a concrete pledge or mechanism.