Tech mogul Elon Musk has again created intrigue around the internet, this time by updating his X (formerly Twitter) display name to “Gorklon Rust.” The changeover occurred on Sunday and has precipitated rampant speculation regarding its intent and relationship to recent platform updates.
AI and Programming References Behind “Gorklon Rust”
The name “Gorklon Rust” is a mashup of various themes. “Grok” is the AI chatbot built by Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, which is being increasingly incorporated into the X platform. “Rust” presumably refers to the Rust programming language, a systems-level language that is most renowned for safety and performance, which is said to be used in the backend technology stack in xAI.
Relationship to Meme Coin on Solana Blockchain
Adding to intrigue, “Gorklon Rust” is also the name of a meme token on the Solana blockchain. The token is actively traded on decentralized exchanges like PumpSwap, Raydium, and Meteora, linking Musk’s satirical online persona to the crypto universe once again.
This is not Musk’s first foray into unusual online name switches. In February, he temporarily took on the handle “Harry Bolz.” Previously, in December, he switched his display name to “Kekius Maximus”—a combination of the meme figure Pepe the Frog and the Gladiator film hero Maximus Decimus Meridius.
Musk’s profile picture at the time included a golden-armored Pepe the Frog holding a video game controller.
Grok AI to Fuel X’s New Algorithm
The latest display name change comes just a day after Elon Musk revealed a major update to the X platform’s algorithm. On Saturday, Musk said a “lightweight version” of Grok will soon be incorporated into X’s recommendation system.
The ???? The recs algorithm is being swapped out with a lightweight version of @Grok, so it will shortly be much better!” Musk wrote. “You should already see some improvement.”
Musk Talks About Engagement Farming Issues
Following criticism by users regarding platform quality, particularly engagement farming and fake verification badges, Musk assured his fans of progress.
“Engagement farming and verification impersonation are some problems that are impacting the quality of the experience on this platform,” a user commented.
Musk responded: “You should be seeing significant improvement there.”
Gorklon Rust: More Than Just a Name
With Musk combining AI, internet culture, and crypto into his brand identity, the “Gorklon Rust” persona appears to be just another level in his continued effort to reimagine the X platform and have it solidly rooted in the digital cultural consciousness.
