Elon Musk seems to be all-in on the AI revolution, investing billions of dollars into creating the best models at xAI and humanoid robots at Tesla, but if given a choice, he wouldn’t want AI to be progressing as fast as it is.
Musk made the surprising admission in recent remarks, drawing a sharp distinction between his predictions about artificial intelligence and his personal preferences for its development. Musk, who has long been vocal about AI safety concerns while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of the technology through ventures like xAI and Tesla’s self-driving initiatives, emphasized that observers often conflate his forecasts with his desires—a confusion he sought to clarify.
“I just want to separate out from what I wish would happen versus what I predict will happen, because people get confused about that,” Musk explained. “They think that what I predict will happen is what I want it to happen. What I predict to happen is not the same as what I want to happen.”
The entrepreneur then delivered his most pointed statement on the matter: “If I could, I would certainly slow down AI and robotics, but I can’t. It seems to be advancing at a very rapid pace, whether I like it or not.”
This acknowledgment reveals a striking paradox at the heart of Musk’s relationship with artificial intelligence. While he has consistently warned about the existential risks posed by advanced AI—famously calling it humanity’s “biggest existential threat” and advocating for regulatory oversight—he has simultaneously positioned himself at the forefront of AI development. xAI is pushing the frontier of AI model capabilities, while Tesla continues to develop increasingly sophisticated autonomous driving systems and humanoid robots.
But Musk’s dilemma exists because he alone doesn’t control the pace of AI development. There are several labs in the US and China rushing to build AI, and researchers are continually making new breakthroughs. If Musk chooses to sit out of the AI revolution, it would carry on regardless. Musk’s best option is to be at the forefront of the revolution, and to look to steer it away from undesirable outcomes. And ironically, as he races to be the best, his actions accelerate the pace of the very AI progress that he wishes would slow down.