On August 13, American entrepreneur Elon Musk joked about buying the United Kingdom, presenting himself in the image of the hero from comedic spy films by Austin Powers.
Musk posted on social network X (formerly Twitter) a video created using a neural network that depicted him running away from a crowd of female fans and dancing with residents of the UK. In the video, he was identified as “the man who bought the UK” and also showcased humanoid robots Optimus alongside an unmanned Cybertruck painted in the colors of the British flag—resembling Powers’ car from a series of comedy films.
Earlier on August 12, Musk jokingly inquired about the potential cost of purchasing the UK. This followed his reaction to a satirical article published by the Babylon Bee portal, which claimed he had acquired Britain with the intention of establishing freedom of speech. The article alleged that an “impressive sum” was paid for the country but stated the purchase was justified by the need to spread memes.
