Musk Says AI Could Surpass Human Intelligence Within 5 Years

Elon Musk said artificial intelligence could exceed the combined intelligence of humans in about five years and may leave humans no longer in control within about 10 years. According to ChainCatcher, he compared the gap to one far wider than the difference between chimpanzees and humans.

Musk said AI could outperform humans in nearly every area except being human itself. He said the most likely outcome is an age of “astonishing abundance,” in which robots and AI produce far more goods and services than people can consume, and anyone can have what they want.

Musk said money may no longer matter around 2036. He added that governments could directly send checks to the public, similar to a universal high-income system, because output would rise sharply and deflation would be more likely than inflation. He said traditional tax and redistribution models could break down under the new framework.

Musk said he accepts a roughly 10% to 20% risk that AI could wipe out humanity, but believes the technology’s momentum cannot be stopped. He said he has reached a “philosophical conclusion” that if it cannot be stopped, people should join it and “enjoy the ride.”