Elon Musk said it's too late to stop artificial intelligence — and even he couldn't halt it. The Tesla CEO predicted AI could surpass the combined intelligence of humanity within five years, and that within 10 years humans will likely no longer be in charge. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 as a counterweight to Google, now estimates a 10% to 20% chance that AI could wipe out humanity. But he says he would not press a hypothetical stop button because the most likely outcome is abundance for all.
From pause call to acceptance
Musk's latest comments mark a sharp turn from his stance just over three years ago. In March 2023, he signed an open letter calling for a six-month pause on AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. At the time, he warned of "profound risks to society." Now he says the genie is out of the bottle. "It is too late to stop AI," Musk stated, adding that even he could not halt it. The shift reflects a broader reality: the AI race has accelerated far beyond any voluntary pause.
The AI-crypto capital drain
The AI boom has pulled capital away from crypto listings, and AI tokens swing on breakthroughs. OpenAI's GPT-5.6 was cleared for broad rollout by Washington this week, adding fresh fuel to the sector. For crypto projects, the competition for developer attention and venture dollars has only intensified. Musk's prediction that AI will surpass human intelligence within five years — and that humans will lose control within 10 — underscores the scale of the shift. Crypto markets, already squeezed by regulatory uncertainty, now face a narrative competitor that shows no signs of slowing.
GPT-5.6's rollout is expected to begin in the coming weeks. Musk, meanwhile, has not detailed any new AI safety initiatives. His estimate that AI could wipe out humanity — a 10% to 20% chance — remains a stark number, even as he argues that abundance is the likeliest path. For the crypto industry, the question is whether AI's gravitational pull will continue to drain liquidity and listings, or whether the two sectors can find a symbiotic footing. The next few months will tell.
