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In a meeting that brought together two of the most talked-about figures in technology and politics, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele visited Tesla’s headquarters in Austin, Texas, for a sit-down with CEO Elon Musk.
Bukele, who is in the United States to attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, shared a video of his visit to the Tesla gigafactory. The clip shows Musk warmly welcoming the president and giving him a tour of the facility.
Following their meeting, Musk took to X to praise Bukele, calling him “an amazing leader.” He elaborated on their conversation, saying, “We talked a lot about the nature of reality, future of humanity and how technology like AI and robotics will affect the world.”
This high-profile meeting comes at a time when El Salvador is increasingly focusing on emerging technologies. Having already made waves by adopting Bitcoin (BTC) as legal tender in 2021, the Central American nation is now setting its sights on artificial intelligence and other tech innovations as potential drivers of economic growth.
The country’s embrace of cutting-edge technology has caught the attention of prominent investors. Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, recently met with Bukele to discuss investment opportunities in El Salvador related to Bitcoin, AI, and other tech innovations. Following their meeting, Wood made a bold prediction, stating that El Salvador’s gross domestic product (GDP) could increase tenfold by 2029.
Wood attributed this potential growth to “President Bukele’s determination to turn El Salvador into an oasis for the Bitcoin and AI communities,” which she described as “two of the biggest economic and technology revolutions in history.”
