Elon Musk Predicts a Future Where Humans Won’t Need to Work and 80% of the Global Population Will Have High Income

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Elon Musk has been known for his bold predictions about the future, and during the Viva Technology Conference in Paris on May 23, 2025, he made another eye-catching statement that sent waves through the tech and economic communities. The billionaire entrepreneur, who is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, doubled down on a future where artificial intelligence (AI) will render most human jobs obsolete, and he predicted that the vast majority of the world’s population—up to 80%—could have access to a high income without ever having to work.

Musk’s vision of a post-work society, powered by advanced AI and automation, presents a radically different way of thinking about the future of labor and income. While many experts have speculated about the impact of automation and AI on employment, Musk is among the few who are openly optimistic about the possibilities it offers for humanity.

In his remarks at the conference, he stated that there is a strong likelihood that AI will replace human labor across many sectors, making it unnecessary for people to work for a living.

“In a benign scenario, probably none of us will have a job,” Musk said. “There will be universal high income. I’d say there’s about an 80% chance that AI advances will lead to a situation where humans will not need to work and will have all they need.”

Musk’s vision of “universal high income” is not just about providing enough for people to survive. Rather, he envisions a future where people can have more than the bare minimum—where the quality of life is not constrained by the need to earn a living through work.

The implication of such a future is profound: it suggests a society where wealth is not limited to a small elite but is distributed broadly, giving everyone access to goods, services, and leisure.

However, Musk is quick to acknowledge that the economic transformation that such a future would entail is only one part of the equation. The real challenge, he suggests, lies in the psychological and social impact of a world where people no longer have to work.

The need for purpose and meaning in life, Musk argues, could become a critical issue for individuals who are used to deriving their identity and sense of value from their jobs.

“The question will really be one of meaning,” Musk added. “If a computer and robots can do everything better than you, does your life have meaning?”

This philosophical question, according to Musk, will be the next frontier of human existence. As machines take over the tasks that once defined human work, people may need to find new ways to derive fulfillment, perhaps through creativity, leisure, or contributions to society that don’t rely on traditional employment.

While Musk’s predictions may seem like an idealistic vision of the future, they are grounded in the rapid advancements that are already taking place in the fields of AI and automation. From Tesla’s development of autonomous vehicles to the sophisticated AI systems being developed by companies like OpenAI, the technologies that Musk believes will power this future are already beginning to show their potential.

But while Musk is optimistic, other influential figures in the tech world have raised doubts about the feasibility of such a society. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and a longtime advocate for technology-driven solutions to global problems, has expressed more caution regarding the idea of universal basic income (UBI), which Musk’s vision closely resembles.

In a 2017 Reddit AMA, Gates stated that even the U.S. was not rich enough to implement a system where people could live without working. He argued that while such a scenario might one day be possible, it was not yet feasible due to the economic challenges faced by the country.

“Even the U.S. isn’t rich enough to allow people not to work,” Gates said at the time. “Someday we will be, but until then, things like the earned income tax credit will help increase the demand for labor.”

Since then, Gates has maintained a more cautious stance on the economic implications of AI. While he acknowledges the potential of AI to replace certain jobs, his focus has been more on mitigating the disruption caused by automation through retraining programs, social safety nets, and taxation strategies.

In March 2025, Gates reiterated his concerns about the pace of AI development. In an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Gates said that AI is likely to replace a variety of professions, including teachers and doctors, within the next decade.

However, he stopped short of endorsing UBI or Musk’s vision of a jobless society. Instead, Gates has continued to push for measures like retraining programs and reforming tax systems to ensure that displaced workers are supported during the transition.

One of Gates’ more controversial ideas has been the concept of a “robot tax,” which he proposed as a way to slow down automation and fund programs for displaced workers. Under this proposal, robots that replace human workers would be taxed at a similar level to human labor, with the funds used to support workers who are displaced by automation.

This idea has sparked debates about the best way to manage the transition to an automated economy.

While Gates remains cautious about the potential for universal income, Musk’s predictions are rooted in his belief that Al and automation will ultimately create a world of abundance. According to Musk, the benefits of this transformation could be shared by everyone, rather than just a privileged few.
He believes that the rise of Al will lead to a “universal high income” for most people, where access to goods and services will no longer be tied to traditional forms of employment.
Despite their differences in outlook, both Musk and Gates agree on one key point: Al is going to change the labor market in ways that are difficult to predict. While Gates remains focused on managing the economic disruption caused by automation, Musk is already thinking about how society will adapt to a world where work is no longer necessary.
Whether his vision of a jobless future will become a reality remains to be seen, but the debate over the role of Al in shaping the future of work is only just beginning.
As Al continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, the questions raised by Musk and Gates will become more urgent. Will Al truly eliminate the need for most human labor, or will society find new ways to integrate humans into the economy? Will universal income become a reality, or will the economic challenges remain too great?
Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: the future of work will be defined by the rapid rise of Al, and the world will need to find new ways to adapt to this transformative shift.