Elon Musk, in an interview with The Economist, predicted that artificial intelligence may surpass the total intellectual abilities of human beings within five years, and over the course of a decade, with the expansion of robots and the abundant production of goods and services, work and money could lose much of their importance.

At the same time, he warned that more powerful AI systems than humans may no longer be controllable.

To reduce the risks, Musk suggested that leading American and Chinese companies should enable cross-testing of their models before releasing new ones, and that governments should oversee this mechanism.

He also said that if necessary, for the sake of AI safety, he is prepared to set aside his differences with Sam Altman.

Musk described China as a serious competitor for leadership in the AI industry and emphasized that the safety of this technology cannot be achieved without Beijing’s participation.

He described the future of humankind as being caught between “astonishing abundance” brought about by AI and the danger of humans being pushed out of the center of power.

Read the full text here