Elon Musk has predicted that money will stop mattering by 2036, as robots and artificial intelligence produce more goods and services than people can consume. The billionaire made the forecast during an interview with The Economist's editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes, recorded at the Texas Gigafactory and published in late July 2026 as part of the Economist's Insider series.
The basis of the prediction
Musk argued that once AI and automation reach a certain threshold, the cost of producing almost everything will drop so low that the concept of money will lose its meaning. In his view, a world where machines handle the vast majority of labor will create an abundance that makes traditional economic exchange obsolete. He did not provide a detailed timeline or mechanism for how this transition would occur, but he emphasized the transformative potential of AI and automation.
The interview was recorded at Tesla's Texas Gigafactory, a site emblematic of Musk's push for advanced manufacturing and automation. The Economist's Insider series features in-depth conversations with influential figures. Musk's comments come amid ongoing debates about the economic impact of artificial intelligence, including concerns about job displacement and inequality. His prediction that money will become irrelevant by 2036 is one of the more radical visions for a post-scarcity society.
The full interview is available on The Economist's Insider series.
