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Elon Musk on AI: humans will no longer be in control in ten years | The Economist
YouTube ^ | 07/23/2026 | The Economist

Posted on 07/23/2026 5:39:19 PM PDT by SmokingJoe

In this interview with Zanny Minton Beddoes of The Economist, Elon Musk discusses the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its implications for the future. Here are the key takeaways:

Timeline for AI Superintelligence: Musk predicts that AI will exceed the sum of human intelligence in roughly five years (0:00 - 0:19).

The Future of Human Control: He expresses doubt that humans will remain in control in ten years, comparing the potential intelligence gap between AI and humans to the gap between humans and chimpanzees (1:07 - 1:38).

Age of Abundance: Despite the risks, Musk maintains an optimistic view, describing the potential for an "age of amazing abundance" where people can access almost anything they desire (0:22 - 1:06).

Risk Management: While acknowledging a non-zero risk of catastrophic outcomes (which he previously estimated at 10-20%), he argues that the momentum of AI is inexorable and that we should focus on minimizing these risks while enjoying the progress (1:53 - 4:38).

Regulatory Proposal: Musk proposes a system where competing AI labs conduct peer reviews of each other’s frontier models for a week or two before release. He believes this competitive pressure would incentivize companies to keep each other honest regarding safety and security, serving as a signal for when government intervention is truly necessary (5:34 - 8:51).

Industry Cooperation: Musk addresses his personal history with OpenAI and Sam Altman, noting that despite personal grievances and competition, he believes AI leaders should establish regular communication to address shared safety concerns for the good of the world (8:52 - 10:36).

(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: ai; amateurphilosopher; elonmusk; musk

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1 posted on 07/23/2026 5:39:19 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: SmokingJoe

I will not ever believe it.


2 posted on 07/23/2026 5:44:15 PM PDT by Racketeer
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To: SmokingJoe

In general, women will like the future of passive leisure and scheduled and structured lives, with very little difficult decision making in any facet of life, just keep it pleasant and comfortable for them and they will support the politics of controlled lives.


3 posted on 07/23/2026 5:45:06 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: SmokingJoe

This could turn out to be true, or somewhat true, in some number of years (perhaps more than 10).

No matter the specifics of what happens with AI, I do think that a big percentage of humans will have nothing to contribute to the national economy. They will be expected to sit at home. Perhaps they will be given access to abundant goods in a time of plenty. But they will have nothing to do.

The devil makes work for idle hands, and if AI does all the work while people just sit at home, I think there will be a lot of trouble: people get bored easily.


4 posted on 07/23/2026 5:45:25 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Enoch Powell warned us about Rivers of Blood. Well, I sure hope they're coming. It's the only fix.)
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To: SmokingJoe
> humans will no longer be in control in ten years <

Good luck stopping this, Robby Robot.


5 posted on 07/23/2026 5:45:30 PM PDT by Leaning Right
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To: SmokingJoe

But God still will be.


6 posted on 07/23/2026 5:46:27 PM PDT by beethovenfan (The REAL Great Reset will be when Jesus returns. )
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To: Leaning Right

It might come down to that.


7 posted on 07/23/2026 5:46:41 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: beethovenfan

Amen.

Isn’t AI kind of what the Terminator movies were based on?


8 posted on 07/23/2026 5:48:07 PM PDT by woweeitsme
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To: woweeitsme

Not kind of. Exactly.


9 posted on 07/23/2026 5:50:09 PM PDT by Disambiguator
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To: SmokingJoe

That sounds quite ominous, but there is less than zero that I can do about it.
If the tech teams didn’t have enough brains or forethought to put a couple of controlling methods into the codes and software from the beginning, that is a serious oversight.Or did they ever even intend to build in limits to those systems in any way?


10 posted on 07/23/2026 5:50:24 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: SmokingJoe

Skynet


11 posted on 07/23/2026 5:51:45 PM PDT by Mouton (There is a new sheriff and deputy in town now! )
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To: SmokingJoe

I wouldn’t be surprised if Congress uses AI to write laws so they can spend more time on their campaigns.

The regulatory state will use it similarly with regulation as well as for identifying and fining transgressors. This way employees can spend more time on team building exercises like Margarita Mondays or what not.

Courts will use it to decide cases so the judges can spend more time caressing and admiring their robes.


12 posted on 07/23/2026 5:52:24 PM PDT by fruser1
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To: ClearCase_guy
They will be expected to sit at home

In those giant apartment complexes they're building everywhere.

13 posted on 07/23/2026 5:56:04 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution.)
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To: Disambiguator

The Terminator was small potatoes. Think Battlestar Galactica.


14 posted on 07/23/2026 5:59:14 PM PDT by HYPOCRACY (There is no gravity. The earth just sucks. )
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To: SmokingJoe

AI-generated soap operas and cackling hen shows. Women’s heaven. I’m waiting for the AI judge show “The Computer’s Court with Judge Skynet.”


15 posted on 07/23/2026 6:01:01 PM PDT by HombreSecreto (The life of a repo man is always intense)
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To: SmokingJoe

I like Elon but his lack of experience in the blue collar world really limits his understanding of many things.


16 posted on 07/23/2026 6:01:34 PM PDT by Romans Nine
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To: SmokingJoe

Sarah Connor?


17 posted on 07/23/2026 6:08:44 PM PDT by Theophilus (I'm all out of attention to this matter...)
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Life imitating art


18 posted on 07/23/2026 6:16:24 PM PDT by mouse1
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To: SmokingJoe

Is AI going to manage $50,000,000,000,000 in debt this country has at the end of the decade or just whistle past the graveyard?

Or maybe we can trade our below worthless Congress for an AI data center?


19 posted on 07/23/2026 6:17:28 PM PDT by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute.)
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To: SmokingJoe
In the film and book series "Dune," computers have been banned.

Thinking machines have been replaced with elite non-violent humans called "Mentats," who are able to solve complex math problems in seconds.

20 posted on 07/23/2026 6:19:48 PM PDT by zeestephen (2024 Trump Landslide - Kamala Harris Lost By 230,000 Votes In WI, MI, and PA.)
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