Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has predicted that robots will eventually become more numerous than humans, transforming the global economy and ushering in an era of unprecedented productivity.
Speaking with Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland this week, Musk said he envisions a future in which billions of robots are integrated into everyday life. These robots, he explained, would perform a wide range of tasks, including caring for children and the elderly.
“My prediction is that there will be more robots than humans,” Musk said during the discussion. According to him, future economic output will no longer be constrained by human labor but instead determined by productivity multiplied by the massive scale of robotic deployment. This shift, he argued, would enable production levels never before seen in human history.
Musk believes that once robots are mass-produced, they will be capable of meeting virtually all human needs. “I predict we will create so many robots and AI systems that they can easily provide everything people need,” he said. “At some point, you may not even be able to think of anything else to ask a robot to do.”
The billionaire entrepreneur also described artificial intelligence and robotics as the primary path toward global prosperity. Addressing long-standing challenges such as poverty and unequal living standards, Musk said, “People often talk about solving global poverty or how to ensure everyone has a high standard of living. I think the only way to achieve that is through AI and robots.”
During the conversation, Musk highlighted the rapid development of humanoid robots and shared updates on Tesla’s Optimus project. He revealed that several Optimus robots are already performing basic tasks in Tesla factories and are expected to handle more complex operations by the end of the year. Musk added that Tesla could begin selling humanoid robots as early as late next year, once their reliability reaches a sufficiently high level. “Essentially, you’ll be able to ask them to do almost anything you want,” he said.
According to analysts at investment bank Barclays, the current humanoid robot market is valued at approximately $2–3 billion. Barclays forecasts that the market could grow to at least $40 billion by 2035, and potentially reach $200 billion, as AI-powered robots increasingly penetrate labor-intensive sectors such as manufacturing.
