Elon Musk Details AI Evolution Timeline: 10 Years to Bridge the Chimp-Human Gap

Huoxing Finance reports that on July 26, Musk reiterated and refined his timeline: within approximately five years, AI’s overall intelligence may surpass the combined intelligence of all humans; within about ten years, humans will likely no longer be dominant (an intelligence gap far exceeding that between chimpanzees and humans). He stated that, aside from simply “being human,” AI can perform better in nearly every aspect. Musk believes the most likely outcome of AI development is an “era of astonishing abundance,” in which robots and AI will produce far more goods and services than humanity can consume, enabling anyone to have anything they desire. By around 2036, “money may no longer matter.” He suggests governments could directly issue checks to citizens (similar to a universal basic income), as surging production is more likely to cause deflation than inflation; traditional taxation and redistribution models may no longer apply under this new paradigm. He acknowledges a 10–20% risk of AI leading to human extinction, but believes the momentum is unstoppable and has reached a “philosophical conclusion”: if it cannot be stopped, join it and “enjoy the ride.”