“Nothing comes close…” xAI engineer reveals what it is like to work at Elon Musk’s company

xAI

What’s it like to work at Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI? According to one of its engineers, it’s nothing short of extraordinary.

Eric Jiang, an engineer at xAI, recently shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), and his post quickly caught attention. “Nothing comes remotely close to working at xAI,” he wrote on September 6, 2025. Eric added that in just one year at the company, he has learned more than most people do in their entire careers. He also called it humbling to work alongside “the most talented people on the planet.”

So, who exactly is Eric Jiang? He’s currently a PhD student in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley, where his focus is on artificial intelligence. Before joining xAI, Eric built up an impressive résumé: he worked as a Software Engineer III at Google, leading frontend and user experience projects, and also founded MonPlan, a tool he created during his time at Monash University.

Now at xAI, Eric is part of a company that has been making headlines of its own. Founded by Elon Musk, xAI’s mission is to “understand the universe.” It’s based in the San Francisco Bay Area and has already grown rapidly, reaching a valuation of $80 billion. The company recently acquired X Corp and is building Colossus, the world’s largest supercomputer, in Memphis.

What makes xAI stand out is not just its bold goals but Musk’s personal involvement. Reports say Musk spends up to 18 hours reviewing team presentations, keeping a close eye on progress. This hands-on approach has created a high-energy culture where innovation and pressure go hand in hand.