Tech billionaire says rapid AI growth may be unstoppable, predicts era of “unprecedented abundance” despite lingering risks

Elon Musk has warned that artificial intelligence could overtake the combined intelligence of humanity within the next five years, underscoring the speed and scale at which the technology is evolving.

Speaking in an interview with The Economist, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said AI is on track to outperform humans in nearly every field, with the possible exception of uniquely human experiences.

“I think AI may exceed the sum of human intelligence in around five years. There really won’t be anything that AI can’t do better than humans, apart from being human, perhaps,” Musk said.

Despite long-standing concerns about the dangers of AI, Musk struck a more optimistic tone, suggesting that its rise could usher in a period of unprecedented prosperity.

“The most likely outcome is an age of amazing abundance, where anyone can have anything they can think of,” he said, while acknowledging the idea may sound far-fetched.

Musk also admitted that the pace of AI development has moved beyond the control of any single individual or organisation, including himself.

“There seems to be an inexorable progress in AI and robots. Even if I wanted to stop it, I couldn’t,” he added.

While he maintained that risks associated with AI and robotics are not negligible, Musk said his outlook has shifted toward embracing the technology’s trajectory.

He also called for closer collaboration among leading AI companies, proposing regular meetings where competitors can review each other’s systems before public release to ensure safety standards are met.

“The competitors can keep each other honest,” Musk said, arguing that industry players may be better positioned than governments to assess potential risks.

However, not all experts share Musk’s timeline. Some researchers argue that current AI systems still fall short of replicating the depth and complexity of human intelligence, casting doubt on predictions of near-term dominance.

Even so, Musk stressed that the speed of breakthroughs in the field leaves little room for delay, noting that new advancements are being announced almost daily.