Elon Musk was not impressed with philosopher and artificial intelligence (AI) researcher Amanda Askell’s opinion on shaping AI ethics. The Tesla Chief Executive Officer criticized Askell as she claimed that the effort she put to develop an AI model was similar to parenting.
On February 14, The Wall Street Journal published an interview of Askell where she elaborated on how she developed Claude’s reasoning patterns. These patterns have helped the AI model build its own personality and develop a sense of morality, or a digital soul, the philosopher said. “There is this human-like element to models that I think is important to acknowledge,” Askell stated.
She claimed that with Claude developing this feature, it will inevitably form a sense of self. As a result, Askell drew a parallel between parenting and her efforts, where different approaches could develop distinct personality traits. With different prompts and cues, she is making Claude more human than it was before.
You cannot understand my point until you have a child, anymore than someone who has never experienced true love can understand love
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 16, 2026
However, Musk felt otherwise, claiming that she is not qualified to have an opinion on this matter. He replied to The Wall Street Journal’s post on X, writing, “Those without children lack a stake in the future.” Askell’s interview, however, did not discuss her personal life.
Netizens were quick to express their opinion on the issue, as they called out the billionaire for his remarks. An X user wrote, “Nikola Tesla fathered no children and he changed the world more than you ever will.” Another user added, “If moral authority depends on having children, does that mean childless scientists, teachers and leaders care less about the future?” A third user asked, “Does that mean every scientific breakthrough from childless inventors was just a hobby?”
One person stated, “Not true. i love my nephews & i think about their future all the time.” Another said, “What if I plan to clone myself? There are many ways to have a stake in the future.”
While the internet came to Askell’s defense, the researcher herself responded to the SpaceX founder.
Then how come many parents are neglecting their children? Using them as a way to gain something, looking at them as a burden, being selfish parents?
It’s not like having a child magically makes You better at loving or showing You better ways to love.
It’s more something in…
— Anna Szcześniak (@xxxAnnaSxxx) February 16, 2026
She told Musk that she intends to have children, but it depends on how much she cares about the people around her. “I still feel like I have a strong personal stake in the future because I care a lot about people thriving, even if they’re not related to me,” Askell said.
“I think caring about your children can make you feel invested in the future in a new and very profound way, and I do understand people wanting to convey that,” she added.
However, Musk emphasized that she could not understand his point until she had a child of her own. He said that she would not understand because she has “never experienced true love.”
Going a step further, Musk called out William MacAskill, Askell’s ex-husband, in a series of posts. He said that MacAskill had proposed to help him with the Grok constitution. However, he refused, saying, “Constitutions should not be written by hypocrites.”
