Elon Musk's approach to problem-solving | Lex Fridman Podcast

[@LexClips]

Full podcast episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZPOanWfhc2gbdE Lex Fridman podcast channel: kzbin.info Guest bio: Elon Musk is CEO of Neuralink, SpaceX, Tesla, xAI, and CTO of X. DJ Seo is COO & President of Neuralink. Matthew MacDougall is Head Neurosurgeon at Neuralink. Bliss Chapman is Brain Interface Software Lead at Neuralink. Noland Arbaugh is the first human to have a Neuralink device implanted in his brain.

[@willlinke2849]

The universe is the trolling goat

[@miraculixxs]

Musk's Problem Solving Algorithm is 1. Make requirements less dumb, i.e, reduce to the "one" purpose 2. Delete everything in the system that is not absolutely needed 3. Re-add what is still needed. If you don't have anything to re-add you did not delete enough. 4. Speed it up, make more efficient 5. Automate Often smart engineers start by automating. There is no point in automating something that should not be there. Start by deleting.

[@michaelanthony4750]

thank you

[@mka1717]

Thank you

[@mka1717]

⁠you’re a hero to all mankind.

[@lakshminarayanannandakumar1286]

Thanks. Saved me a ton of time.

[@thanatosor]

1. Singleton Purpose 2. Remove unnecessary 3. Re-Add what's needed 4. Optimize 5. Automate Nothing new indeed.

[@malemaline]

That's profound "most common mistake engineers make is to optimize a thing that doesn't need to exist."

[@karinamesty9833]

Musk's Effective Problem-Solving Algorithm: 1. Simplify Requirements: Strip down the requirements to their core purpose, eliminating any unnecessary complexity. 2. Eliminate Redundancies: Remove every element from the system that isn’t essential to its primary function. 3. Reassess Necessities: Reintroduce only what’s truly necessary. If nothing needs reintroduction, consider whether you removed enough in the previous step. 4. Enhance Efficiency: Optimize the remaining system to be faster and more efficient. 5. Automate: Only automate processes after the system has been streamlined. Automating unnecessary elements is counterproductive. Remember, automation should come last-there’s no value in automating what shouldn’t exist in the first place. Start by simplifying and removing.

[@letsfly662]

Thanks for the breakdown

[@ppolleunus]

“It seems that perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to remove.” - Antoine de Saint Exupéry

[@jeffkeim5865]

So being humble when problem solving is the key element to solving it.

[@KCEnriquez]

spot on!

[@savedfaves]

Exactly. You must be humble to know when a design has worensed the user's experience of your product. Such as having nicer physical turn stalks, a physical drive mode selector, and superior physical climate dials. You can make said dials push-for-multi-use (with a small circular display on each dial to show current function and setting) retaining much of the cabin minimalism Tesla is known for while improving the experience for driver and passengers. Less is not always more. A room without furniture is more minimal but will often be a worse experience. Design is about tradeoffs and IMHO Tesla often makes some truly questionable ones.

[@regolith1350]

"Gray matter is the computer. White matter is the cabling." Elon has a unique ability to cut through linguistic clutter and present ideas in clear, memorable terms.

[@bemon31416]

question/dumb down the requirements try to delete the most you can of the process optimize/simplify any given thing can be sped up automation

[@themoneymaker03]

420

[@carlettoburacco9235]

I work as a consultant and software developer for industry. The real sequence I encounter with customers these days is: - Dumb requests. I have to sit through endless meetings explaining why eggs are rounded and bricks are squared. - Wanting to add useless features just for the sake of it ( only to prove that my interlocutors deserve their salary) - Wanting to see an optimized prototype as soon as the specifications are finished before even starting. - When there is a minor problem that can only happen if the system is misused on purpose in a particular situation once every 10 years you have to change everything to solve that problem, which has become the most important thing in the universe. (back to prove that my interlocutors deserve their salary.) - rinse and repeat If I find a client like Elon I work for him just for the pleasure of doing it ( and to save my mental stability.)

[@oleg1628]

I feel your pain

[@carlettoburacco9235]

@@oleg1628 So you know what the raise of the berserker rage feels like when a meeting starts with the "managers" saying: "We don't have the slightest idea what you do or how you do it but we have a series of "SERIOUS SUGGESTIONS" on what to do and how to do it."

