What is the future of Elon Musk

In a conversation with annual TED curator Chris Anderson, Elon Musk talked about some of the bold innovations he's working on, and also about how they can increase life expectancy and create a world in which goods and services are not only abundant, but also accessible to everyone.

The entrepreneur believes that the work of all his companies is a manifestation of love for humanity. Tesla is accelerating the transition to sustainable energy. SpaceX is trying to ensure the long-term survival of mankind through the creation of a "multi-planetary species." Neuralink harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to correct brain malfunctions. The Boring Company is trying to deal with traffic jams, which are a real hell for most people.

“I really want to make sure that a good future awaits humanity and that we are on the way to understanding the nature of the universe and the meaning of life,” says Elon Musk. “I would say that what motivates me most is curiosity and the desire to think about the future without sadness.”

There will be no climate catastrophe in 2050

I'm not one of those who herald the end of the world. As long as we are monitoring the situation and understanding the need for an urgent transition to a sustainable energy economy, I think everything will be fine.

The sustainable energy of the future has three elements. The first is the production of energy from renewable sources, primarily wind and solar, although I am generally in favor of nuclear energy. The second is batteries to store energy because the sun doesn't shine all the time and the wind doesn't blow every day. The third is electric transport: cars, planes, ships. And then, you can't make electric rockets, but you can make rocket fuel using renewable energy.

The main obstacle to sustainable development is the production of battery cells. The rate of progress will depend on it. But people should be optimistic about the future.

Humanity will find a solution for the transition to "green" energy.

Moreover, we will have the opportunity to use energy for sequestration or removing carbon from the atmosphere. The energy will also make it possible to turn sea water into any other water at a very low cost. Without burning fossil fuels, the skies will become cleaner and calmer. A good future awaits us.

All the hard and boring work will be taken over by robots

When we figure out how to use artificial intelligence in the real world for self-managed car, and this is a kind of robot on four wheels, we can apply this experience to creation robots on two legs.

In terms of sensors and actuators, many have already shown that it is possible to create a humanoid robot. There are only two things missing at the moment. First, artificial intelligence so that the robot can navigate the real world and perform useful tasks without instructions. Secondly, the expansion of production. And in these two things, Tesla is very good. We just need to develop specialized actuators and sensors for the humanoid robot.

People don't understand yet, but it will be a much more impressive project than a self-driving car. Such a robot can cook dinner, mow the lawn or bring a cup of tea to your grandmother.

However, we must be careful that all this does not turn into a dystopia.

I think it will be very important to have a localized chip with permanent memory that cannot be updated remotely. So that when you say "stop", the robot stops. Such precautions will be important.

We plan to use the first models of Optimus robots for dangerous, boring and repetitive work and everything that people do not want to do. Perhaps we will have something useful for at least the next two years. And then year after year we will see how the use of humanoid robots is rapidly growing, their price is decreasing and production is expanding.

In less than 10 years, such a robot can be bought as a gift to parents for Christmas. I don't think the prices will be outrageous. At first, everything will be expensive due to the fact that the technology is new and the volume of production is small. But in the end, the robot will cost like a cheap car or even less.

Artificial intelligence and robotics will lead to what could be called an age of abundance. Anyone will have access to any goods and services. Their production will be ridiculously cheap.

The danger is that a digital superintelligence could separate from the collective human will and take a path that we don't like at all.

Neurochips will treat depression and obesity

Think of our Neuralink chip like a fitness band or smartwatch. We're taking out a small piece of the skull, about the size of a coin, and replacing it with something that is very similar to these devices in many ways, only with very, very tiny wires. So much so that they are almost invisible to the eye.

We are in the early stages of development. Indeed, many years will pass before we have something like a high-speed neural interface that will allow us to create a symbiosis of artificial intelligence and humans. So far, for about 10 years, we will deal only with traumatic brain injuries and spinal injuries.

I think this will help to deal with many problems, including severe depression, morbid obesity, sleep disorders, and perhaps even schizophrenia and memory recovery in older people.

Everyone can save up for a ticket to Mars

Only a small percentage of people will want to fly on Mars, will be able to afford it or receive funding from the state or sponsors. I think about a million people. And imagine, purely hypothetically, that the "move" will cost 100 thousand dollars. Almost anyone can, by saving money, accumulate the required amount. We want to make flying accessible to anyone who wants to visit Mars.

It is very important to emphasize that life on the planet, especially at first, will not be luxurious at all. It will be dangerous and hard work in cramped conditions. But it will be nice.