--- title: "Top AI Researcher Points Out That If Elon Musk Was Rational, He’d Vote for Kamala Harris" description: "\"Godfather\" of AI Yann LeCun has had enough of Elon Musk claiming that electing Kamala Harris would stop humanity from going multi-planetary." date: "2024-11-04" modified: "2024-11-04" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/yann-lecun-elon-musk-vote-harris" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "donald trump" - "elon musk" - "mars" - "multiplanetary species" - "the digest" - "yann lecun" --- # Top AI Researcher Points Out That If Elon Musk Was Rational, He’d Vote for Kamala Harris !["Godfather" of AI Yann LeCun has had enough of Elon Musk claiming that electing Kamala Harris would stop humanity from going multi-planetary.]() *\Image: Chesnot/Getty Images\* ## Chill Pill Earlier this year, multi-hyphenate billionaire Elon Musk raised eyebrows by [making a stunningly stupid claim](): that electing vice president Kamala Harris would result in humanity never reaching Mars. According to his wonky logic, having a convicted felon and former reality TV star — who recently lauded [Musk as being good "in terms of computer"]() — in the White House would allow humanity to become "multi-planetary." That's opposed to Harris, who has chaired the White House's National Space Council for years and has been a [well-respected]() and vocal [advocate]() of NASA. In fact, she [almost picked]() Mark Kelly, a former NASA astronaut, as her running mate. According to Musk, who [spoke at a recent tech conference](), the "biggest impediment to progress that we're experiencing is overregulation," conveniently glossing over the fact that SpaceX has [heavily relied on government contracts]() and support from NASA to stay operational over the years. All that noise has clearly gotten under the skin of the "godfather" of AI Yann LeCun, chief scientist at Meta. "Calm down, dude," he [tweeted]() in response to Musk [claiming]() that "electing Trump is the path" towards such an eventuality. "We will become a multiplanet species regardless of who gets elected," LeCun added. "We will even become a multiplanet species if you die tomorrow." https://twitter.com/ylecun/status/1852460902446178333 ## Scientist Attack LeCun argued that supporting science, research, and education would make "our multiplanet future" happen "faster" if Kamala Harris is elected. The computer scientist also alluded to bizarre [comments Trump made last week](), in which he claimed that universities were being radicalized by "Marxist maniacs and lunatics." Running mate JD Vance has even gone as far as to call on his supporters to "[attack the universities]()." In short, LeCun argued that the reverse of Musk's claims is true: Trump is the anti-science candidate who stands to delay our path toward becoming a multi-planetary species. Besides, as he [argued in a separate tweet](), "getting to Mars ASAP" is a "weird" priority for Musk, considering the [climate crisis]() we're facing back on Earth. LeCun also [pointed out]() that Musk previously [stepped down]() from his role on two of Trump's advisory councils after the former president pulled the United States out of the Paris climate agreement. This time around, however, Musk's commitment to saving the environment has [waned considerably](), conveniently aligning with Trump's [climate denialism](). "Objectively, you are the biggest threat to democracy in America today," LeCun [tweeted]() last week. **More on LeCun:** *[Godfather of AI Blasts Elon Musk]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()