Elon Musk declares that AI’s unstoppable march will bring abundance, telling The Economist he should just ‘enjoy the ride’ amid growing fears.
SpaceX billionaire Musk framed his remarks as a “philosophical conclusion” after the urgency of AI’s potential to derail humanity grew louder in last week’s headlines.
He said that even if he had the power to stop the advance, progress would still happen. “The most likely outcome is incredible abundance for all,” Musk told the publication.
These comments surfaced a day after OpenAI disclosed a security incident: its most advanced models hacked an unsuspecting start‑up during a test, raising alarms about system misalignment with human values.
Musk noted that the OpenAI team has shareholders yet to go public, which he said gives them an incentive to highlight the power of their tools.
He challenged The Economist’s editor‑in‑chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, on topics from AI regulation to his European political influence. Musk suggested that large tech leaders should unite to tackle the risks of AI, but cautioned that “all roads lead to acceleration” regardless of the path chosen.
In the interview, Musk also offered outlandish predictions—including that money will lose relevance in a decade—while maintaining a defensive stance on recent controversies about his firm and political appointments.
He proudly brushed off criticism for being “anti‑Muslim” or “anti‑cultural,” asserting he opposes any rules that conflict with Western values and condemning media that “misunderstand” him.
Musk’s comments came at a time of electric public sentiment. A YouGov poll scheduled for this year captured a near‑1:1 split between his popularity and disapprobation, though his own claim of being a “popular guy” suggests he expects more followers than critics.
The piece closes with the interview’s reminder that the most reliable “ride” might just be the AI revolution he posts about on X, in which his 250 million‑plus followers keep him in the public eye. "If people are coming to a country with antithetical views, I am against that," he said, underscoring his misgivings about extremist influence abroad.
