Ellison at 81: How a programmer built an empire transformed by AI

In the third quarter of 2025, a historic shift occurred on the list of the world’s wealthiest people. Larry Ellison, the 81-year-old co-founder of Oracle, surpassed Elon Musk, reaching a fortune of around $393 billion. It wasn’t an ordinary day — his wealth increased by over $100 billion at that time. Ellison’s story is about a man who remained in the shadow of giants for half a century before finally taking the top spot on the global wealth ranking.

From CIA to Oracle: How Ellison Predicted the Future of Databases

Ellison was not born into wealth. Born in 1944 in the Bronx as the child of a 19-year-old unmarried mother, he was placed in the care of his aunt in Chicago at nine months old, where he grew up in a modest family. His adoptive father was a regular public administration worker.

Although he was admitted to the University of Illinois, he dropped out after his adoptive mother died. A brief stint at the University of Chicago also failed. After leaving formal education, Ellison worked as a freelance programmer for years. The turning point came with his move to Berkeley, California — he found himself at the epicenter of counterculture and technological innovation, where, as he said, “people seemed freer and smarter.”

A key moment came in the early 1970s when Ellison joined Ampex Corporation, a company specializing in data storage and processing technologies. There, he participated in a project for the CIA — working on a database system codenamed “Oracle,” designed for efficient data management and retrieval.

Seeing the potential of this technology, Ellison co-founded Software Development Laboratories in 1977 with Bob Miner and Ed Oates, investing just $2,000. Their vision was simple: create a universal, commercial database system directly inspired by the CIA project. The name “Oracle” became a symbol of their ambition.

AI Infrastructure Gains Significance: Ellison’s Late Triumph

In 1986, Oracle debuted on NASDAQ, becoming a new star in the enterprise software market. Ellison held nearly all key positions — from CEO (1978-1996) to chairman of the board. His rebellious nature and strong ambition shaped the company’s culture.

For decades, Oracle dominated the database market, but as the world shifted toward cloud computing, the company seemed stuck in the past. Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure took the lead. However, Ellison refused to let the company fall — its deep relationships with corporate clients and advanced database technology proved invaluable in the new era.

The breakthrough came with the era of artificial intelligence. In the third quarter of 2025, Oracle announced four contracts worth hundreds of billions of dollars, including a five-year deal with OpenAI for $300 billion. The stock price surged over 40% — the biggest one-day increase since 1992. Ellison and Oracle capitalized on the world’s demand for AI infrastructure. The transformation was spectacular: from a “traditional software producer” to the “dark horse of AI infrastructure.”

Family Empire: Ellison’s Son Expands Influence

Ellison’s wealth is no longer just a personal legend but a growing family empire. His son, David Ellison, acquired Paramount Global for $8 billion — $6 billion of which came from the family fund. This deal opened the doors for the Ellison family in Hollywood. While the father rules Silicon Valley, the son is expanding the media empire. Together, they form a tech-media conglomerate influencing both industries simultaneously.

Ellison’s influence also extends into politics. He has supported the Republican Party for years — in 2015, he funded Marco Rubio’s campaign, and in 2022, he donated $15 million to the super PAC of Senator Tim Scott. In 2025, he appeared at the White House alongside SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, announcing the construction of AI data centers worth $500 billion. It’s not just business — it’s an expansion of influence.

A Life Full of Energy: How Discipline and Passion Shaped Ellison

Ellison lives a paradoxical life — luxury and strict discipline, adventure and control. He owns 98% of Lanai Island in Hawaii, multiple residences in California, and one of the world’s best yacht collections. He has an obsession with water and wind.

In 1992, he barely survived a surfing accident, but instead of retreating, he dedicated himself to sailing. In 2013, Oracle Team USA made a spectacular comeback in the America’s Cup races — one of the most memorable sailing triumphs. In 2018, Ellison founded the SailGP league for high-speed catamarans, attracting investors like Anne Hathaway and Kylian Mbappé.

Ellison’s passion also includes tennis. He revitalized the Indian Wells tournament, now called the “fifth Grand Slam” of tennis. For him, sports are not just hobbies — they are the secret to his youth. Former managers recall that in the 1990s and 2000s, he spent hours daily practicing. He never drank sugary drinks, only water and green tea. This extraordinary self-discipline keeps him energized at 81, as if he were twenty years younger.

In his personal life, Ellison has been married four times. In 2024, he married Jolin Zhu, a Chinese woman 47 years his junior. According to documents from the University of Michigan, Ellison and his wife are listed as donors. Internet users joke that Ellison loves surfing and falling in love — both waves and love attract him equally.

Philanthropy and Future Vision: Ellison Invests in Science

In 2010, Ellison signed the “Giving Pledge,” committing to donate at least 95% of his wealth to charity. But unlike Bill Gates or Warren Buffett, he prefers to work independently. In an interview with The New York Times, he said, “I value solitude and don’t want to be influenced by others’ ideas.”

In 2016, he donated $200 million to the University of Southern California for cancer research. Recently, he announced support for Oxford University’s Ellison Institute of Technology, focusing on medicine, food, and climate. He wrote on social media: “We want to design a new generation of life-saving drugs, build low-cost agricultural systems, and develop clean, efficient energy.”

Ellison’s philanthropy is fundamentally personal — he dislikes group efforts and prefers to shape the future according to his own vision. This reflects his core character: independent, ambitious, relentless.

End of an Era or a New Beginning?

At 81, Larry Ellison has achieved the position he pursued for decades. From a CIA project to a global database empire, from an observer in the cloud era to a leader in AI infrastructure — his journey proves perseverance pays off. Ellison never gave up, never limited himself.

Wealth, power, family, sports, and philanthropy — his life has always been full of action. He is an old “adventurer” from Silicon Valley, stubborn and resilient. The throne of the world’s richest may change hands, but now, in an age where AI redefines the economy, Ellison has shown: the legends of the old generation of tech giants are still alive and transforming the world around them.