Elon Musk Says Universal Income Is Inevitable: Why He Thinks That’s a Bad Thing
Written by
John Csiszar
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Amber Barkley
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Universal basic income (UBI) provides regular payments to all individuals in a community, regardless of their employment status or financial need. The idea is that when everyone has enough money to satisfy their basic needs, the overall well-being of society at large is enhanced.
4 Things To Watch for as Elon Musk Takes on Social Security
UBI is something of a political football, as the left sees it as a basic, decent way to ensure that no member of society is left behind, while the right sees it as a handout to those who haven’t earned such a privilege.
Controversial Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who also heads up the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has said universal basic income is inevitable. However, Musk thinks that the ramifications will be terrible for humanity.
Here’s a look at why Musk thinks UBI is inevitable and what he forecasts will be the ultimate result. Next, find out where you could get guaranteed income now, if you qualify.
Musk Says AI Will Change Everything
Although Musk certainly says a lot of controversial things, there’s no escaping the fact that he is one of the foremost tech entrepreneurs in history. He particularly has the pulse on the development of artificial intelligence.
In Musk’s eyes, advances in AI will change the world to the point that eventually, hardly anyone will even have a job. This will require governments to pay out a universal basic income, as most people won’t even be drawing a paycheck.
In 2024, Musk took his views a step further, telling the VivaTech conference in Paris that not just a basic income but a high universal income will be the future of the world. As Musk put it, “In a benign scenario … probably none of us will have a job. … But in that benign scenario, there will be universal high income — not universal basic income, universal high income. There will be no shortage of goods or services.”
What Musk Feels Will Be the Consequences
For some people, the thought of a future without work and a universal high income may sound like heaven. But the truth is that most people derive value and purpose out of working, and that is the fear that Musk has about the future.
If we’re all ultimately replaced by artificial intelligence and don’t need to work, society could become fragmented, and individuals could suffer from depression as they no longer feel a meaning or purpose in their lives.
As Musk said at the VivaTech conference, “The question will really be one of meaning. … If the computer can do, and the robots can do, everything better than you, then does your life have meaning?”
Fortunately, even Musk sees the future as being more benign than this. Instead of living aimless lives without purpose, Musk believes that there’s another option: “Long term … any job that somebody does will be optional. … If you want to do a job as kinda like a hobby, you can do a job, but otherwise, the AI and robots will provide any goods and services that you want.”
In this way, the future could end up being the best of both possible worlds. Musk’s vision has AI handling many jobs instead of humans, but that work will always be available for those who want it. Meantime, AI will make the world a more efficient, productive and abundant place. However, for better or worse, Musk does see that universal high income — not even universal basic income — will be necessary.
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