As artificial intelligence continues to evolve at breakneck speed and developers warn of models going rogue, SpaceX boss Elon Musk says people should simply 'enjoy the ride'.
In an interview with The Economist, Musk said that while he remains concerned about risks posed by advancements in AI and robotics, 'the most likely outcome is incredible abundance for all'.
Musk said his 'philosophical conclusion' after fearing for AI's threat to humanity was to 'look on the bright side'. He said progress has come so quickly that 'even if I wanted to stop it, I couldn't'.
The interview was recorded the day before OpenAI's revelation on Tuesday that some of its most advanced AI models hacked a startup after it lost control of them during a security test. It sparked concerns about AI systems falling out of alignment with human values.
The Economist's editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes questioned Musk on a range of topics, from whether big tech executives should work together to tackle AI safety risks to why he intervenes in European politics.
With the rise of rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic, Musk said: 'It just seems like all roads lead to acceleration of AI... you can just sort of be sad about it or join the club, I suppose.'
In a wide-ranging interview, the entrepreneur also made typically outlandish predictions, such as claiming 'money won't matter' in a decade. He pushed back on suggestions he supports 'far right' views.
Minton Beddoes said both data and her own experience of living in the UK told a different story to the image portrayed by Musk in his X posts. Asked when he last visited the UK, Musk said 'a few years ago'.
Asked about his sharing of a film reportedly banned in Germany for its violence and anti-migrant message, Musk said his partner Shivon Zillis is half Indian and he is not racist. However, when pressed on whether he was 'anti-Muslim', he was less defiant: 'If people are coming to a country with antithetical views, I am against that.'
Musk also told The Economist he was well aware he was 'loathed' by some, but said he doesn't care. Pointing to his nearly 250 million followers on X, he said: 'I think a lot more people actually like me than don't.'
Source: www.bbc.co.uk