Musk:AI Will Take All Jobs,But Standard Of Living Won't Fall

Wednesday, July 08, 2026

Tesla CEO says work will soon be optional as AI takes over all labour. But while machines promise prosperity, the real test will be how humanity adapts to it

Posted by LampLighter at 07:29 AM | 24 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

Alternate links: Google News | Twitter

Comments

Admin's note: Participants in this discussion must follow the site's moderation policy. Profanity will be filtered. Abusive conduct is not allowed.

More from the article ...

... When Elon Musk declared on X that "AI and robots will replace all jobs", the internet predictably exploded. The comment came in response to a viral post citing The New York Times, which suggested that Amazon may replace hundreds of thousands of warehouse workers with machines over the next decade.

The Tesla and SpaceX chief's reply was blunt, and followed by an even more radical claim: "Working will be optional, like growing your own vegetables instead of buying them from the store." ///

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-07-08 07:31 AM | Reply

"Working will be optional, like growing your own vegetables instead of buying them from the store."

These children haven't a clue, have they?

#2 | Posted by Zed at 2026-07-08 08:01 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

It's actually rare that humanity blunders into the plot of an actual science fiction novel.

When people have no work, bad things happen to them and the people around them. Loss of income is only the start. Loss of purpose comes next, closely tied to loss of meaning.

The suicide rate will skyrocket. So will mass killings. Oh, and so will mass sabotage against AI and those few human beings who truly profit from it.

Someone will kill that damned Elon Musk. I imagine that they will use waves of drones. Funny, when you think of it.

#3 | Posted by Zed at 2026-07-08 08:07 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Leon's been taking too much ketamine while reading too many comic books.

You're sure this isn't a simulation, right? Right, HAL?

#4 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-07-08 08:38 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

AI is big tech's pipe dream. The only way the current version of "AI" takes all jobs is by crashing the economy when the bills come due for these vastly overextended companies.

Ed Zitron on CNBC: Generative AI Doesn't Work, And Big Tech Is Out Of Hypergrowth Ideas

#5 | Posted by qcp at 2026-07-08 08:59 AM | Reply

When people have no work, bad things happen to them and the people around them. Loss of income is only the start. Loss of purpose comes next, closely tied to loss of meaning.

#3 | Posted by Zed at 2026-07-08 08:07 AM | Reply | Flag:

If purpose only comes from having a job, then slavery should have been the happiest economic system ever.

#6 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-07-08 09:42 AM | Reply

If purpose only comes from having a job, then slavery should have been the happiest economic system ever.
#6 | POSTED BY SITZKRIEG

No he said its having a job with purpose. idk but I think slavery is doing someone else's purpose.

When people have no work, bad things happen to them and the people around them. Loss of income is only the start. Loss of purpose comes next, closely tied to loss of meaning.
#3 | Posted by Zed at 2026-07-08

This is my PoV on illegal immigration. If you think AI will take your job, and thats bad for the reasons you stated, why would one support illegal immigration?

#7 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-07-08 10:30 AM | Reply

Typical Musk. Bulls*&^ statements with bulls*&^ "solutions" that are nothing more than selling his bulls*&^ products, probably for more government contracts with no oversight thanks to DOGE.

In any case, anyone who actually believes the gains from automation are going to be shared among the populace to replace their lost income are beyond idiots and fools. I have no word in my vocabulary to describe how gullible and stupid they are.

#8 | Posted by jpw at 2026-07-08 10:54 AM | Reply

No he said

#7 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-07-08 10:30 AM | Reply | Flag:

Definitely not what he said. No work, no purpose. Then called for the assassination of Elon, who owns the worst AI company with the least chance of replacing anybody's jobs.

#9 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-07-08 11:04 AM | Reply

Zed is delightfully dramatic, but consistently way over the top lol.

#10 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-07-08 11:04 AM | Reply

AI Will Take All Jobs,But Standard Of Living Won't ~~fall~~ increase.

When AI takes all the jobs, what will people do?

I have a friend who actually believes in universal basic income is the future.

Somehow the billionaires who don't adequately pay their employees will pay for everything for everyone.

