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Elon Musk believes that in the future, AI will do all human work.

Speaking via webcam at ViVaTech 2024 in Paris, France, Elon Musk described a future where work is “optional.” “You can work if you want to, as a hobby. If you don’t, AI and robots will provide all the goods and services you need,” the billionaire predicted.

However, Musk argues that for this scenario to happen, there needs to be a “universal high income” rather than a “universal basic income.” A universal basic income is an unconditional cash handout that the government gives to all citizens, regardless of their income or employment status.

“There will be no shortage of goods and services,” Musk added.

AI has become more and more capable in recent years, so quickly that regulators, companies and users are struggling to figure out how to use it responsibly. Concerns also surround how many industries and jobs will change as AI continues to proliferate.

In January, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and AI Laboratory found that workplace adoption of AI has been much slower than some had predicted. The report found that most jobs previously identified as vulnerable to AI are not economically viable for employers to automate.

Experts also believe that many jobs that require high emotional intelligence and human interaction will not need to be replaced, such as mental health professionals, creatives, and teachers.

Musk has been candid about his concerns around AI. In a speech on May 23, he called the technology his biggest fear. He cited Ian Banks’s “Culture Book Series,” a fictional book about a society run by AI, as the most realistic and “best picture of what AI will look like in the future.”

But in a future without work, Musk questions whether people will feel emotionally fulfilled. “The real question is if computers and robots can do everything better than you, does your life still have meaning?” he said. “I think there’s probably still a role for humans, which is we can give meaning to AI.”

He also urged parents to limit their children’s exposure to social media because “they are being programmed by AI to maximize dopamine.” Dopamine, or the happiness hormone, is a neurotransmitter made from tyrosine that plays an important role in the brain and body.

Dopamine gives us instant pleasure and satisfaction, making us want more of it. This is one of the reasons why we become “addicted” to social media without even realizing it.

(According to CNN)