Elon Musk’s solution to lifting people out of poverty: ‘Give them an internet connection’

Elon Musk said SpaceX now accounts for nearly 80 percent of all active satellites in orbit and will likely handle around 90 percent of mass launches this year, giving the company an outsized role in shaping global connectivity. (Image credit: X)

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, has argued that the most powerful tool to reduce global poverty is not traditional aid but universal internet access, calling connectivity the fastest route to education, opportunity and economic mobility.

Speaking about the transformative potential of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, Musk said that affordable, high‑bandwidth internet can open doors that poverty usually keeps shut. “I think the single biggest thing you can do to lift people out of poverty and help them is giving them an internet connection because once you have the internet connection, you can learn anything for free on the internet, and you can also sell your goods and services to the global market," he said.

The SpaceX CEO added that about 80 percent of all active satellites in orbit are SpaceX, and they're providing high-bandwidth global connectivity throughout the world. Its rapid expansion is central to Musk’s argument.

By 2025, SpaceX had built the world’s largest satellite constellation, with more than 9,300 operational satellites, allowing global broadband coverage in regions where fibre or mobile networks remain scarce or prohibitively expensive. Musk said SpaceX now accounts for nearly 80 percent of all active satellites in orbit and will likely handle around 90 percent of mass launches this year, giving the company an outsized role in shaping global connectivity.

With an Internet connection, you can learn anything for free and sell your goods to the customers worldwide https://t.co/OkwlyHGMVQ

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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 24, 2026

Musk's views align with those of the World Bank

Musk’s views are backed by what the World Bank has been saying since 2020: "Broadband (or high-speed) internet access plays a major role in economic growth and job creation". It also stated that Broadband access can stimulate youth employment opportunities in rural communities. In addition to creating direct jobs in the construction, installation, and maintenance of network equipment, the “indirect” and “induced” jobs that come from the ability to use the internet are significant.

Social media users divided

Netizens users, however, pointed out that while Musk's take does make sense, internet connections, especially those of Starlink, are expensive, making it difficult for the poor to access.

"The trouble is $125 (about Rs 11,500) a month is not cheap," said one X user. Another added, "It’s very expensive."

A third user said, "Would you consider offering a discount on the whole setup and monthly fees for a senior who is disabled and dependent on the internet for nearly everything. Especially trying to find healthy organic food because what is on the shelves of our grocery stores is 'food-like products' full of unhealthy ingredients."

Several others also pointed out that internet access alone cannot pull people out of poverty.

"In the long term, reliable global internet doesn’t just help individuals, it can transform economies, enable remote work at scale, support telemedicine, and even foster innovation in regions that have historically been isolated," a user commented on X. "Connectivity is not just a utility; it’s a pathway out of poverty."

But many others agreed with Musk.

"The internet has lifted millions of people out of poverty, particularly in the area remote jobs. Thousands of remote workers across the globe are earning far more than 9-5 employees, thanks to the internet," an X user said. "Exactly. Internet turns aid into autonomy: learn, build, sell, collaborate globally. Not handouts, but a massive multiplier of human potential. Connectivity is the real infrastructure of opportunity," added another.