According to Sawyer Merritt referencing insights from former SpaceX employee Abhi Tripathi, SpaceX's consideration of an IPO gained traction when Elon Musk recognized that Starlink satellites could be designed as a distributed network of data centers. This architectural shift positions Starlink to offer advanced AI-powered edge computing and cloud services globally, creating new revenue streams beyond satellite internet. The move signals significant business opportunities for AI-driven applications, data processing, and enterprise solutions leveraging Starlink's global coverage and low-latency infrastructure (source: Sawyer Merritt on Twitter).