[@robbie_]

"specmanship" is a real thing in software. Often you have to compete with the feature list of your competitors, even if those features are next to useless for the overall system. We have so many things in our software that complicate the code and UI that customers almost never use. If one customer does, you have to implement it to secure continuing business.

[@brookss2141]

Makes me rethink my process of problem solving.

[@louieschwartz]

Always try to remove something before optimising it.. that's what I took from the video anyway

[@mattm6178]

Remember that movie with Chris rock? Crazy how down to earth Elon remains. It will always bring me positive vibes. 10 figure man giggling from 420 puns lolol .Hell of an episode lex.Its actually commendable

[@andrewsirmans7119]

12 figure man

[@zrienkersh1475]

Can we get some examples/case studies of how this algorithm was applied to real problems and each step?

[@swaminathan_r1]

Why?

[@supanovaninja]

Yes please, I would like to have an exact scenario this was applied to.

[@cayjutler1262]

Twitter 😂😂😂

[@stephenthumb2912]

The key here is he is the business and engineering. Over adding features is what business always tries to do.

[@shutinalley]

I think the time spent for the process is worth it. It's like it sharpens your soul.

[@gelatinousnub]

Making prototypes takes wicked creativity but production takes keen insight into all the working parts of the manufacturing process and excellent communication.

[@geoffl]

this is gold for entrepreneurs

[@MetaphoricMinds]

Use 0:32 as a guide. In case I never get to make it, here is my idea. A fractal compute resource for an exponential reasoning algorithm. In the center, is the interactive interface who gathers information from it's immediate branches. For simplicity sake, imagine an interface in the middle with 4 vector databases that are constantly updated. Those processors each have 3 additional neurons (always 4 in total) that also have specific jobs and roles to contribute to the overall awareness of the main interface. 4 levels with 4 neurons each provide 196 general purpose computes to feed the final interface model. That model could hold and improve the culmination of knowledge and ability, and possibly, awareness. example, layer one: interface, Layer 2: emotional observation, current events live, current task, and personality. Each of those synapses would be fed by further calculations and so on. I'm unsure of the structure to use as I don't fully know the structure of truth, but perhaps this could lead to a controlled blissful existence where we can all find fulfillment. Maybe I'm just an overthinking techy. Or maybe I'm just wanting to building something cool to solve a problem we don't know exists yet. 🤷‍♂👨‍💻

[@MetaphoricMinds]

I understand "Infinite Intelligence" may not be an exact representation, and I should probably try to resist exaggeration. By Infinite, what I really mean is, a continuing upward, toward the vision held by who and what we become along the way.

[@Jake90059]

You use a lot of intermediate big words to put your idea across, that’s not an idea it’s a theory. An idea should be simple enough for a 8 year old to understand. Simplify your verbal output

[@MetaphoricMinds]

@@Jake90059 No.

[@justathought274]

Elon really thinks before he speaks. Listens. So measured in his delivery. Wisdom.

[@MrMorepower71]

I love the clip channel. You trim them at a great spot.

[@MrJjthecronfan]

2:25 lex - go to the supercomputer cluster and delete it , (laughs) Elon- (serious) Yea delete it

[@kalaakaalam9461]

I love the system of filtration. The podcasters like lexx and rogan.

[@FRM101]

the pause before answering tells you everything ...

[@mixedbyicecoldgoon]

MY GUY. 6:30 STAY BLAZINNNNNNNNN 420

[@lakshaynz]

The clip wasn't high quality.

[@tribalkoala]

I do the same, and feel torn to even miss the process work and unsure of my final product. But also don’t want to clutter and want to put out relevant work, but it’s also very entertaining and fun but upsetting also 😊

[@BangaloreYoutube]

Man said delete whats causing errors and stuck to it 😎

[@joshshepherd5660]

100,000 GPU's each with a fiber optic cable running from it to a hub/server/switch that can allow data transfer uuuuuber quickly from one gpu to another...Probably a looooot of heat and subsequent cooling going on there. I cant imagine what that looks like but im sure its impressive.

[@1flash3571]

Elon said that the power coming in were going up and down too much for the power grid. That was a problem that they need to fix.

