The race for the world’s second-richest person has become a heated competition between Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. These two tech moguls have frequently swapped positions on the Forbes Billionaire List, with both seeing fluctuations in their net worths. However, Larry Ellison has recently surged ahead, thanks to Oracle’s impressive performance in the stock market and its growing presence in the cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors.
Larry Ellison’s Rise: Oracle’s Success Drives Wealth
Larry Ellison has seen significant gains in his fortune, driven by Oracle’s remarkable growth. The company’s stock price has soared by more than 63% this year, bolstered by strong performances in its cloud business. After a highly successful earnings report, Oracle’s shares have jumped, pushing Ellison’s net worth to $228.4 billion, briefly surpassing Jeff Bezos’s $227.3 billion.
Oracle’s cloud services have been the main growth driver, with the company’s revenues up 22% in constant currency. Ellison, who owns around 40% of Oracle’s shares, has directly benefited from these increases. As the company expands its global data centers and AI capabilities, it is poised to continue its growth, providing Ellison with long-term wealth potential.
Jeff Bezos – Amazon’s Steady Recovery and Challenges
While Jeff Bezos has faced less dramatic fluctuations than Ellison, his path has not been without challenges. Despite a 40% increase in Amazon’s stock this year, the company is still recovering from cost-cutting measures and a major employee layoff initiative. Although Amazon reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for the most recent quarter, its stock dipped by 1% recently, reflecting ongoing market concerns.
Amazon remains a dominant force in e-commerce and cloud computing, but its stock performance lags behind Oracle’s in recent months. Bezos still holds a significant stake in Amazon, which ensures his spot near the top of the billionaire rankings, but whether this will be enough to reclaim the No. 2 position remains uncertain.
Artificial intelligence is the key of the battle between 2 billionaires
The role of artificial intelligence is pivotal in this ongoing battle for wealth. Larry Ellison has heavily invested in AI technology, positioning Oracle at the forefront of AI innovation. Oracle is building data centers equipped with NVIDIA GPUs to power advanced AI models, enhancing the company’s position in the rapidly evolving tech industry.
Meanwhile, Amazon also leverages AI extensively across its e-commerce, cloud, and logistics operations. However, Oracle’s early focus on AI, particularly in the cloud sector, gives Ellison a potential edge in the billionaire rankings.
Who Will Secure the No. 2 Spot?
For now, Elon Musk remains the richest person in the world, with a considerable lead over Bezos and Ellison. However, with Oracle’s growth and Amazon’s recovery, the battle for second place is far from settled. Both billionaires are positioning their companies for long-term success, and the volatile stock market ensures that the rankings will continue to shift.
As Oracle expands its cloud business and AI capabilities, and Amazon recovers from its recent setbacks, the competition for the second-richest person title will remain a closely watched race. Both Ellison and Bezos are likely to continue battling for supremacy in the coming months, making it an exciting and unpredictable contest for wealth.
