An Era Where Jobs Become a Choice, Not a Necessity
Advocates for Universal High Income
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and the world's richest person, predicted that advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics will bring about a future where "money is no longer important." He also forecasted an era in which jobs will become a "choice" rather than a necessity.
On November 19 (local time), during a panel discussion at the US-Saudi Investment Forum held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Musk sat alongside Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, and argued that "currency will become meaningless thanks to AI," raising the concept of the obsolescence of money. This suggests that as robots and AI take over most economic activities, the role of money could diminish. Musk has previously identified Tesla's humanoid robot "Optimus" as a core future business and pledged to sell one million units annually by 2030. In this sense, he stands at the center of a paradigm shift toward an economy led by robots and AI.
Musk stated, "There will still be resource constraints, such as electricity or materials, but at some point, money will lose its meaning." He added, "If you look at the 'Culture' series by science fiction writer Iain M. Banks, you can get a sense of what a positive AI future might look like." The Culture series by Iain Banks depicts a world where humans and robots coexist, robots perform various roles for humans, and humans treat them as equals.
Immediately after mentioning the obsolescence of currency, Musk joked with Huang, saying, "By the way, Nvidia's earnings announcement is today." Huang replied, "If currency is meaningless anyway..." and when Musk responded with "Cheers," the two clinked their water bottles and laughed.
Musk also spoke about the end of labor. He said, "In the future, work will become something you do because you want to, like sports or video games," adding, "Just as some people enjoy gardening even though it is hard, work will become an optional activity in the same way."
In recent months, he has repeatedly presented his vision for the future shaped by AI. Earlier this month, at an investor event, he emphasized, "The only way to fundamentally eliminate poverty and provide excellent healthcare for everyone is to utilize AI robots like Tesla's humanoid robot 'Optimus.'"
He envisions a society where AI replaces most human jobs and the government provides "universal high income," allowing everyone to enjoy abundant resources. This perspective was also evident in his conversation with podcast host Joe Rogan in October, when he said, "If AI and robots replace all jobs and money loses its meaning, the government should provide income to its citizens." He stressed that this should not be just a basic income, but a "universal high income."
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