Business · concept

Elon Musk on AI Replacing Jobs

Job replacement inevitable (strong)

Elon Musk maintains a strong conviction that artificial intelligence will eventually lead to the replacement of all human jobs. He envisions a future where AI and robots are capable of supplying all goods and services required by society, rendering traditional employment unnecessary for the vast majority of people. This outlook is described as a "benign scenario" for the future of work. In this post-work future, Musk has suggested that the economic foundation will shift from universal basic income (UBI) to a system of universal high income, where material scarcity is largely eliminated. However, he also raises philosophical concerns about what will give human life meaning when machines can perform tasks better than humans. Musk has indicated that certain roles requiring nuanced human understanding, specifically mentioning professions in health involving personalized care and clinical decision-making based on human variables, might be the exceptions that survive full automation. He has also warned that advances in AI and robotics are progressing rapidly, suggesting a "supersonic tsunami" that could see AI surpass human intelligence by 2030.

Context

The issue of AI replacing jobs is central to Elon Musk's broader concerns regarding artificial intelligence safety and regulation. His leadership at Tesla (electric vehicles/robotics) and xAI (AI development) places him at the forefront of both the technology's creation and its perceived societal impact. His prediction of mass job loss is often coupled with his advocacy for new economic models to support a population that no longer needs to work for survival.

Timeline

May 1, 2024 Elon Musk stated during an appearance at the Viva Technology conference that AI will eventually eliminate all jobs.
January 1, 2024 Musk identified jobs understanding emotions and human body function, such as in health, as those less likely to be replaced by AI.
January 1, 2026 Musk predicted that technological abundance from AI and robotics will render traditional retirement savings irrelevant, reinforcing his long-term stance on joblessness.

Actions Taken

January 1, 2015 Company Founding
Co-founded OpenAI with the initial aim of developing artificial general intelligence safely, although he later left the board due to disagreements over direction.
January 1, 2023 Company Founding
Founded xAI to create a generative AI program intended to compete with existing offerings, highlighting his continued direct involvement in AI development.
January 1, 2016 Company Founding
Co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology company aiming to integrate the human brain with artificial intelligence, suggesting a path for humans to potentially keep pace with AI.

Key Quotes

"In a benign scenario, probably none of us will have a job... There will be universal high income — and not universal basic income — universal high income. There'll be no shortage of goods or services."

Viva Technology conference in Paris May 23, 2024 — Describing his vision for the future economy after mass job replacement by AI.

"The question will really be one of meaning, of how — if a computer can do, and the robots can do everything better than you … does your life have meaning?"

Viva Technology conference in Paris May 23, 2024 — Highlighting the philosophical challenge of a post-work society.

"Almost none of us will have a job."

VivaTech 2024 conference May 1, 2024 — Stating the scale of job replacement expected from AI and robotics.

"Don't worry about squirreling money away for retirement in like 10 or 20 years. It won't matter."

Moonshots with Peter Diamandis podcast January 12, 2026 — Predicting that widespread AI productivity makes retirement savings obsolete.