#11 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-07-08 11:08 AM | Reply

It's always anti the white guys too lol. Zuckerberg, Musk, Altman. Always leave off all the non-white CEOs of the major tech companies.

#12 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-07-08 11:08 AM | Reply

You're consistently full of ----, Lol.

Are Mallard Ducks, Muscovys?

Will you ever Admit, being Full of ----?

#13 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2026-07-08 11:10 AM | Reply

If purpose only comes from having a job, then slavery should have been the happiest economic system ever.
#6 | POSTED BY SITZKRIEG

If you ask any son or daughter of the confederacy they will tell you just that. Them slaves were happy slaves.

Of course that's why they all sang while picking that cotton don't you know anything?

In an interview with GQ magazine, Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame discussed growing up in Louisiana.

He claimed he never saw Black people mistreated. He added: "They're singing and happy. I never heard one of them... say, 'I tell you what: These doggone white people'"not a word!" He also claimed they were "godly" and "no one was singing the blues".

#14 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-07-08 12:02 PM | Reply

#13 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2026-07-08 11:10 AM | Reply | Flag:

Nazis in Ukraine. Wants to run the rape candidate. This account is the gift that keeps on giving, shame it's from RT.

#15 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-07-08 12:41 PM | Reply

If you ask any son or daughter of the confederacy they will tell you just that. Them slaves were happy slaves.

#14 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-07-08 12:02 PM | Reply | Flag:

Oh buddy, drive up a few hours North into Ludowici. More like talk about ancestors shooting runaways.

#16 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-07-08 12:41 PM | Reply

Is this before or after his Mars landing date?

#17 | Posted by Corky at 2026-07-08 12:45 PM | Reply

"If you ask any son or daughter of the confederacy they will tell you just that. Them slaves were happy slaves."

About 20 years ago, the bride and I were at the Hermitage near Nashville. While in the welcoming center, the docent stated The Hermitage was "self-sustaining". The bride and I looked at each other with a Did you hear what I just heard? look.

It wasn't until we got to the furthest point away during our stroll around the property they even mentIoned the oh, say, 150 SLAVES.

#18 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-07-08 02:27 PM | Reply

Guys like Musk play the role of a futurist because they have a proven track record of being ahead of the technology curve.

So they can make such bold predictions.

I try not to lose too much sleep over it.

Those folks here who frequently say things like "well, I'm upset about this because I care about what kind of world we are leaving for our kids" on subject like the deficit or the environment.

Well, those folks who say that........how much does THIS scare you?

#19 | Posted by eberly at 2026-07-08 03:09 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Musk has never been ahead of the curve. He's an opportunist who jumped on to two early ventures driven by people better than him.

His skull was to push them out and talk a big game while collecting government subsidies while producing little to nothing.

SpaceX? No material improvement of space flight capabilities. In fact, his StarShip moon landing plan is the very idea nasa discarded in favor of lunar orbit rendezvous.

His stupid Vegas tunnel thing? Bust.

XAI? Back of the pack.

#20 | Posted by jpw at 2026-07-08 04:59 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

I won't disagree with that.

Clearly, it's an ego thing with guys like that. They're perceived to be ahead of everybody else bleeding edge fore sight and knowledge.

I read a book that was largely quoting Richard Branson on Bold predictions. Not sure any of them are proving to be true.

But people sure like to buy the book and read it

#21 | Posted by eberly at 2026-07-08 05:06 PM | Reply

Guys like Musk play the role of a futurist because they have a proven track record of being ahead of the technology curve.

Thanks for the laugh.

The guy bought a few companies and collected government subsidies.

"He's such a futurist!"

Hilarious.

#22 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-07-08 05:29 PM | Reply

I wasn't declaring him a futurist or anything....more that he's perceived as one. Most people don't have a clue what he's actually done.

#23 | Posted by eberly at 2026-07-08 05:47 PM | Reply

He's stolen ideas, catered to a narcissistic pedophile, and made a "trillion" dollars. And he's an illegal immigrant. You really are a fucking idiot.

#24 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-07-08 06:13 PM | Reply