Tom Carter

Beatrice Nolan

<ul><li>It's been a dramatic year for the tech industry.</li><li>Some tech titans have handled the pressure better than others.</li><li>From public firings to on-stage meltdowns: here are our tech winners and losers for 2023.</li></ul>

Over the past twelve months, we've seen chaos reign at X and a succession-style drama <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/timeline-sam-altman-openai-shock-firing-microsoft-switch-2023-11">play out at OpenAI</a>. Some tech titans have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/caroline-ellison-testify-criminal-trial-ftx-collapse-sam-bankman-fried-2023-9">aired their grievances in open court</a> while others have challenged their rivals to a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-vs-mark-zuckerberg-feud-history-2021-1">physical fight.</a>

From public firings to on-stage meltdowns: here are our tech winners and losers for 2023.

Elon Musk's explosive comments during an interview at the NYT Dealbook Summit have driven advertisers off X en masse.Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

Neuralink founder Elon Musk at The New York Times' Dealbook summit.Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

It's been a tough year for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>.

He was publically <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/musk-faces-consequences-for-calling-antisemitic-tweet-actual-truth-2023-11">accused of supporting</a> an antisemitic post, X is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/30/technology/x-twitter-19-billion-dollars.html#:~:text=X%2C%20the%20company%20formerly%20known,by%20The%20New%20York%20Times.">reportedly worth less than half of the $44 billion </a>he spent on it, and he's in the middle of a custody battle with ex-girlfriend Grimes.

To round off the year, Musk may have finally signed X's death certificate when he told advertisers to go <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tells-advertises-get-lost-twitter-dealbook-summit2023-11">"fuck themselves" mid-interview</a>. The billionaire couldn't even lure old rival Mark Zuckerberg into the ring to fight him: tough break.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson; Arantza Pena Popo/Insider

OpenAI's Sam Altman steps down as CEO of the company. AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson; Arantza Pena Popo/Insider

Not even his <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/timeline-sam-altman-openai-shock-firing-microsoft-switch-2023-11">own board</a> could bring OpenAI boss Sam Altman down this year. Having almost all employees at a company threaten to quit unless you're reinstated as CEO makes you a winner in our book.

After a brief blip, Altman is heading to 2024 with the keys to the AI kingdom.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino.Jerod Harris/Getty Images

Linda Yaccarino on the stage at Vox Media's 2023 Code Conference.Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Vox Media

The question on the entire tech world's mind this year: what is Linda Yaccarino thinking?

Many onlookers expected her to jump ship from X at Musk's first or at least fifth public scandal but the CEO has remained steadfast in support of him.

Yaccarino's worst moment of the year has to be that<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/linda-yaccarino-x-twitter-chaos-elon-musk-2023-10">car crash Code interview</a>. It's still tough to watch.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.Ben Kriemann/Getty Images

Satya Nadella has seen his partnership with OpenAI start to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-generative-ai-race-chatgpt-openai-cashing-in-2023-10" target="_blank">pay off this year</a>.

The Microsoft CEO has overseen the launch of several GPT-backed products. In particular, its productivity tool Copilot has been a hit with users.

After a fair bit of back and forth, Microsoft also came out of the OpenAI drama with a non-voting board seat.

<h2>Sam Bankman-Fried: Loser</h2>

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.Michael M Santiago/Getty Images

FTX cofounder Sam Bankman-Fried faces charges of fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.Michael M Santiago/Getty Images

As if last year wasn't bad enough, the failed crypto boss ended 2023 with a jail sentence brought about in part by his ex-girlfriend. Last we heard the former CEO was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ftx-ftx-trading-fish-in-prison-for-services-crypto-2023-11" target="_blank">trading fish to pay for services</a> in prison.

<h2>Mark Zuckerberg: Winner</h2>

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.Kevin Dietsch/Getty images

Meta has been attempting to cut costs, with Mark Zuckerberg describing 2023 as a "year of efficiency"Kevin Dietsch/Getty images

Mark Zuckerberg has had a serious glow-up this year, training with MMA fighters and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-was-choked-out-during-jiu-jitsu-tournament-2023-6" target="_blank">winning medals in jiu-jitsu tournaments</a>.

He may have missed the opportunity to take on Musk in a cage match, but he was able to capitalize on the Tesla CEO's chaotic Twitter takeover by launching Threads, which amassed 100 million users within a week.

It's not been perfect — Zuckerberg's quest for the Metaverse continues to be a financial black hole, he's faced pushback from employees over layoffs and RTO policies, and Meta is facing multiple lawsuits accusing the company of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/states-sue-meta-allege-facebook-instagram-harm-youth-mental-health-2023-10" target="_blank">failing to protect young users.</a>

But compared to the aura of constant crisis that has engulfed Meta over the past few years, 2023 has been smooth sailing for Zuckerberg.

Former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear.Horacio Villalobos/Getty Images

Emmett Shear has been tapped to be the new CEO of OpenAI, The Information first reported.Horacio Villalobos - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Emmett Shear is our most graceful loser of the year. He may have only spent around 72 hours as OpenAI's CEO but the former Twitch CEO handled the situation with class.

