Musk claims that AI will make work optional and eliminate money from the future.

Elon Musk stated Wednesday in Washington, D.C., that artificial intelligence and robotics will make work optional within the next two decades. His remarks, made during the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Investment Forum at the Kennedy Center, They also argued that money will become irrelevant in that technology-driven future. Musk spoke to business and technology leaders, including Nvidia's Jensen Huang. His comments reignite the debate about the economic and social impact of advanced AI.

Musk envisions a future where the economy no longer needs human labor.

In a speech that generated global headlines, Elon Musk stated that artificial intelligence will allow “money ceases to be relevant"and that human labor will become a voluntary activity closer to leisure than to economic necessity. According to Musk, if AI and robotics continue to advance at the current pace, within 10 to 20 years It will be possible to meet all material needs without direct human intervention.

"There will still be limitations such as electricity or mass.“But currency becomes irrelevant,” he said during the panel. For Musk, the technological leap is about to place society in an economy where scarcity no longer structures human life, a recurring theme in his recent public appearances.

The event coincided with the visit of the Saudi Crown Prince. Mohammed bin Salman to the White House and with the announcement of new investment commitments between the United States and Saudi Arabia in the technology sector. The forum brought together key figures, including Jensen HuangNvidia CEO, whose technological backing underpins much of the current AI boom. That same day, Nvidia reported record revenues of 57.000 million in the third trimester.

Huang, however, offered a more cautious view of the future of work.All jobs will be different“That’s for sure,” he said. In his opinion, AI won’t eliminate jobs but will transform them, increasing productivity and creating new responsibilities. “I guess Elon will be busier as a result of AI. I’m going to be busier as a result of AI,” he joked.

The discussion took place at a historic moment when governments, businesses, and multilateral organizations are trying to anticipate how AI will affect global employment. Reports from the OECD and the World Economic Forum warn that automation could transform or displace hundreds of millions of jobseven in highly skilled sectors.

Musk, for his part, has argued for years that advanced AI could lead to what he calls “universal high income”, a variation of universal basic income in which basic goods and services would be available to anyone at no additional cost.

From work to leisure: Musk envisions a traumatic transition

During the panel, Musk compared the future of work to current recreational activities.It will be like playing sports or playing a video game“He explained. He stated that employment will not disappear, but will become optional and motivated by personal enjoyment, not economic necessity.

To illustrate, he used a domestic example: “You can go to the store to buy vegetables, or you can grow them in your garden. Growing them is more difficult, but some people do it because they enjoy it.” According to Musk, the work of the future will be exactly like this: a cultural choice, not a financial requirement.

Musk's vision has been shaped in part by works of science fiction such as Culture series by Iain M. BanksMusk considers this literary universe a "positive representation" of how an advanced AI-powered society could function, describing post-scarcity civilizations.

His comments also align with the development of OptimusTesla's humanoid robot, Optimus Prime, which Musk claims will "eliminate poverty," will be capable of performing physical and cognitive tasks currently limited by human labor, completely transforming existing economic models.

However, he acknowledges that the path to that scenario will not be smooth. In a previous conversation with Joe Rogan, he stated that the transition will require a period of “trauma and disruption”, in which job losses, culture shock, and the reconfiguration of the economic system will generate significant social tensions.

Economists partly agree: the acceleration of AI will generate inequalities if massive redistribution mechanisms and new social infrastructure are not established. In this sense, Musk's vision oscillates between technological optimism and a warning about the immediate impact.

While some analysts celebrate the possibility of a society freed from compulsory work, others underline the risks: extreme concentration of technological power, dependence on algorithmic systems, loss of identity linked to employment, and geopolitical tensions over control of AI.