Elon Musk tweets message about his potential future death under 'mysterious circumstances'

Elon Musk has published a bizarre message online about his own potential death.

"If I die under mysterious circumstances, it's been nice knowin ya," he posted on Twitter on Monday afternoon (NZ time).

It's not known what Musk is referencing with the tweet, although the rambunctious businessman is known for using the micro-blogging platform to showcase his own unique brand of humour - sometimes in ways that violate the law.

Reactions to the tweet began to flow immediately, ranging from concerned fans, jokesters making wisecracks and detractors levying criticism against the Tesla CEO.

Some pointed out the eerie similarity to a message posted by fellow controversial billionaire John McAfree about his own death, shared shortly before he died in 2021

One reply sarcastically said "the world needs you" alongside a photo of fictional meth kingpin Walter White, who believed he was ultimately carrying out good deeds no matter how evil they were in popular TV show Breaking Bad.

Musk is a polarising figure and has become the richest person in the world partly through his involvement in a number of businesses widely seen as disruptors. He's the CEO of both Tesla and SpaceX.

Recently, his moves to personally own Twitter have raised concerns online. As recently as March, Musk declared he would not limit the "free speech" of Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime, despite it being used in conjunction with the military to wage war on the sovereign neighbouring nation of Ukraine. 

Musk has secured funding worth US$46.5 billion in his bid to buy Twitter.