How X Has Transformed Since Jack Dorsey Left: The Features Elon Musk Killed, Kept, and Reinvented
Two years after Twitter became X, the platform bears little resemblance to what Jack Dorsey once envisioned—features have vanished, new rules have emerged, and Elon Musk's imprint is everywhere.
On July 23, 2023, Elon Musk dropped a bombshell: Twitter would become X. The rebranding wasn’t just cosmetic—it signaled a complete overhaul of the social media giant. Two years later, this is a look at how X has transformed since Jack Dorsey left, revealing what Musk has removed, reimagined, and newly introduced.
Before the X
Jack Dorsey’s Twitter was often chaotic but deeply principled about decentralization, free expression, and open-source development.
He supported efforts like Bluesky, explored cryptocurrency tipping features, and experimented with audio tools like Spaces and newsletters through Revue. While Twitter wasn’t always profitable or stable, it held a specific social and cultural identity.
What Elon Musk Has Removed
Since taking over, Musk has systematically dismantled many features and frameworks Dorsey once championed:
- Verification System: Legacy blue checkmarks are gone. Now, verification is tied to paid subscriptions.
- Safety Tools: Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council was disbanded.
- Third-party Access: API access has been restricted or made prohibitively expensive.
- Content Controls: Several moderation policies and labeling systems for misleading content have been dropped.
- Brand Identity: Even the iconic bird logo was scrapped in favor of the minimalist “X.”
These removals underscore how X has transformed since Jack Dorsey left by stripping away the platform’s older identity in favor of a subscription-first model and a freer—but often more chaotic—environment.
Features Rebranded or Reborn
Some features from the Dorsey era still exist, but they’ve been reworked:
- Spaces: Once Twitter’s answer to Clubhouse, Spaces now hosts entire shows, AMAs, and Musk’s own townhalls.
- Newsletters: Revue was shut down, but longer posts and creator monetization tools aim to fill the same niche.
- Explore Tab: Still prominent, but now tied more closely to trending videos, Premium content, and Grok responses.
These transitions show how X has transformed since Jack Dorsey’s exit by keeping the framework but altering the function to fit Musk’s vision.
New Features Introduced Under Elon Musk
Musk hasn’t just removed or rebranded—he’s built new things too:
- X Premium & Premium+: Subscription tiers offering reduced ads, boosted posts, and access to Grok (Musk’s AI assistant).
- Job Listings: X now features job boards and company pages.
- Video Hub: A new TikTok-style video feed dominates the app’s interface.
- Monetization: Creators can earn ad revenue and receive payments directly through X.
- AI Assistant (Grok): Developed by Musk’s xAI (a separate company from X), Grok is integrated into Premium+, offering real-time answers and commentary with a distinctive tone.
Together, these features point to how X has transformed since Jack Dorsey left into something far more productized and platform-agnostic.
The Final Word
Elon Musk didn’t just rename Twitter—he redefined it. The X of 2025 is more than a social network. It’s a place for AI interaction, monetized content, video feeds, and real-time conversations. It prioritizes profitability, scale, and Musk’s larger vision for an “everything app,” shedding the philosophical DNA of Dorsey’s Twitter in the process.
What’s clear is that X is no longer Twitter—and perhaps never will be again. Two years later, the transformation is total.
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