ENGLISH SPEECH | ELON MUSK: Future, A.I. and Mars (English Subtitles)

Introduction

[Music]
In life, we have seen remarkable individuals who changed the world, such as Huaraz, who invented algorithms, Newton, Henry Ford, the Wright Brothers, Albert Einstein, and Elon Musk.
[Music]

Interview Segment
"Elon Musk, you are always in a rush to explore the unknown. You’re reinventing entire industries, from the space sector with SpaceX to the automotive industry with Tesla. What drives your mission? Why do you do what you do?"
"I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you. It’s truly an honor, and to be here with my kids in such a fantastic city is wonderful. I encourage everyone to visit. In terms of what motivates me, I’ve often pondered the meaning of life. Ultimately, it’s about understanding the right questions to ask. Increasing human consciousness enables us to ask these questions more effectively. I believe that for a positive future, we need sustainable transport, sustainable energy solutions, and the aspiration of becoming a multi-planetary civilization.

The idea of being a multi-planetary species is crucial for humanity's long-term survival—it acts as a sort of insurance policy for life itself. But I personally find it inspiring, creating a sense of adventure and excitement about the future. Consider two potential futures: one where humanity remains confined to Earth until disaster strikes, and another where we thrive on many planets and possibly beyond. The latter is undoubtedly much more exciting.

Speaking of life and its meaning, as I get older, that question seems to become increasingly complex. The advancement of video games reflects this rapidly changing reality. If you go back 40 years, the most advanced game was Pong—two rectangles and a dot. Today, we see games that almost replicate reality, and with developments like virtual and augmented reality, we could eventually reach a point where distinguishing between simulated experiences and reality becomes almost impossible. This raises intriguing questions about our existence—how do we know this isn’t already a simulation?"

"Has the technological acceleration in our lives left you pondering what the future holds?"
"Absolutely. It’s challenging to predict the future, but history shows us rapid advancements. For example, the Wright Brothers achieved controlled flight in 1903, and just 66 years later, humans landed on the moon. If you'd asked anyone in 1900 about moon landings, they would have found it absurd. Today, video calls and instant communication via the Internet seem almost like magic. Any predictions made now about the next 50 years are likely to be incorrect.

Nonetheless, I hope we will be on Mars and traveling within our solar system. I anticipate that within the next decade, most cars produced will be fully autonomous—essentially like getting on an elevator that takes you where you want to go."

Addressing AI Developments
"Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents both immense opportunities and challenges. The development of AI, particularly artificial general intelligence, poses risks we must take seriously. If we were expecting super-intelligent aliens to visit, AI could be even more formidable.

As for extraterrestrial life, it seems reasonable to believe it exists, but whether we will make contact within the next fifty years is uncertain. If super-intelligent aliens do exist, perhaps they are observing us without our awareness. It’s also fascinating to think about the human condition and our awareness of existence—if we are all, in a sense, aliens ourselves."

Technology and Urban Solutions
"It’s also important to address urban congestion. My belief is that the solution lies in developing a network of tunnels under cities. By building vertically deep tunnels, we could eliminate traffic issues in urban environments. The technology to create these tunnels needs to be safe, fast, and cost-effective."

"Switching gears to the UAE and Dubai, I remember our prior conversation when your focus was on China. What changed?"
"Things in China are manageable now, allowing us to establish a significant presence in the UAE starting with Dubai.

When considering the technological advancements on the horizon, I believe the most immediate impacts will come from self-driving cars. This will disrupt various jobs related to driving—which could lead to mass unemployment. Thus, we must prepare strategies to address this, such as exploring universal basic income as a solution to the upcoming changes in the workforce.

Implementing such measures will become necessary. While automation may create abundance in production, the main challenge lies in ensuring that those affected by job loss find purpose and meaning in their lives."

"Any advice for young people inspired by your journey?"
"I would suggest that they aim to study physics, not just for the equations but for the way of thinking it provides. Understanding that you can be wrong and striving to be less wrong over time is crucial. Most importantly, maintain a critical feedback loop with friends and trusted peers because constructive criticism helps direct growth."

Thank you for the opportunity to share these thoughts.
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]

Keywords

• Elon Musk
• Future
• AI
• SpaceX
• Tesla
• Multi-planetary civilization
• Urban congestion
• Autonomous vehicles
• Universal basic income

FAQ

1. What motivates Elon Musk? Elon Musk is driven by the pursuit of understanding the right questions, the desire for adventure, and the vision of a multi-planetary civilization for humanity's long-term survival.

2. How does Elon Musk see the future of technology? Musk believes technology will continue to rapidly advance, leading to developments like autonomous vehicles and significant changes in urban transit solutions.

3. What are the implications of artificial intelligence according to Musk? AI holds both potential benefits and risks, especially with the advent of artificial general intelligence, which could represent a serious threat to humanity.

4. Does Elon Musk believe in extraterrestrial life? Musk finds it probable that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe and considers the possibility that we are already being observed.

5. What urban problem does Musk aim to solve? Musk proposes creating a network of tunnels to alleviate urban congestion, allowing for more efficient transportation in major cities.

6. What advice does Musk give to young people? His advice is to study physics as a way of thinking that will provide critical frameworks for understanding complex issues while encouraging a mindset of continuous improvement.