September 9, 2025, Oracle co-founder and Executive Chairman Larry Ellison briefly claimed the title of the world’s richest person, overtaking Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk. The sudden shift came after Oracle’s shares skyrocketed nearly 39% in a single day, powered by soaring demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and cloud computing. Ellison’s massive 41% stake in Oracle surged in value to approximately $388 billion, pushing his net worth ahead of Musk’s estimated $384 billion, according to Bloomberg and the Financial Times.
The surge reflects a broader trend in global markets: investors are betting big on companies that can provide the backbone for the AI revolution. Oracle, traditionally known for its databases, has aggressively repositioned itself as a major player in AI-driven cloud services. The strategy appears to be paying off, as the company secures major contracts and attracts investor confidence. Ellison’s rise to the top of the wealth rankings is therefore more than just a personal milestone — it’s a signal of how the AI boom is reshaping the balance of power in the tech industry.
However, Ellison’s stay at the very top was short-lived. By the end of the trading day, Oracle’s stock slipped slightly, allowing Musk to regain his lead. This volatility highlights how fragile and fleeting such titles can be, especially when they are tied so closely to the unpredictable swings of the stock market. Still, even a temporary leap over Musk underscores the enormous financial upside tied to AI and cloud infrastructure — sectors expected to define the next decade of technological growth.
The Ellison–Musk wealth flip is more than just a headline about billionaires; it’s a reflection of the accelerating AI race and its ripple effects across industries. As corporations and governments pour billions into AI adoption, companies like Oracle, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google stand to benefit massively. Whether Ellison reclaims and holds onto the crown again will depend on Oracle’s ability to sustain its momentum in this fiercely competitive landscape. One thing is clear: the world’s wealth leaderboard will increasingly mirror the winners and losers of the AI revolution.