Giant Inflatable Elon Musk Effigy Appears in Times Square Day Before SpaceX IPO
A protest group called Safe AI Now (SAIN) erected a large inflatable effigy of a shirtless Elon Musk in Times Square on Thursday, one day before SpaceX's historic IPO. The effigy featured tattoos referencing ketamine and Musk's controversial salute, and was surrounded by banners accusing Grok of generating AI child sexual abuse material. The demonstration aimed to warn investors that SpaceX's acquisition of xAI and its Grok chatbot represents an undisclosed legal and reputational liability being transferred to public shareholders.
Safe AI Now (SAIN), a coalition of faith leaders, child-safety advocates, legal professionals, and technologists, staged the Times Square protest on June 12, 2025, the eve of SpaceX's IPO — expected to be the largest in history, raising approximately $75 billion at a valuation of roughly $1.75–1.77 trillion and a starting share price of $135. The inflatable depicted Musk shirtless, with a heart-shaped 'ketamine' tattoo on its arm and imagery referencing his post-inauguration gesture, and was positioned directly in front of the Nasdaq building and JP Morgan offices. SAIN's central argument is that SpaceX's February acquisition of xAI — and with it, Grok — transfers ongoing litigation, regulatory investigations, and reputational risks from Musk personally onto new public shareholders. Grok has faced scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe over its ability to generate nonconsensual sexual imagery, including of minors; 35 state attorneys general signed an open letter demanding action in January, and multiple lawsuits have been filed. SpaceX itself acknowledged in its S-1 filing that Grok's NSFW capabilities could pose 'heightened risks' and 'reputational harm.' Musk responded to coverage of the protest on X, calling the claims 'totally false,' while SpaceX did not respond to media requests for comment.
What's missing
Neither source clarifies the current legal status or outcomes of the multiple lawsuits filed against xAI, nor whether any regulatory actions by the European Commission or U.S. state attorneys general have resulted in formal penalties or binding requirements to date.
How coverage differed
Wired framed the protest with greater emphasis on the broader pattern of Grok-related harms and Musk's consolidation of power, including his potential to become the world's first trillionaire and his near-unilateral voting control post-IPO. Business Insider focused more on the spectacle and investor-warning angle, and was the only outlet to include Musk's direct rebuttal on X.
What different sources said
- WiredCenter
Massive Effigy of Elon Musk Raised Over Times Square to Protest Grok
- Business InsiderLeft
Giant inflatable Elon Musk appears in Times Square one day before SpaceX IPO, with a scathing message for its CEO
- Yahoo FinanceCenter
Giant inflatable Elon Musk appears in Times Square one day before SpaceX IPO, with a scathing message for its CEO
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