From AI Infrastructure to Media Acquisitions: How Ellison Dominated 2025

This year, the most notable figure in the U.S. technology industry was not Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, but rather Larry Ellison, founder and chairman of Oracle, according to recent evaluations.

On December 26 (local time), Bloomberg News selected Chairman Ellison as "The Tech Titan Who Defined 2025." At the beginning of the year, Musk, who emerged as one of President Donald Trump's closest allies, was the most talked-about figure. However, after serving for just over three months at the White House and stepping down as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), his influence has somewhat diminished.

In contrast, 81-year-old Chairman Ellison made his presence felt by appearing in nearly every major business issue in the United States this year. In particular, Oracle continued to be discussed as a key player in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, even amid speculation of an AI bubble.

On January 21, the day after President Trump’s inauguration, Chairman Ellison drew attention by announcing the $500 billion AI infrastructure project "Stargate" at the White House, alongside Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Masayoshi Son, Chairman of SoftBank Group. In September, it was reported that Oracle had signed a cloud supply contract with OpenAI worth approximately $300 billion over five years.

During the same month’s earnings announcement, Oracle’s stock price soared by 36% in a single day, fueled by projections of explosive growth in its cloud infrastructure business thanks to the AI boom. As a result, Chairman Ellison’s net worth increased by $89 billion in just one day, temporarily making him the world’s richest person, surpassing Elon Musk.

However, concerns have also emerged regarding the burdens associated with Oracle’s aggressive expansion of AI data centers. Oracle’s cash flow turned negative this year for the first time since the early 1990s. Additionally, the company’s heavy reliance on large-scale debt financing and its dependence on OpenAI have been highlighted as major points of criticism by those skeptical of the AI sector.

Oracle also attracted attention as a potential acquirer of TikTok’s U.S. operations. After the U.S. government ordered China’s ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. business for national security reasons, Oracle was cited as a leading candidate for the acquisition, backed by the close relationship between President Trump and Chairman Ellison. In fact, on December 18, reports emerged that Oracle had signed an agreement with private equity firm Silver Lake and others to establish a joint venture for the acquisition of TikTok, with Oracle expected to acquire a 15% stake.

Chairman Ellison’s influence has even extended to Hollywood. Skydance, the film production company led by his son David Ellison, acquired media giant Paramount this year and is now pursuing the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. During the Paramount acquisition, Chairman Ellison not only provided financial support but also pledged a personal guarantee for the $40.4 billion that Paramount is set to raise for the latest acquisition bid.