Extraordinary power

The real danger behind Elon Musk’s US data access

Elon Musk simultaneously controls DOGE and his AI company xAI.(Bild: gguy - stock.adobe.com)

Elon Musk's access to sensitive US government databases has raised fears of cyber security vulnerabilities and data breaches. However, according to experts, the real danger lies elsewhere - and could ultimately give the tech billionaire "extraordinary power".

"Move fast and break things" was once Facebook's internal motto. Tech multi-billionaire Musk and his staff at the Government Office for Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE, are likely to have taken a liking to it: Since Trump's inauguration in January, they have been rehearsing cutting red tape with a "chainsaw" and have rapidly gained access to at least seven sensitive federal databases, including those of the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration, mostly in disregard of previous security protocols.

Elon Musk wields the chainsaw as a symbol of the radical reduction in bureaucracy.(Bild: AFP/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

For many observers and citizens, this has raised concerns about data breaches and possible security gaps. However, another problem has received far less attention so far: the possible use of the data to train the artificial intelligence of Elon Musk's company xAI.