22/10/2026
Elon Musk believes money could work very differently in the future as AI, robots and space exploration change the economy. He suggested that future currency could be based on physical measures such as power, mass and energy rather than traditional money.
Musk shared the idea during a conversation with his biographer Walter Isaacson on The Builders podcast, released on October 20, 2026.
He believes advanced AI and robots could produce far more goods and services than they do today. He also expects space exploration to open access to new resources and create economic opportunities beyond Earth.
During the conversation, Musk estimated that advanced AI could increase the production of goods and services by 20% to 30%, potentially adding around $30 trillion a year to the economy. These are his predictions, not confirmed economic forecasts.
He also discussed the possibility of building a system on the Moon that could launch materials into space using electromagnetic acceleration. Musk believes technologies like these could help create a much larger economy.
Source: The Builders podcast with Walter Isaacson, October 20, 2026; Interesting Engineering.
