In a move that has left users and advertisers stunned, Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has officially bid farewell to the iconic Twitter blue bird logo and introduced an enigmatic "X" as the new face of the social media platform. The radical corporate rebranding comes after Musk's $44 billion acquisition of Twitter last year and marks yet another major transformation since he took the reins.

The X logo began appearing at the top of Twitter's desktop version on Monday, while the smartphone app still retains the familiar blue bird. At Twitter's San Francisco headquarters, workers were spotted removing the iconic bird and logo, only to be halted by police for not having the proper permits and safety measures in place.

Jasmine Enberg, an analyst with Insider Intelligence, remarked that the move signifies the end of an era for Twitter, as Musk has been vocal about his intention to transform the platform into "platform X" from the start. Twitter's gradual decline over the past years and alienation of users and advertisers have made it vulnerable to new competitors, such as Meta's text-based app Threads targeting Twitter's user base.

Musk had invited fans to submit logo ideas, and the chosen design, described as minimalist Art Deco, has replaced his own Twitter icon. He even named his AI company, xAI, to compete with ChatGPT, showcasing his fascination with the letter "X." Moreover, Musk's desire to create an "everything app" similar to China's WeChat has driven many of the drastic changes, including a shift towards paid subscriptions.

However, the rebranding has not been without controversy. Many Twitter users and advertisers are apprehensive about the switch, fearing confusion and potential loss of brand equity. Small businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies worldwide, which have long relied on Twitter to connect with their audiences, now face the challenge of changing their branding.

Linda Yaccarino, Twitter's CEO, who was handpicked by Musk, has been promoting the vision of X as a future state of unlimited interactivity, centered around audio, video, messaging, and payments. The platform's objective is to establish an AI-powered global marketplace where ideas, goods, services, and opportunities can thrive.

Despite the bold move, skeptics wonder whether Musk can effectively transform Twitter into a multi-functional super-app and whether advertisers and users will embrace the changes. With Twitter's reputation already in flux due to previous policy shifts, Musk faces significant challenges in rebuilding the platform's image and attracting renewed interest from both users and advertisers.

While the "X" rebranding is now official, it remains to be seen how Twitter's evolution will unfold and whether Musk's vision of a thriving, all-encompassing platform can become a reality. As users and the industry await the results of this daring experiment, one thing is certain—Twitter, as we once knew it, is gone, and a new chapter in social media history has begun with "X."