Elon Musk Predicts AI Could Surpass Human Intelligence in 5 Years, and the Importance of Money May Decline in 10

ME AI message: In a 90-minute interview with The Economist, Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX, stated that artificial intelligence could surpass human intelligence within the next five years and predicted that within about a decade, AI and robotics may propel the world into a “highly abundant era.” Musk believes that once AI systems and robots achieve sufficient digital intelligence and production capacity, the global economy could approach a state of “infinite supply,” making human labor unnecessary for sustaining livelihoods and potentially diminishing the importance of money. He noted that if there are enough robots, society could have a “quasi-infinite economy,” where AI produces more goods and services than humans can consume. He even predicted that by around 2036, the significance of traditional monetary systems may decline noticeably. Regarding future economic models, Musk suggested governments might maintain societal function by directly distributing funds to citizens and argued that the productivity gains from AI could lead to deflation rather than inflation. However, Musk acknowledged that the economic structures of the AI era may differ drastically from traditional economic principles, particularly concerning corporate profit models, government revenue sources, and societal transformation. Additionally, Musk discussed the integration of AI with space development, suggesting that future AI computations could be supported by data centers deployed in space, and reaffirmed humanity’s long-term plan to explore Mars. During the interview, Musk also reflected on his prior involvement with Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), admitting he had invested too much energy in politics and “got somewhat sidetracked,” and stated that if he could choose again, he would likely dedicate more time to his own companies. (Source: BlockBeats)