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

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:

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.

PODCAST INFO:

SOCIAL:

[LexClips]

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.

[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.

[karinamesty]

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.

[jeffkeim]

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

[bemon]

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

[regolith]

"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.

[carlettoburacco]

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.)

[brookss]

Makes me rethink my process of problem solving.

[mattm]

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

[gelatinousnub]

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

[zrienkersh]

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

[malemaline]

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

[MrMorepower]

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

[stephenthumb]

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.

[justathought]

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

[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. 🤷‍♂👨‍💻

[MrJjthecronfan]

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

Elon- (serious) Yea delete it

[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

[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 😊