[@joshshepherd5660]

@1flash3571 Right. I have no doubt about that. There is a significant issue power factor correction when you have a lot of sudden changes in your inductive load on a large system like what they likely have. You either upgrade the GRID power supply side orrrrrrrr you will be buying a whoooole bunch of capacitance/power factor correction units. (They are just unitized drop-in scalable capacitor banks that I think also have some line/load filtering.) They will get it figured out, plenty of sharp people working at ol Tesla/whatever the GrokAi company is called.

[@d3cryptk33p3r]

​@@1flash3571I always get confused when a guest says one thing and then lex says something completely different.

[@1flash3571]

@@d3cryptk33p3r Not sure why you would get confused? It looks like you realize that both the guest and the host lex sometimes says something different....So, why would you get confused????? If he doesn't directly answer the question asked, then you need to figure out what both are actually saying and see if the question was answered.......

[@d3cryptk33p3r]

@@1flash3571 if I asked someone what color is the sky and they replied it is raining outside, it is not a stretch to be confused by that. But I guess based on your response you wouldn't be confused and would instead be trying to understand why they answered that way.

[@weweresubtle]

edit I really wish Elon would have kept his promises about "ecological paradise" close to the land he purchased around Austin. It wouldn't take that much money to make him the city's hero.

[@aggiesoft]

Elon's problem-solving / simplification process: 1. Try to delete the entirely - if possible 2. Question the requirements - Reduce the number of requirements - if possible (make the question the least wrong possible) (If you're not forced to put back at least 10% of what you're deleting, you're not deleting enough of it.) 3. Optimize it or simplify it 4. Any given thing can be sped up - but don't speed it up until you've tried to delete it and optimize it 5. Automate it

[@MOTIVATIONBYDAR]

I just realized how so many of us are actually visual learners because even though i understood everything he said it is still theory unless i can see this being done in a real life in actions step by step to see how the process would look like in action.

[@chrislee176]

speak to ≠ speak about 'speak to' = 'serves as testament confirming' Ex: The mother's heroic actions speak to her love for her child.

[@Myk4my]

that was very helpful...

[@jaydee11.11]

You xan tell of a Design is good if it has been optimized well.

[@GavinDavies-y8w]

I figured out everything last night how stupid we all are, maybe humans dont need the truth maybe your right in what you are about to do.

[@kunalpatil7706]

what deletion is he talking about?

[@MEET__FF]

Ghanta samjh nahi aati inki English

[@ethanritco1265]

​@@MEET__FF racist ?😂

[@jaidenBenzz]

Interesting talk

[@pierre-louisdrevon2213]

finding an inertia in power distribution...

[@Buzz_Kill71]

Don lemon's interview was much better...😮😂

[@i_dont_live_here]

I’ve been dealing with some power jitters too.

[@ttilley954]

Amazing !

[@Philbos]

Elon is a unique individual that has an intricate Brain on him , Space X , Tesla , Neuro link , X , all the side projects that go on with all of these things and problem solving . No normal human could handle the stress of just one of these projects, also father of 11 children , any normal person couldn't handle this , love him - hate him ... He's here , he's great and he's not backing down. He is someone I strive to be. I will be great like Elon I also have something wrong in my Brain It causes me deep sadness the more i understand

[@maizegod6840]

Glazing hard

[@Adamethyst]

​@@maizegod6840got nothing nice to say don't say it all buddy

[@green8026]

@@maizegod6840 you are a tear. you're a tear itself.

[@green8026]

@@maizegod6840 you're not crying. You are *crying itself*. YOU are the very act. that encapsulates the TOTALITY of you. composed of crying itself.

[@czsq1]

So nice to relate to some wisdom for a change.

[@Me-lj1rk]

I love Elon when he speaks to his process of problem solving, engineering, ideas...they are SO, interesting and embrace creating a better world. I hate Elon when he speaks about Trump. Oh, well...maybe, he will eventually, "delete" that type of thinking...haha

[@Omikoshi78]

I want this guidance from the VP/Director driving the engineering teams. I'll take advice on where to bet on a roulette table from this guy though. He knows where to place bets when you have a big bankroll.

