Elon Musk says that in 10 to 20 years, work will be optional and money will be irrelevant thanks to AI and robotics
At the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, the CEO of Tesla stated that employment will become optional in the next ten to twenty years, comparing the choice to work to the more difficult maintenance of a vegetable garden.
“Work will be optional, in my opinion. It will be similar to participating in sports or playing video games, according to Musk. “You can cultivate vegetables in your backyard or simply go to the shop and buy some vegetables if you want to work. Even though producing veggies in your garden is significantly more difficult, some people still do it because they enjoy it.
Musk claims that the future of voluntary employment will stem from millions of robots in the workforce capable of bringing about a surge in productivity. The tech billionaire, valued at approximately $470 billion, is currently striving to broaden Tesla’s scope beyond electric vehicles, aiming to integrate his diverse business ventures into his larger vision of a future driven by AI and powered by robotics. This encompasses his aim for 80% of Tesla’s worth to derive from his Optimus robots, even with ongoing production setbacks for the humanoid machines.
For numerous individuals, the idea of an automated future appears dimmer, especially with worries about and initial signs of AI taking over entry-level positions, which could be exacerbating Gen Z’s challenges in the job market and stagnant income growth—more of a nightmare than an idealistic vision.
In Musk’s automated, voluntary job future, he stated that money won’t pose a problem. Musk draws inspiration from Iain M. Banks’ Culture series of sci-fi novels, where the self-identified socialist writer imagines a post-scarcity society inhabited by superintelligent AI entities without conventional employment.
“In those novels, currency is nonexistent.” “It’s somewhat intriguing,” Musk remarked. “My assumption is that if you stay out long enough—assuming AI and robotics keep improving, which appears probable—money will become irrelevant.”
During Viva Technology 2024, Musk proposed that a “universal high income” could support a society free from obligatory labor, but he did not provide specifics on how this system would operate. His logic aligns with that of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who has supported universal basic income, which are consistent payments provided unconditionally to individuals, typically by the government.
“Musk stated at last year’s conference that there would be an abundance of goods and services.”