Jobs won't matter in 20 years, thanks to AI, says Elon Musk

Work may no longer be necessary for most people in the next decade or two, Elon Musk said at a recent US investment forum in Washington, DC. Musk compared the idea of having a job in the future to maintaining a vegetable garden by choice rather than need.

“My prediction is that work will be optional. It’ll be like playing sports or a video game or something like that,” Musk said. “If you want to work, [it’s] the same way you can go to the store and just buy some vegetables, or you can grow vegetables in your backyard. It’s much harder to grow vegetables in your backyard, and some people still do it because they like growing vegetables.”

Musk said the shift toward optional work will come from the rise of robots and automation in the global workforce.

He believes millions of robots could reshape productivity and reduce the need for human labour. Musk has long argued that the future of Tesla extends beyond electric vehicles and into AI-driven robotics. This includes his goal of making Optimus,



Tesla’s humanoid robot, central to the company’s value. Musk has said that 80% of Tesla’s future worth may come from Optimus, even though production delays continue.

Not everyone shares Musk’s optimism. Many economists and labour analysts say automation is already creating uncertainty, particularly for entry-level workers.

Some studies point to signs that AI may be replacing low-skill jobs, adding pressure on Gen Z, which is already dealing with slow income growth and uneven job markets.

But Musk argued that, in a fully automated world, money may no longer matter. He referenced the Culture series by science fiction author Iain M. Banks, which imagines a post-scarcity world run by powerful AI systems and no traditional jobs.

“In those books, money doesn’t exist. It’s kind of interesting,” Musk said. “And my guess is, if you go out long enough — assuming there’s a continued improvement in AI and robotics, which seems likely — money will stop being relevant.”