Elon Musk's Latest Warning: The Eerie Consequences Of A Society Completely Dependent On Technology (2024)

Jeannine Mancini

·3 min read

Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk, renowned for his outspoken warnings about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), has once again cautioned about the risks posed by a “benign dependency” on these complex machines, tweeting that it can be dangerous to civilization.

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Musk believes that over time humans may forget how to operate the machines that enabled AI in the first place as they become reliant on them to perform even simple tasks.

In the prior tweet, Musk recommended users read E.M. Forster's 1909 dystopian short story, “The Machine Stops,” which predicted a future in which humanity is overly reliant and subordinate to machines.

The story’s eerie quote, “Above her, beneath her, and around her, the Machine hummed eternally; she did not notice the noise, for she had been born with it in her ears,” was shared in response to Musk’s tweet by a Twitter user.

Other notable eerie lines from the short story include “She had never seen him in the flesh, his photo she had, and his voice when they spoke together, was her nearest approach to human contact.”; and “The Machine stops. You know what that means. We have come to the end.”

Concerns about the dangers of AI have been a recurring theme for the entrepreneur lately. During a recent two-part interview with Tucker Carlson, Musk said that “AI is more dangerous than, say, mismanaged aircraft design or production maintenance or bad car production” and that “it has the potential of civilization destruction.”

Musk’s strong opinions on AI have been well-known for years, and he has been a vocal advocate for caution in its development. He was among a group of tech luminaries who signed an open letter urging a moratorium on its development and has dismissed other tech leaders, including Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, for having a limited understanding of the field.

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Despite expressing concerns about the potential dangers of AI, Elon Musk’s involvement in the technology has been extensive. He was an early investor in OpenAI, the startup behind ChatGPT, and even co-chaired its board when it was founded in 2015. However, Musk resigned from the board in 2018, a move that was linked to Tesla’s work on developing automated driving systems. Musk’s ties to AI are deep, spanning his many companies, including a rumored new venture.

AI is slowly becoming a bigger part of our everyday lives, even in more subtle ways that arguably translate to good. For example, AtomBeam is a startup using AI to reduce data size by 75%, increasing bandwidth by as much as 4x. Other companies like AvaWatz are using AI to build autonomous drone teams that can manage fields, conservation work, airfields and more.

Musk’s recent warnings about the potential dangers of AI have once again sparked important discussions about the role of technology in our lives. While AI offers numerous benefits, such as increased efficiency and innovation, it also raises valid concerns about humanity’s increasing reliance on machines. As these advanced systems become more deeply integrated into our daily lives, it is crucial for society to remain vigilant and mindful of the possible consequences.

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Elon Musk's Latest Warning: The Eerie Consequences Of A Society Completely Dependent On Technology (2024)

FAQs

Elon Musk's Latest Warning: The Eerie Consequences Of A Society Completely Dependent On Technology? ›

Musk: There's a chance AI 'goes wrong and destroys humanity'

What does Elon Musk say about technology? ›

Tesla's Musk predicts AI will be smarter than the smartest human next year. April 8 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) , opens new tab CEO Elon Musk on Monday predicted development of artificial intelligence that was smarter than the smartest human probably by next year, or by 2026.

What did Elon Musk say about the dangers of AI? ›

Elon Musk has warned that artificial intelligence is ''one of the biggest threats'' to humanity.

What is the warning of AI? ›

The U.S. government has a "clear and urgent need" to act as swiftly developing artificial intelligence (AI) could potentially lead to human extinction through weaponization and loss of control, according to a government-commissioned report.

What are the unethical things Elon Musk has done? ›

Musk fired 80 percent of the company's employees after taking over, and this included a dismantling of the trust and safety team. Musk then began rolling back the platform's policies and reinstating accounts previously banned for hate speech and misinformation.

What is Elon Musk's IQ? ›

Let's first answer the critical question — Elon Musk's IQ is around 155. For context, it is believed that Albert Einstein had an IQ between 160 to 165. As such, Elon is way more brilliant than the average person.

How to stop AI technology? ›

Be aware of data privacy and security: AI systems often rely on large amounts of data to function. Be mindful of the data you share with AI systems and make sure to use secure and reputable platforms. Understand AI limitations: AI systems are not perfect and can make mistakes.

Is AI a threat to humanity? ›

Can AI cause human extinction? If AI algorithms are biased or used in a malicious manner — such as in the form of deliberate disinformation campaigns or autonomous lethal weapons — they could cause significant harm toward humans. Though as of right now, it is unknown whether AI is capable of causing human extinction.

What is the risk of AI to humanity? ›

Bostrom argues that if an advanced AI's instrumental goals conflict with humanity's goals, the AI might harm humanity in order to acquire more resources or prevent itself from being shut down, but only as a way to achieve its ultimate goal. Some ways in which an advanced misaligned AI could try to gain more power.

What did Elon Musk warn us about? ›

Billionaire and owner of top companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and X Corp, Elon Musk, issued a stark warning to the United States about its spending habits, suggesting that continued overspending could lead the country to bankruptcy. "Overspending must cease or America faces bankruptcy," Musk emphasized on Twitter.

What is the biggest danger of AI? ›

Real-life AI risks

There are a myriad of risks to do with AI that we deal with in our lives today. Not every AI risk is as big and worrisome as killer robots or sentient AI. Some of the biggest risks today include things like consumer privacy, biased programming, danger to humans, and unclear legal regulation.

How serious is the danger of AI? ›

AI systems, due to their complexity and lack of human oversight, might exhibit unexpected behaviors or make decisions with unforeseen consequences. This unpredictability can result in outcomes that negatively impact individuals, businesses, or society as a whole.

Is AI going to take over the world? ›

The short answer to this fear is: No, AI will not take over the world, at least not as it is depicted in the movies.

Has Elon Musk been accused of anything? ›

Justice Alexandre de Moraes accused Musk of waging a public “disinformation campaign” after Musk commented that his social media company X would no longer comply with the court's order to block certain accounts on the platform.

Does Elon Musk harm the environment? ›

Emissions flowing from Musk's investments are also significant, with the Oxfam report finding that his stake in Tesla meant he was responsible for a further 79,000 tonnes of CO 2 emissions.

What is Elon Musk's most famous quote? ›

When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.

What did Bill Gates say about technology? ›

The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don't really even notice it, so it's part of everyday life.” "I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions they will be moved to act."

What did Elon Musk told about AI? ›

Reposting a clip from Joe Rogan's podcast with American computer scientist Ray Kurzweil on when AI will achieve human-level intelligence, Musk said on social media site X (formerly Twitter) that “AI will probably be smarter than any single human next year.”

What did Elon Musk say about the future of AI? ›

“My guess is that we'll have AI that is smarter than any one human probably around the end of next year,” Musk said in an interview Monday with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, Norway's $1.6 trillion sovereign fund and one of the largest investors in Tesla.

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