Elon Musk Says AI Will Eliminate All Jobs And Jobs Will Remain Like A Hobby

The brilliant businessman behind SpaceX and Tesla, Elon Musk, has shocked the tech community by predicting that artificial intelligence (AI) could someday make most employment obsolete. Hold on to your hard hats, though, since Musk does not consider this to be a terrible scenario. In a recent tech conference, Musk presented a vision of a time where labor is completely voluntary. He thinks that all the menial tasks would be effortlessly handled by AI and sophisticated robotics, leaving humans to pursue hobbies and passions. However, the foundation of this utopian vision is what he refers to as “universal high income,” setting it apart from the universal basic income (UBI) that is more commonly discussed. Although specifics regarding this high income are yet unknown, it most likely alludes to a system in which everyone’s fundamental requirements are satisfied, regardless of work status.

Even if Musk’s vision seems like science fiction, there is no denying that AI skills are advancing at a rapid pace. Nonetheless, a few business professionals advise caution. AI adoption in the workplace appears to be happening more slowly than expected, according to recent MIT research. Many of the jobs that were once considered to be susceptible to automation, including data entry and logistics, may not be economically viable to replace with robots just yet. Experts also predict that jobs requiring a high level of creativity, emotional intelligence, or human interaction—think teachers, therapists, or artists—are likely to stay stable.

Despite his past warnings about the potential dangers of unchecked AI, Musk now seems optimistic about the future. He cites the “Culture Book Series” by Ian M. Banks, which depicts a society run by benevolent AI, as his preferred vision. However, a lingering question mark hangs over this utopia: how will humans find fulfillment in a world without the traditional structure of work? Musk ponders this, suggesting that perhaps humans might become the meaning-makers for AI in this new world order.

The impact of AI on the workforce is still a hotly contested topic. Musk’s vision offers the prospect of a future in which technical developments free us to explore a life beyond the daily grind, even while concerns about mass unemployment are legitimate. Which way we end up is a matter of time, but one thing is certain: the discussion surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on our future is more important than ever.