The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has predicted that money may become insignificant within the next decade as powerful technologies continue to advance.
“Money won’t matter in 2036,” Musk told The Economist in an interview. He said artificial intelligence and robots are increasingly taking over human work.
“If robots and AI are providing more goods and services than any human could consume, what do you need money for in that case?” he queried.
Asked how people would live after losing their jobs to AI over the next 10 years, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said, “Universal high income.”
Musk also said China could dominate AI if it gains access to large amounts of computing power. He noted that Chinese companies are already performing well despite having limited compute.
However, Musk admitted he got “a little too involved in politics” and “got carried away” while taking part in the 2024 United States election, which Donald Trump won.
Days after his re-election, Trump appointed the 55-year-old Musk as a senior adviser and co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE ceased operations on July 4, 2026.
Musk again said DOGE was created to make sure public money was spent sensibly and not wasted on fraudulent activities.
“I got a lot of flak from this,” the billionaire said.