"I'm glad to have been a part of the solution," <a href="https://twitter.com/mwseibel/status/1727323638440079409" target="_blank">he said</a> when Altman's return was announced.

In other news, here are<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-emmett-shear-sam-altman-outlasted-ceo-2023-11" target="_blank"> five things that lasted longer than his stint at OpenAI.</a>

Murati is has expressed support for regulating AI earlier this year.Getty

You wouldn't normally pick someone who was hired and fired as CEO within the space of a weekend as one of the year's winners — but this hasn't been a normal year for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-mira-murati-openai-new-interim-ceo-2023-11" target="_blank">Mira Murati</a>.

The OpenAI CTO shot to prominence thanks to the explosive popularity of ChatGPT, which left tech giants like Google and Meta scrambling to catch up.

After unexpectedly becoming interim CEO when OpenAI's board fired Altman, she played a vital role in keeping the company together and getting Altman back, ultimately returning to her role as CTO when the board caved.

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.Joe Scarnici/Getty Images

The dramatic unraveling of Twitter/X has meant that Evan Spiegel's struggles at rival Snap this year have flown slightly under the radar.

Spiegel, who was once <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/evan-spiegel-ceo-co-founder-snap-life-career" target="_blank">one of the world's youngest billionaires</a>, has seen <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/27/technology/snap-revenue-first-quarter.html" target="_blank">advertising revenues at Snap plunge in 2023</a> despite the app's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/snapchats-my-ai-scary-and-comforting-users-say-evan-spiegel-2023-4" target="_blank">experiments with AI </a>and enduring popularity with young people.

Luckily, he has a plan to turn it around — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/snap-ceo-elon-era-promoting-hardcore-work-culture-report-2023-11" target="_blank">be more like Elon Musk</a>.

Nvidia founder, president and CEO Jensen Huang displays his tattoo in September 2010.Robert Galbraith/Reuters

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has seen <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-net-worth-stock-market-outlook-chatgpt-2023-11" target="_blank">his wealth soar by nearly $30 billion</a> as a result of the company's record-breaking stock rally.

The microchip giant is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-nvidia-h100-hopper-processor-hottest-commodity-2023-8" target="_blank">the hottest commodity in tech right now</a>, with companies across the globe queuing up to buy Nvidia's H100 "Hopper" GPUs, which are vital for training AI models.

The demand for Hoppers has turned Huang, who is known for his unique communication style that includes sending his employees <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-sends-hundreds-emails-staff-daily-2023-11" target="_blank">emails that read like haikus and ransom notes</a>, into one of the most important voices in tech almost overnight.

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, speaking at the company's World conference earlier this year. Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son speaking at Softbank's World event 2023.Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Softbank founder Masayoshi Son's bet on red-hot coworking startup WeWork in 2019 has been an unmitigated disaster.

The embattled office space company finally <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wework-bankruptcy-biggest-startup-failures-ever-vcs-havent-learned-2023-11" target="_blank">collapsed into bankruptcy in 2023</a> after years of financial problems, despite Softbank pumping more than $14 billion into the firm.

Son hasn't let that stop him from diving headfirst into the next big trend, however.

The billionaire investor is shifting his $100bn Vision Fund into "offense mode" as he plots new investments in AI, and is reportedly planning a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-head-iphone-designer-jony-ive-ai-device-openai-report-2023-9" target="_blank">team-up with Sam Altman and iPhone designer Jony Ive</a> to build an AI consumer device. Perhaps he'll have better luck in 2024.

Sam Altman arrives at the Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden for the 2016 Bilderberg Group conference on June 9, 2016, in Dresden, Germany.Sean Gallup/Getty Images

It's been a big year for tech leaders and some have handled the spotlight better than others.

The biggest winners and losers in tech leadership this year

<ul><li>Elon Musk recommended two accounts known for spreading misinformation to his X followers.</li><li>The billionaire suggested the accounts for following the war in Israel in "real-time."&nbsp;</li><li>He deleted the post after 3 hours, but not before it was viewed by 11 million users, per the Post.</li></ul>

In a post to X, formerly Twitter, the billionaire suggested @WarMonitors and @sentdefender "for following the war in real-time." Both accounts spread a false claim that there had been an <a href="https://www.insider.com/ai-generated-hoax-explosion-pentagon-viral-markets-dipped-2023-5">explosion near the White House</a> in May.

Musk deleted the post after three hours, but not before it was viewed by <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/10/08/israel-hamas-disinfo-musk-twitter-x/">11 million users and several news outlets</a>. Musk appeared to take issue with a post by the War Monitor account that referred to Gaza fighters as "martyrs."

<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1711079547037254110">Replying to the post</a>, Musk said: "Martyrs" is not an objective or accurate word, nor is "murdered". The former implies dying for a cause in battle and the latter implies a deliberate attempt to kill those specific people. While reporting both sides is fair, please use maximally accurate words or I must withdraw my recommendation to follow your account."

The War Monitor account has used the word "jew" in a derogatory way, The Washington Post reported, citing a June X post that has since been deleted.

