Elon Musk Predicts Work May Become ‘Optional’ Within Two Decades
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has predicted that work could become optional for most people within the next 10-20 years, suggesting employment may transform from an economic necessity to a personal choice driven by AI and robotics.
Key Takeaways
- Work could become optional within 10-20 years due to AI and robotics
- Employment would shift from necessity to personal choice
- Traditional money may become irrelevant in a fully automated economy
- The fundamental question shifts to human purpose in an AI-dominated world
“My prediction is that work will be optional,” he said at a major US investment forum in Washington. He added, “It’ll be like playing sports or a video game… You can go to the store and just buy vegetables, or you can grow them in your backyard because you like doing it.”
Robots Will Transform Global Labour Markets
Musk stated that rapid advances in robotics and automation will drive this transformation. He argued that millions of machines could fundamentally reshape productivity and dramatically reduce the need for human labor.
The Tesla CEO emphasized that his company’s long-term value extends beyond electric vehicles to include AI-driven robotic systems.
He envisions widespread automation creating a world where humans work only by choice, not economic necessity.
‘Money May Stop Being Relevant’
Musk also predicted that traditional currency could eventually lose meaning in a fully automated economy. He referenced Iain M. Banks’ Culture science fiction series, which depicts a post-scarcity society governed by advanced AI.
“In those books, money doesn’t exist,” he said, explaining, “If you go out long enough- assuming continued improvement in AI and robotics- money will stop being relevant.”
Musk has previously addressed the philosophical implications of automation, noting last year that the fundamental question becomes one of purpose when machines outperform humans.
He had then stated, “If computers and robots can do everything better than you, does your life have meaning?… Humans may give AI meaning.”
