Elon Musk said in a 90-minute interview with The Economist that artificial intelligence could exceed human intelligence within the next five years and, together with robotics, could push the world into what he described as an era of “high abundance” in about a decade. He argued that once AI systems and robots have enough digital intelligence and productive capacity, the global economy could move close to a state of near-infinite supply, where work is no longer necessary for basic living and the importance of money gradually fades.
Musk said that if the number of robots becomes large enough, society could enter a “quasi-infinite economy” in which AI can produce more goods and services than humans can consume. He added that the traditional monetary system could become significantly less important around 2036. On how such an economy might function, Musk said governments may need to keep society running by distributing funds directly to the public, and he argued that AI-driven productivity gains could lead to deflation rather than inflation.
He also said the economic structure of the AI era may differ sharply from traditional economic rules, especially in areas such as corporate profit models, government revenue and broader social transition. Beyond economics, Musk discussed the possibility of using data centers deployed in space to support AI computing, reaffirmed the long-term goal of sending humans to Mars, and reflected on his earlier involvement in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, saying he may have spent too much energy on politics.
Elon Musk said in a 90-minute interview with The Economist that artificial intelligence could surpass human intelligence within the next five years, and that AI and robots could bring the world into an era of “high abundance” in roughly the next decade.
Musk says AI and robotics could create a “quasi-infinite economy”
Musk said that once AI systems and robots gain sufficiently strong digital intelligence and production capacity, the global economy could move close to a state of “infinite supply.” In that scenario, he said, human labor would no longer be necessary to sustain daily life, and the importance of money could gradually decline.
He added that if the number of robots becomes large enough, society could have what he called a “quasi-infinite economy,” with AI able to produce more goods and services than humans are capable of consuming. Musk said the importance of the traditional monetary system could be markedly lower around 2036.
Direct public payments and a deflationary outcome
On how such a system might function, Musk said governments may maintain social operations by distributing money directly to the public. He also said the productivity gains brought by AI could produce deflation rather than inflation.
At the same time, Musk acknowledged that the economic structure of the AI era may differ greatly from traditional economic rules, especially when it comes to corporate profit models, government revenue sources and the broader social transition.
Space-based data centers, Mars and DOGE
Musk also discussed the intersection of AI and space development. He said data centers deployed in space could one day support AI computing, and he reiterated the long-term goal of human exploration of Mars.
In the interview, Musk also looked back on his earlier involvement with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. He said he had put too much energy into politics and had “gotten pulled off course,” adding that if he had the choice again, he would likely spend more of his time on his companies.
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