Elon Musk has predicted a future shaped by artificial intelligence and robotics where traditional work becomes “optional” and money may eventually become “irrelevant,” saying such shifts could occur within the next decade or two. Speaking at the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington in November, Musk outlined a scenario in which advances in AI and humanoid robots fundamentally transform economic life and human purpose.
Musk said that as AI systems and autonomous robots take on more of society’s productive tasks, the concept of having a job for income could fade into the background. “If you say, like, in the long term where will things end up… maybe it’s 10, 20 years,” he remarked, predicting that traditional work could become akin to hobbies, sports or other voluntary pursuits. He likened future employment to activities people choose for enjoyment rather than necessity, saying that work could be as optional as the choice to grow your own vegetables despite easily buying them at a store.
The billionaire entrepreneur suggested that these technological shifts could not only liberate people from mandatory labor, but also eliminate systemic poverty. In Musk’s view, widespread deployment of advanced AI and robotics would generate so much abundance and productivity that poverty could be eradicated entirely, with machines serving as the engines of wealth creation.
Looking even further ahead, Musk went a step beyond predictions about work and wealth distribution, forecasting that money itself might lose its central role in society. “My guess is, if you go out long enough… the money will stop being relevant at some point in the future,” he said, envisioning a time when currency becomes unnecessary because material needs could be met through automation.
Musk argued that the key to widespread prosperity lies in the continued development and commercialization of AI and humanoid robotics. He predicted intense competition among companies building such machines, a landscape that would drive down costs and accelerate the integration of autonomous systems into everyday life.
While Musk’s remarks paint an optimistic and radical vision of the future, they also raise questions about how societies will manage the transition, how institutions adapt to changes in labor and economic structures, and how individuals find purpose and identity in a world where work is not required for survival.