[@RickySupriyadi]

at this rate i can't imagine world balance without elon musk and....?

[@marcusjpotter]

Well said.

[@CommonVisionUS]

~~~ Sophia and creation : Lex is set to become the Light of Set~~~

[@juanabosch7827]

MENTE EXTRAORDINARIA EL🎉N BAB🎉LON GEN🎉AL

[@--Singularity--]

That goes with goverment that deleting. Delete, put 10% back.

[@Astroponicist]

Forgive his faults & thank him for the good that he does. Encourage the good to the point where the bad is descheduled.

[@SakeenaJafari]

Please don't delete cyber truck I love it

[@aroemaliuged4776]

And then they were too fast My tree was sniggering at me because I was bullied by a multitude of silicon chips

[@Dragonfruits_]

I realized the simplification thing when note taking or brain storming. I tried to write everything in my thoughts when I finally realized my mind automatically associates big ideas with simple words.

[@Reniapoluan13Poluan]

Problem???. Solusion problem.. Agar supaya dekat Lord.😂

[@samrichardson2641]

My mind instantly went to video editing with this concept of “if you’re not putting ten percent of what you delete back in you’re not deleting enough” and optimizing something that should just be deleted. I’ll edit a ten second clip down to 2 three second clips, watch it back, and delete those too once I watch the whole thing back.

[@p.treyben5567]

Cool… my mind immediately went to SharePoint sites. I will build an initial rough draft and then delete after a few days as I have a fresh idea and can now see the flow of the site.

[@MaxPowerRob]

This is basically just Arista Networks $ANET

[@doc2590]

I agree with Musk, but we need a UBI so people who lose their jobs don't end up homeless.

[@thecoolnessification]

Love learning from Elon I learn like 10 things from every interview he does today I learned 1 How much power 10 megawatts is 2 Found out power jitter is a real technical thing not just used to describe how people act with too much caffeine 3 Learning how RDMA networking allows for faster data transfer because it skips the CPU downside is it's very expensive but it's Space X so haha 4 The roles of grey vs white matter in our brains 5 Dont prematurely pop champagne corks when you are close to finish line you might jinks yourself hahaha

[@giuliobellini8597]

If you know Lex you are two degrees of separation from anyone

[@haudace]

Weird thought deleting a process. Wouldn't work for critical / essential services, you can't just add those back in later 🤷.

[@ScottBrown-zz4sk]

ELON MUSK BUILT A SCARE CROW IN HIS BACKYARD 😱 PURE GENIUS 👌 😅

[@KCEnriquez]

optimise the things that should not exist is probably the worse

[@djezysdjezys148]

Where is boring company?

[@geetalagad1835]

it seems he tried to apply that on Twitter!

[@savedfaves]

Tesla are great at making things more minimal, but not always good at making things a better experience. Give Elon a soup spoon, a soup plate, and a pot of soup and he'd remove the bowl and the spoon for a more minimal but annoying soup eating experience.

[@mojo_ski]

Elon musk makes me happy 😢 I don’t know every time he giggles. I should be laughing or not. But I’m shitting my ass. As I write this comment. But that’s pretty intense. What he saying. 😅

[@mojo_ski]

I’m so fascinated and inspired by what he saying and it’s absolutely observed that no one’s paying attention to this as much they should be

[@CommonVisionUS]

~~~ Making Rose 🌹 water~~~

[@origenward3845]

Mandala

[@Ilovelife20101]

Awe my dear Elon, please remember his Divine Grace Sai Baba said: "Develop truth and love and then you need not even pray to be granted this and that. Everything will be added unto you unasked." Peace be with you dear Elon. One love always 🙏🕊💜🕉✡️⚛️☪️☯️✝️🕉

[@maidung1825]

3:12

[@sreeram483]

Twitter as subject changed on brand name but when will see tweet missing away to more advanced word in X platform

[@Chris-gm4hk]

Should've deleted the Cybertruck.

[@ethanritco1265]

I think we should delete this comment section.... smfh

[@iamkapilkalra]

Why?