Musk has spent the last few weeks <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-says-hes-aspirationally-jewish-defends-x-antisemitism-reports-2023-9">fighting allegations of antisemitism </a>after a fallout with the Anti-Defamation League over the spread of antisemitic content on X.

Experts have expressed concerns that the platform could be leveraged to spread misinformation about the Israel conflict. X has already faced allegations that it has the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-x-most-active-platform-for-russian-disinformation-2023-9">highest proportion of Russian disinformation</a> of any major social network.

Representatives for X did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal working hours.

Elon Musk likes to be sent information in emails without attachments or spreadsheets in them.Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Elon Musk pointed X followers looking for updates on the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-formally-declares-war-on-hamas-seeks-full-control-gaza-2023-10">Israel-Hamas conflict</a> toward two accounts known for peddling misinformation.

Elon Musk told his 159 million followers to get Israel war updates from accounts that have peddled fake news

"Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary said he didn't believe Twitter was even worth $10 billion and urged Elon Musk to start from scratch if he is to make money on his $44 billion purchase of the social media company.

His advice came shortly after Musk told Twitter he was willing to honor his <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-offers-buy-twitter-at-original-deal-price-report-2022-10">original offer to purchase the social media platform</a> at $54.20 a share.

That comes after months of the Tesla CEO trying to back out of the deal by accusing the site of being riddled with bots and fake accounts. It's also just a few weeks ahead of his courtroom showdown against the company.

But O'Leary expressed doubt over the $44 billion valuation, calling Twitter one of the "most poorly-run social media companies" in the business.

"It is full of bots. It's a poorly run company ... If he's going to take it over, maybe he can get back his $44 billion. I don't think it's worth $10 billion," he told <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0iaXPedGQE">CNBC</a>. "[Twitter] needs new management. I think he should get the whacking stick out if he's going to own it and just clean house and start from scratch. It's just a horrible company."

He estimated that without the hype from Musk's takeover, Twitter stock would actually be worth somewhere between $12 and $15 a share.

O'Leary added that he sold off shares of Twitter in August, as he believed Musk would negotiate a new price of $35 a share before going forward with the deal.

"Musk would be able to thread the needle through litigation, and do the deal for much less. And I don't know why he didn't do that. He didn't have to pay this ridiculous price," O'Leary said.

Television personality and businessman Kevin O'Leary.

'Shark Tank' investor Kevin O'Leary says Twitter isn't even worth $10 billion and Elon Musk should start from scratch if he wants to make his money back

Elon Musk is out of the $200 billion club after <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsla-stock">Tesla</a> shares slid 7% on Tuesday.

Musk's wealth dropped 5.4% to $193 billion as the electric carmaker's share price fell, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-24/elon-musk-drops-out-of-200-billion-club-again-as-tesla-tumbles">Bloomberg</a> - which means he lost $11.1 billion in a single day.

Tesla is down 41% year-to-date, as the tech sector has sold off more broadly. It's fallen just under 38% since <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-to-buy-twitter-board-accepts-44-billion-2022-4?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">Musk struck a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion last month</a>.

Musk has stirred controversy since the prospective takeover was announced by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/musk-suggests-cut-to-twitter-price-calls-bot-figure-suspicious-2022-5#:~:text=Musk%20suggested%20cutting%20%2444%20billion,bot%20figure%20%22very%20suspicious.%22">threatening to cut his offer based on the number of bots on the social media platform</a>. The ongoing uncertainty appears to have dented Tesla's value.

"This circus show has been a major overhang on Tesla's stock," Wedbush's Dan Ives said in a note on Monday. "Musk is facing a fork-in-the-road situation in which he has to decide his next step in this soap opera, as Tesla investor patience is wearing very thin."

Musk has already dropped out of the $200 billion club twice this year <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-net-worth-below-200-billion-tesla-stock-2022-2">once in February</a> and then again in March. Stock market rallies pushed him back over that threshold on both occasions.

Musk's net worth is now the lowest it's been since last August, according to the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">Bloomberg Billionaires Index</a>. He's lost just under $78 billion this year, but is still comfortably the world's richest person.

Musk is $65 billion richer than Jeff Bezos, who has lost $65 billion this year, with <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/amzn-stock">Amazon</a> down 38% year-to-date. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/lvmhf-stock">LVMH</a> chairman Bernard Arnault and Indian industrialist Gautam Adani are also all worth over $100 billion.

Elon Musk's net worth has fallen below $200 billion for the first time since March as Tesla stocks continue to drop.

Elon Musk is no longer part of the $200 billion club as Tesla's stock continues to slide — but he's still comfortably the richest person in the world

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Beatrice Nolan

Articles written by the author

The biggest winners and losers in tech leadership this year

Elon Musk told his 159 million followers to get Israel war updates from accounts that have peddled fake news

'Shark Tank' investor Kevin O'Leary says Twitter isn't even worth $10 billion and Elon Musk should start from scratch if he wants to make his money back

Elon Musk is no longer part of the $200 billion club as Tesla's stock continues to slide — but he's still comfortably the richest person in the world