May 7th 2024.
Throughout his successful career, will.i.am has always been ahead of the curve, especially when it comes to engineering and technology. With a Grammy award under his belt, the talented artist has not only made a name for himself in the music industry but has also shown his keen interest and knack for business and technology. In fact, he was one of the early believers in Tesla, way before Elon Musk took over the company.
Recently, will.i.am shared his vast knowledge and experience in music, business, and technology on N.O.R.E's show "Drink Champs". During the interview, he spoke about the early investments he made in two companies that completely changed his life for the better.
The "Let's Get Started" hitmaker revealed that he had invested in Tesla back in 2006, two years before Elon Musk became the CEO. By the time Musk took control of the company, will.i.am had already moved on to his next venture, co-creating Beats By Dre, which was later acquired by Apple. These two investments have had a significant impact on his life, and he considers both of them to be equally important.
While playing the signature game of "This or That" on "Drink Champs", will.i.am was asked to choose between Elon Musk and Steve Jobs in the tech innovation category. As a Los Angeles native who attended a high school specializing in science, engineering, and mathematics, it's no surprise that his interest in the industry comes naturally to him.
His passion for technology and business has also been incredibly lucrative for will.i.am. As a member of a private investment group, he has a stake in several companies with billion-dollar valuations, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Runaway, and Hugging Face. Not only does he invest in these companies, but he also invents his own tech products. In fact, he was an early entrepreneur in Viv Labs, which was later acquired by Google for a whopping $500 million.
In 2015, will.i.am invested in OpenAI, which was co-founded by billionaires like Reid Hoffman, Elon Musk, and Peter Thiel. This just goes to show his knack for recognizing potential in companies that go on to become massive successes. Most recently, he has backed FYI, an AI-powered productivity app that allows creatives to collaborate and communicate on digital asset management projects.
When asked about the evolution of AI, will.i.am believes that we are on the cusp of a societal redefining. He believes that with the help of new tools and technologies, underserved communities will be able to solve their problems and create new industries, while old industries will have to adapt or be replaced completely. This is a sentiment that is shared by many, including Mark Cuban, who has had great success investing in black-owned businesses on his show "Shark Tank".
All in all, will.i.am's journey in the world of technology and business has been nothing short of remarkable. He has not only made wise investments but has also contributed to the industry by creating his own products. With his keen eye for potential and his passion for innovation, it's safe to say that we can expect to see even more impressive ventures from him in the future.
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