NEW YORK - American billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has predicted a future in which all human jobs are performed by robots and artificial intelligence (AI).
"AI and robots will replace all the work. Work will be optional, like growing your own vegetables instead of buying them at the store," Musk wrote on Platform X.
This statement came after the investor Jason Calacanis shared an article describing internal documents showing that the robotics team at Amazon is looking to automate up to 75 % operations. By 2033, that could mean more than 600,000 jobs that would otherwise be served by humans. According to the leaked information, the company has an ambition to cut roughly 160,000 jobs by 2027, saving billions of dollars in operating costs.
Calacanis added the bold prediction that before 2030 we will see a significant replacement of warehouse workers and drivers with automated systems. This comment fueled a debate on the X network about the future of human labor and the social impact of mass robotization.
Musk's idea is not new - he has spoken before of a time when technology will make work meaningless and people will have to deal with questions of the meaning of life, leisure and the fair distribution of wealth. He also warns that the introduction of a basic unconditional income (UBI) may be necessary in such a world. However, critics warn that the move to full automation will bring huge social tensions, pressure on wages and deepening inequalities.
Among other things, Musk is developing the Tesla Optimus humanoid robot project, which is intended to be able to perform repetitive and physically demanding tasks. Experts point out, however, that there is a long way between a technological prototype and actual deployment in industry.
Musk's words thus open up a fundamental question: are we facing an era of abundance and freedom, or a period of mass unemployment and economic uncertainty? One thing is certain: the world of work will never evolve at the same pace as before.
gnews.cz - GH