Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has expressed strong admiration for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while presenting her with the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award in New York. This event is seen as a further indication of Musk's growing relationship with Meloni, who is regarded as a maverick within the European Union.

Musk highlighted Meloni's qualities, stating, "She’s someone who is authentic, honest, truthful — and that can’t always be said about politicians." He noted it was a privilege to honor someone whose inner beauty matches her outward appearance. Their bond is reinforced by their shared political views, as both align with right-wing ideologies, including support for former U.S. President Donald Trump.

During the award presentation, Musk recalled an earlier event where he encouraged attendees to "make more Italians," referring to Italy's declining birth rate, which is the lowest in Europe. Meloni's party, the Brothers of Italy, has focused on issues like immigration and demographic changes.

In her speech following Musk's comments, Meloni subtly criticized leftist movements for attempting to erase cultural symbols in both the U.S. and Europe. She emphasized the importance of patriotism and national identity, stating, "These words mean more than a physical place. They mean a state of mind to which one belongs."

Meloni is in New York to participate in the United Nations General Assembly, where she has also met with tech leaders like Sundar Pichai and Sam Altman. While the award recognizes Meloni for her support of the EU and her role as Italy's first female prime minister, it has sparked criticism among some Atlantic Council members who disagree with her views on Ukraine and immigration.

Musk has business interests in Italy, and he and Meloni are expected to meet later this month to discuss potential investments in the space and artificial intelligence sectors. Italy recently implemented a new regulatory framework allowing foreign space companies to operate in the country, anticipating investments of around €7.3 billion ($8.1 billion).

Meloni has shown interest in artificial intelligence but raised concerns about its implications. She described AI as a "great multiplier" that could exacerbate global inequalities and stressed that human oversight is essential to ensure technology serves humanity.

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