SpaceX founder and xAI CEO Elon Musk stated that within the next five years, artificial intelligence systems could surpass the combined intelligence of all of humanity. The entrepreneur made this statement in an interview with the British magazine The Economist.

According to him, after this, there will be practically no tasks that AI cannot handle better than humans, with the possible exception of the ability to “be human” itself.

Musk noted that artificial intelligence technologies simultaneously excite and apprehensive him, but overall he views the future with optimism. He estimates that, barring catastrophic scenarios—such as World War III or global thermonuclear war—the development of AI will usher in an era of "incredible prosperity" for all humanity.

However, the entrepreneur believes it's unlikely that humanity will retain control over artificial intelligence in ten years. He believes there remains a non-zero risk associated with the development of AI and autonomous robotic systems. Musk added that he sees no real way to stop the development of artificial intelligence and robotics, noting that even if there were a hypothetical "stop button," pressing it might not be worth it—since he believes the most likely outcome is universal prosperity.

Earlier, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Musk said that artificial intelligence would become smarter than any single human by the end of 2026 and would surpass the collective intelligence of all humanity within five years, adding that over time, the number of robots could exceed the number of people, which would lead to a sharp increase in the global economy.