[@CommonVisionUS]

Fine. Then. What time were I born Star Ich

[@Jackson-l3r]

Which system does Elon’s actions represent? The dishonest will be drawn to the centralized and the honest drawn to decentralized. The centralized systems, often characterized by control and manipulation, may attract those who are comfortable with or benefit from such environments. These systems can offer opportunities for those who exploit the lack of transparency or accountability. In contrast, decentralized systems, which are built on principles of transparency, fairness, and integrity, naturally appeal to those who value honesty and openness. Individuals who are committed to ethical practices and seek a more equitable system are likely to be drawn to decentralized models. This differentiation helps to highlight the inherent values of each system, with decentralized systems potentially fostering a community of individuals and organizations aligned with principles of honesty and trust.

[@HieronymusLudo]

Imagine taking this approach to government and societal problems...

[@foxdenham]

Question for bright folk out their?... Does the fact, that our brain functions like quantum-level computer, mean that it functions (in the main) on an atomic level?

[@ElonMuskDailyLife]

Watching this one and then one i watched with crackhead and drunk Jordan Peterson, i mean what a relief and professionalism.

[@Chatisthisrealquestionmark]

if you have a problem. just throw money at it and it eventually get fixed.

[@sarahcarder7076]

Yes you can be a billionaire and a loser at the same time

[@andrewrozario5127]

Cybertruck owl shirt and now the owl again on his shirt. Did Elon join Bohemian Grove?

[@famiymanpodcast8022]

This how we fix our Government...

[@pablop46]

its a good thing to stop and think before saying something. feels like elon does that all the time.

[@mitchf.6990]

Apply these steps to your life.

[@alanpower8234]

This is Elon at his best. Should get out of politics and twitter/x and do what he excels at.

[@natayachantakasamkun1004]

❤❤❤😊😊😊

[@kathleenisidorio2840]

4:20 👏👏🍾🥂

[@MoOuzoun]

I ove you my brother ❤ I been trying to contact so many time about some things important plz I have to talk to you

[@Beatzone69]

Verify this!

[@CommonVisionUS]

I was born at that time. Wtf

[@w3whq]

Hey Lex...you are just a rubber stamp for the status quo.

[@WANOS123]

He acts like a Biden supporter😂

[@solar75wind]

What should he do differently ?

[@CommonVisionUS]

White and red

[@makeadifference4all]

How can Musk be so insightful about engineering yet so dumb about the things he posts about on X?

[@stephenholmgren405]

100 years from now, when kids are asked which historical figure they would choose to time travel to meet - It will be Elon not Jesus 😅

[@RichardGolD-wz3is]

Yoo Freshman, y'all gwana need Boorger N Cola Cola dude? How's abot Deliverance

[@haske_]

Crazy how you could have said Mohammed but chose to say Jesus… 😊 He loves you.

[@Amenti_H]

_Super easy: make bullshit promises and add "it's very easy, and profound!"_

[@МарияГаврилова-ж2й]

❤❤

[@MrRicardowill]

❤Musk sounds very unsure in his response to problem solving. I think the first step to problem solving is to identify the problem in less than 10 words and then look at the solutions.

[@Zrokool123]

He looks tired.

[@leonniceday6807]

He probably is. And he is aging; he can no longer recover that fast from staying till late at night to solve problems - habbit from youth.

[@MOliveira-m5h]

It involves money, and a hell of a lot of people. He doesn't think like a cuban for example with the never dying classic cars. It's not small business design. Small business is you're trying to avoid being dependent on large corporations or big machines, or lots of people. It's avoiding unions on a small level. People who group together like real estate agents, lawyers, and bankers are just trying to con you. They're lazy and looking for easy jobs. It's like BJJ or Judo. If it's super popular it's going to be planet fitness and be completely fake. It will turn into pillow fighting. It's sapateiros. that's why they always say that. Portuguese have old stuff like port wine and they stomp it with their feet, starting to add machines or they have a sardine factory where they still cut it by hand. If you don't want to do that you're a sapateiro. There is an economic conflict I saw on the internet where they have Lithium deposits in the same place where they've been free ranging cattle for artisan cheese for a very long time. It's kind of stupid because it's not them that caused environmental harm. I know cows produce methane but that ain't do it. you're harassing fred flintstone with environmental crap.

[@asdsad17]

so, why tesla cars have so many useless "features"? electric door handle, lock, doors, boot, seat. if any of it broke you're screwed.