The well known Apple co founder recently spoke about Elon Musk and the rise of Tesla, recounting a personal sense of being treated unfairly by the company. In an interview with The Street, he drew a sharp contrast between the way Musk and Steve Jobs are perceived and the more down to earth approach he believes he and his family deserved. The gist of his message centers on how rapid fame in technology can blur ethical lines for some leaders and cast a shadow over straightforward business dealings.
Wozniak singled out the ability of certain leaders to command attention and cultivate a devoted following. He placed Jobs and Musk in the same broad category of public figures who communicate with intensity and seek to be seen as pivotal figures, almost cultlike in their influence. He did not deny the charisma involved, but he challenged the idea that such charisma alone justifies every strategic choice or every consequence that follows from it. The Apple co founder has long valued candor and straightforward living, a stance he says stands in opposition to what he sees in the Musk era at Tesla.
According to Wozniak, many people gravitate to these personalities regardless of what is said or shown by them. He argues that followers often overlook critical scrutiny, driven by a trust in the persona rather than the practicality of the claims. In his view, authenticity is a rare trait in the high-stakes world of tech leadership, and he believes Musk has fallen short on that front on more than one occasion. This perspective forms a central theme in his critique of the drivers behind Tesla’s momentum and perceived potential.
Reflecting on the relationship with Tesla, Wozniak notes that a sense of honesty was compromised. He recounts money concerns tied to events in which his family felt financially affected by actions associated with Tesla and Musk. He says there were statements made that the family believed to be true but that, in his view, did not align with actual outcomes. This experience has colored his view of the company’s promises and the trust that investors and ordinary people place in high-profile tech ventures.
Historically, Wozniak points out that his involvement with Tesla began in 2016 as a stakeholder and supporter. He recalls Musk’s ambitious spend on upgrading the electric car that was projected to debut features that would redefine autonomy. The plans included multiple cameras and specialized sensors; the expectation was a fully realized autopilot system. When those promises did not materialize on the timelines discussed, it became a focal point of Wozniak’s critique. The discrepancy between aspiration and delivery, he argues, raises questions about accountability and the way milestones are communicated to the public and to shareholders alike.
In Wozniak’s words, there is a sense of betrayal he associates with the way nonworking features were presented. He uses the term healingly charged personal language to describe what he views as misrepresentation and a mismatch between declared goals and practical results. The overarching claim is that the relationship between Musk’s public persona and Tesla’s actual product development created a gap that affected not only supporters but also people who trusted the process and the promises around technology advancement.
One striking assertion from the interview concerns the idea of wealth and status in the tech sphere. The discussion touched on the possibility of tremendous wealth becoming a marker of leadership legitimacy, and how that can distort judgment when pushing a project forward. The takeaway for readers is a reminder that ambitious tech programs require not only bold vision but also transparent and verifiable progress that aligns with the expectations of those who invested time and money into the venture, and with ordinary consumers who believed in the potential for real, tangible improvements in their daily lives. In Wozniak’s view, honesty remains a guiding compass—an attribute he argues Musk seems to have mislaid during the Tesla era.
As the conversation turns to the broader implications for the tech industry, the Apple co founder’s stance invites reflection on how success stories are told and remembered. He suggests that leadership should be measured by accountability and consistency, not merely by public charisma or the ability to secure funding. The narrative he presents is less about erasing the achievements of Musk or Jobs and more about emphasizing a standard of candor that protects both investors and the public from overpromising outcomes. The episode underscores a larger question facing tech leaders today: how to balance ambition with honesty in a climate that rewards spectacle as much as substance. The Street’s coverage frames this as a conversation about responsibility, trust, and the long arc of innovation that must justify every claim with verifiable results.