Elon Musk has shared a thought-provoking prediction about the future of artificial intelligence that may significantly alter our way of life.
As a tech visionary, Musk has been a prominent proponent of integrating AI into various facets of daily life, including transportation, financial sectors, computing, and healthcare. His professional journey has largely been centered around technological advancements.
Traditionally, AI has required human guidance to operate effectively, but Musk foresees a future where this might not be the case. He anticipates that “AI will exceed the intelligence of all humans combined” within a few years.
While it seems inevitable in theory, many would have assumed this development to be much further into the future. However, Musk suggests that this could happen as soon as four years from now.
He expressed confidence that this evolution will occur by 2030.
Echoing a similar sentiment, Microsoft founder Bill Gates recently appeared on an episode of the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, where he remarked on the diminishing necessity of human involvement in many tasks due to AI advancements.
“The era we’ve come to is sort of the vision that computing was expensive and it basically became free,” Gates, 70, stated. “The era that we’re just starting is that intelligence is rare, you know, a great doctor, a great teacher. And with AI, over the next decade, that will become free. Commonplace, you know? Great medical advice, great tutoring.”
Gates expressed enthusiasm for the innovation AI could drive, but acknowledged the uncertainties surrounding it by asking, “Will we be able to shape it?”
“And so, legitimately, people are like, ‘Wow, this is a bit scary.’ It’s completely new territory,” he added.
With AI becoming increasingly influential, Musk, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, also shared his views on its impact on finance during an episode of the Moonshots with Peter Diamandis podcast.
He suggested that in the near future, concerns about saving for retirement may become obsolete, as it “won’t matter.”
“You won’t need to save for retirement,” stated Musk. “In the relatively near future, you could have whatever you want.”
The specifics of how this scenario would unfold remain uncertain, and financial experts caution against abandoning savings based on these predictions.
“Most Americans should absolutely ignore these comments,” advised Geoffrey Sanzenbacher, a research fellow at Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research. “Musk’s speculation sends a dangerous and misleading message.”
Meanwhile, Ekaterina Abramova, a London Business School professor with expertise in machine learning, emphasized that while AI is poised to significantly transform the world in the coming decades, it will not eliminate the need to save for retirement.
“A future of ‘universal high income’ would depend less on AI itself than on governments choosing to redistribute its gains generously and sustainably, across borders and amid inevitable social friction,” she explained to Business Insider.