In a 2020 interview, Bill Gates highlighted a crucial difference between Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, emphasizing that comparing them is a gross oversimplification. While both have made world-changing contributions—Musk through electric cars, reusable rockets, and tunneling innovations, and Jobs through design, talent, and marketing—Gates noted that Musk is a hands-on engineer whereas Jobs was a cultural visionary. Gates concluded that although both are iconic figures, conflating their unique qualities obscures what makes each of them exceptional.
