Nikhil Kamath and Elon Musk on the WTF Podcast. (Screen capture/Youtube/Nikhil Kamath)Elon Musk has said that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics could make work voluntary within the next 20 years. He made the comments during a conversation with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath on the podcast “People by WTF” published on Sunday.
“Working becomes optional.”
Musk said that if AI systems and machines can produce most goods and services, people may no longer need to work for a living.
“My prediction is that working will become optional in the future,” he said. “People might look back on this in 20 years and say it was wrong, but I think it’s right. Maybe within 20 years, with 10 or 15 advances in AI and robotics, we’ll get to the point where working is optional.”
He added that this idea applies to almost all forms of work and production.
Musk said future technology could make products easier to obtain. “I believe that as AI and robotics continue to advance and advance very rapidly, work will become optional and people will be able to get the goods and services they want,” he said. “If you can think of it, you can have it.”
Meanwhile, Musk likened this future to the choice between growing or buying vegetables at home.
“As much as you can grow your own vegetables or go to the store and buy them, it’s much more difficult to grow your own vegetables,” he says. “Some people enjoy it, and that’s fine. But it’s optional. That’s how I see my future work.”
