Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), and Starlink, is once again shaking up the tech and entertainment world. Musk confirmed Thursday that he’s bringing back the iconic short-form video app Vine—this time powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“We’re bringing back Vine, but in AI form,” Musk wrote on X, his rebranded social media platform, in a post that racked up over 23 million views within hours. This marks the return of a platform that once launched stars like Shawn Mendes, Logan Paul, and Jake Paul, and paved the way for today’s TikTok-style viral culture.
Vine, which Twitter acquired for $30 million in 2012 before Musk’s $44 billion takeover, became a global sensation for its six-second looping videos. It was shut down in 2017 after competition from Instagram and Snapchat, but fan demand never died. Musk even ran a poll in 2022, where 70% of 5 million users voted for Vine’s comeback.
The revival comes as Musk juggles multiple ventures. This week, Tesla opened its first-ever retro-themed Tesla Diner in Los Angeles, complete with Superchargers, two drive-in movie screens, and a classic American menu, with plans to expand globally, including a potential Bay Area location.
Meanwhile, Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet company, faced a brief outage impacting 60,000+ users, underscoring Musk’s relentless push to keep innovation and disruption at the forefront of tech and lifestyle. With AI-driven Vine, Tesla diners, and Starlink’s expanding network, Musk continues to rewrite how people connect, create, and consume in the digital age.
