From Sam Altman's Firing To Melodi: Posts That Broke The Internet In 2023

The year 2023 unfolded with its own set of challenges and triumphs, making it impossible to ignore the significant impact social media had on our collective experience. From powerful movements to heartwarming stories and moments that sparked global conversations, the digital realm has been a powerful platform of connection and expression.

As we step into 2024, let's take a moment to delve into some of these impactful social media posts that defined 2023's narrative. 

Sam Altman Fired From OpenAI

Sam Altman shared two posts on X (formerly Twitter) after being fired as CEO of OpenAI on November 17. The first one said, "I love you all. Today was a weird experience in many ways. but one unexpected one is that it has been sorta like reading your own eulogy while you're still alive. The outpouring of love is awesome. One takeaway: go tell your friends how great you think they are.” This caused quite a stir on social media.

Two days later, he posted a selfie wearing his OpenAI guest card with the caption, "First and last time I ever wear one of these."

However, he was re-hired and returned to the position of CEO at the artificial intelligence firm on November 30. 

Elon Musk-Mark Zuckerberg's Cage Fight

Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg's idea of a cage fight made all the right noises. Musk playfully suggested the fight to which Zuckerberg responded with, "Send me the location." Musk then announced on X that Italy has proposed the Colosseum, but Zuckerberg declined. The Tesla CEO then suggested Zuckerberg's home as a "safe space". The exchange took a lighthearted turn, with Musk wondering if there was any place where the Meta owner would agree to the "fight".

Rishi Sunak Visits India

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty visited Delhi for the G20 summit in September. Mr Sunak shared photos on Instagram, and one, in particular, went viral. It showed Ms Murty fixing her husband's tie before they got off the plane, a small but heartwarming moment that resonated with many.

During their visit, the British Prime Minister and his wife offered prayers at the Akshardham Temple in Delhi, spending approximately an hour there. The temple later shared pictures from their visit to this holy place on X, saying they were “honoured to welcome” the couple.

Chandrayaan Lands On Moon

Chandrayaan-3 is India's third mission to the Moon. Launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation, on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the mission sent a lunar lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan to the Moon. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on August 5, and the lander touched down near the lunar south pole on August 23 at 6:03 pm, making history. This made India the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon and the first to do so near the lunar south pole.

Giorgia Meloni's Selfie With PM Modi

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni broke the internet as she posted a photo with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the COP28 Summit. The Italian PM played into the hashtag MeloDi, an amalgam of Meloni and Modi, sending social media into a frenzy. Her caption read, "Good friends at COP28."

Elon Musk Renames Twitter To X

Elon Musk surprised us all in July by declaring, "And soon we shall bid farewell to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds". "Birds" referred to the iconic blue bird in the original Twitter logo. 

He subsequently revealed a new logo and name for Twitter, which is now known as "X." 

Rihanna's Baby

Rihanna is the mother of two sons. Her first son, born on May 13, 2022, is named RZA Athelston Mayers, and her second son, born on August 3, 2023, is named Riot Rose Mayers. In February, she posted a picture of RZA with the caption "My perfect baby."

2024 will bring with it more stories and conversations which will shape our online experiences.