Musk Expands Business Footprint in Saudi Arabia with Starlink Approval, Hints at Tesla and Robot Ventures

In a significant expansion of his global business interests, Elon Musk announced that Saudi Arabia has approved SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service for aviation and maritime use during a high-profile investment forum in Riyadh attended by U.S. President Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I’d also like to thank the kingdom for approving Starlink for maritime and aviation use,” Musk said during the White House-led investment forum, as he shared the stage with Saudi officials.

The approval comes amid a broader push to strengthen U.S.-Saudi economic ties, with Musk’s announcement coinciding with President Trump’s visit to the kingdom where multiple deals were struck, including commitments from Saudi Arabia to invest in the United States.

Beyond Starlink, Musk revealed ambitious plans to potentially bring Tesla’s autonomous vehicle technology to Saudi Arabia. When asked about robotaxis by a Saudi moderator, Musk responded enthusiastically: “I think it would be very exciting to have autonomous vehicles here in the kingdom.”

The Saudi moderator promptly confirmed: “You heard it here from Elon. He’s bringing his robotaxi to the kingdom.”

Musk’s visit also included a demonstration of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots to both President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “We just showed several of our Tesla Optimus robots to his highness and President Trump, and I think they were very impressed,” Musk noted, adding that “one of our robots did the Trump dance” to the song “YMCA.”

The tech billionaire painted an ambitious vision for the future of humanoid robotics, suggesting they could fundamentally transform global economies. “My prediction actually for humanoid robots is that ultimately there will be tens of billions,” Musk said. “I think everyone will want to have their own personal robot. You can think of it as though you had your own personal C3PO or R2-D2, but even better.”

Musk further elaborated on the economic implications: “Once you have humanoid robots, the actual economic output potential is tremendous. It’s really unlimited. Potentially we could have an economy 10 times the size of the current global economy.”

In addition to Starlink, robotaxis, and humanoid robots, Musk also suggested that his tunneling company, The Boring Company, could help address urban congestion in Saudi cities. “Tunnels in order to solve traffic, you really need to go 3D with roads, and by using tunnels, you can essentially create like a wormhole, like a warp tunnel from one part of a city to another,” he explained.

The Saudi investment forum underscores Musk’s growing business interests in the Middle East as he seeks new markets for his various ventures, from SpaceX and Tesla to The Boring Company and his artificial intelligence firm, xAI.

According to CNBC, Musk’s Starlink approval came during a visit where multiple deals were struck between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The forum highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil, with the moderator noting the country’s ambition to “move from an oil-based economy to an innovation-based economy powered by wonderful technologies.”

The expanding relationship between Musk and Saudi Arabia represents a significant business opportunity for both parties, as the kingdom continues its economic diversification efforts under its Vision 2030 plan, while Musk gains access to a wealthy market eager to embrace futuristic technologies.