Novel Delhi: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that artificial intelligence (AI) will eventually eliminate all jobs, but he believes this is not necessarily a bad development, reports CNN.
Speaking at a startup and technology event in Paris on Thursday, Musk said: “Probably none of us will have jobs.”
Elon Musk spoke remotely via webcam at the Viva Tech event, where he predicted a future where work is “optional.”
He said, “If you want to do hobby-like work, you can do it.” Musk added: “But otherwise AI and robots will deliver any goods and services.”
Musk emphasized that for this scenario to succeed, a “universal high income” would be needed, not to be confused with a universal basic income, but he did not elaborate much on the concept.
Universal Basic Income (UBI) refers to the government providing a set amount of money to everyone, regardless of their earnings.
“There would be no shortage of goods and services,” Musk said. He emphasized that artificial intelligence capabilities have advanced rapidly over the past few years, so rapidly that regulators, companies and users are still figuring out how to exploit the technology responsibly.
Musk has also expressed his concerns about artificial intelligence in the past. During Thursday’s speech, he described the technology as his biggest fear. He cited Ian Banks’ “Culture Book Series,” a utopian, fictionalized depiction of a society ruled by advanced technology, as the most realistic and “best vision of the future of artificial intelligence.”
Musk questioned whether people would feel emotionally fulfilled in the future without work.
“The question will really be about meaning – can computers and robots do everything better than you, does your life have meaning?” Musk said.
He added: “I think maybe humans still have a role in this because we can make AI meaningful.”
He also advised parents to monitor and limit the amount of social media their children exploit, claiming that social media platforms “are programmed by artificial intelligence to maximize dopamine levels.”
Industry experts continue to express concerns about how various industries and workplaces will be transformed as artificial intelligence spreads across the marketplace.
CNN reports that in January, researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory found that workplaces are adopting artificial intelligence more slowly than some expected and feared. The report also noted that automating many jobs previously deemed vulnerable to AI was not cost-effective for employers.
Experts largely believe that many jobs requiring high emotional intelligence and human interaction, such as mental health professionals, creatives and teachers, will not require replacement. (OR)
