Elon Musk says AI will eventually rule the world but only under one condition

Artificial Intelligence

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is once again drawing attention after shareholders approved his record-breaking $1 trillion compensation package, making him the highest-paid executive in corporate history. Amid the celebration, an earlier video of Musk resurfaced, in which he made a bold prediction — artificial intelligence could ultimately rule the world, but only if it grows far beyond the collective intelligence of humanity.

Speaking during a public discussion, the SpaceX founder addressed a question about wealth, power, and how a future of abundance might challenge today’s money-driven systems. When asked whether powerful individuals would need to relinquish control to make such a vision possible, Musk replied, “Well, I mean, actually long term, the AI is going to be in charge, to be totally frank — not humans.”

He went on to explain that if AI ever surpasses the sum of all human intelligence, it’s hard to imagine a future where people still hold authority. “We just need to make sure AI is friendly,” Musk added, warning that the balance of power could permanently shift away from humans if artificial intelligence continues its current pace of evolution.

Musk’s remarks echo similar predictions he made earlier this year. In September, he suggested that AI could outthink any single human by next year, and potentially become smarter than all humans combined by 2030. He made those comments during an appearance on the All-In Podcast, where he stressed the urgency of developing AI systems that align with human interests.

His latest comments also come amid rising anxiety over automation and job displacement. Just days ago, Musk responded to a post on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that Amazon plans to replace over 160,000 jobs with robots by 2027. Musk wrote, “AI and robots will replace all jobs. Working will be optional — like growing your own vegetables instead of buying them from the store.”

Meanwhile, Tesla’s shareholder vote to approve Musk’s massive pay deal underscores his growing influence in both technology and global economics. Over 75% of shareholders voted in favour of the plan, which could expand his Tesla stake to 25% or more over the next decade. Already the world’s richest individual, Musk now appears set on a trajectory to become the first-ever trillionaire, even as he warns that AI, not humans, may eventually hold the real power.