Elon Musk Identifies 3 Existential Threats to Humanity
CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, has highlighted three significant threats that humanity currently faces. At the top of the list is the global decline in birth rates, followed by concerns regarding artificial intelligence functioning improperly and the rise of extremist religious ideologies.
Elon Musk discusses with Mathias Döpfner at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California (USA). (Photo: Business Insider).
When asked to reveal his greatest fear, Musk reiterated a concern he has mentioned before: that humanity is facing a population crisis. He stated that the declining birth rates have haunted him for years, driving his friends “crazy” as he continually brings it up.
“I have spent a lot of time talking about birth rates. It could be the biggest threat to the future of human civilization,” Musk said during a conversation with Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer, published on March 27.
Additionally, Musk identified two other primary threats: the fear of “artificial intelligence operating incorrectly” and the rise of extremist religious ideologies.
Musk’s fears are echoed in recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. Birth rates in the U.S. dropped by 4% between 2019 and 2020, marking the sixth consecutive year of decline and the lowest number of births since 1979.
“Most people in the world are living under the misconception that we have too many people. This is not true. The birth rate has been declining dramatically,” Musk added.
The billionaire believes that the United Nations needs to change its perspective on population growth, as current estimates are meaningless.
In December 2021, Musk warned that civilization could collapse if birth rates do not increase again.
Tesla is actively seeking solutions to address the potential labor shortages of the future. The company is developing a humanoid Tesla bot capable of performing basic tasks. Musk believes this invention is even more significant than creating electric vehicles.
The founder of SpaceX also reiterated his long-term goal of establishing a permanent human colony on Mars.
“I would be very happy if humanity had a self-sustaining city on Mars. At that point, the lifespan of humanity could be greatly extended,” Musk added.
