Elon Musk’s 5 new predictions that could change the world

The billionaire and entrepreneur spoke about the future of cryptocurrencies, psychotropic drugs, his Starlink satellite network, the energy problem and robots.

In the framework of the Code Conference, the annual event of technology conferences held in California, Elon Musk made five new predictions about the future, and explained how his plans will save the world. The tycoon and founder of Space X and Tesla, focused on some of the most relevant topics of today: cryptocurrencies, psychotropic drugs, Starlink, the energy problem and robots.

Musk, in his role as the founder of big tech companies, often makes predictions about future innovations and what the world will look like in a few years. Although many of its forecasts have not been fulfilled, many others have, such as the case of electric cars.

Cryptocurrencies

Elon Musk argued that cryptocurrencies will be more secure than the current financial system

Despite the opposition of most governments to the free flow of cryptocurrencies, it is increasingly difficult to achieve full control of these currencies. In Elon Musk’s view, neither banks nor governments should be in control of money, arguing that they “offer the possibility of reducing errors and latency in the current monetary system.”

In that sense, he indicated, the states could only slow down and hinder the advance of this new form of emerging economy . For the tycoon this would be a serious mistake because it would make it impossible to correct the problems of the current system.

Musk opposes the control of governments and banks, considering that they constitute a corrupt and rigged system. For the founder of Tesla, the presence of a new digital currency that is supervised and controlled by a network system is much more reliable. In turn, he affirms that this modality is “safer” than the conventional one, which, as he pointed out, depends on “a few oligarchs who control the ‘money databases’ to alter the economy at will.”

He clarified, however, that the advance of cryptocurrencies can be slowed down.

Psychotropic drugs

On this controversial issue, he said that these drugs will be accepted and that society will change its opinion on the matter: “As the new generations obtain political power, I think we will see great receptivity about the benefits of psychotropics.”

For Musk, who publicly acknowledged having consumed LSD, this acceptance will be due to a generational change , which will leave behind legislation of older times and bring another vision about these psychotropic drugs that, according to what he explained, will open the doors to a new legal market.

Energy problem

Solar panels from the Desert Stateline project, near Nipton, California, United States

Given the growing demand for electric cars, Elon Musk thinks there will be a global energy problem : “If we change all current transportation to electric, the demand for electricity will be more than double that of today.”

For this reason, it maintains that the current energy system is obsolete and does not have the capacity to meet the demand that is to come, derived from the energy transition.

This problem, he warned, will worsen in the coming years.

In Tesla’s case, Musk currently only offers solar panels and batteries to charge cars at home.

Robots

Although for many this only corresponds to the world of science fiction, Musk, one of the richest men in the world, believes that robots will have such an irruption that they will become like human beings, bipeds, but more intelligent and interconnected.

“We are building a humanoid robot that will be like Tesla, but with legs,” he said at the Code Conference.

He explained that if he did not build them until now, it is because he did not want to collaborate in shaping a future like the one in the “Terminator” movies. However, as he currently considers his arrival inevitable, he is already building his own humanoid.

He clarified that he is redoubling efforts to do “the best possible” to avoid that future.

“I’ve been avoiding it for a while because I didn’t want to accelerate the AI ​​apocalypse, but clearly, with Boston Dynamics, those humanoid robots are coming. And they are going to happen with or without Tesla, ”Musk said. He added: “But with Tesla, I will have much more ability to ensure his safety and intelligence. I will try to do my best to achieve it. “

Last August Musk unveiled Tesla’s humanoid robot that will handle the “dangerous and boring” job.

“Tesla is the largest robotics company in the world because cars are basically semi-sensitive robots on wheels. So it makes some sense to put that in a humanoid form. ” With those words, he explained in a virtual conference why he decided to launch his ” Tesla Bot “, with which he intends to eliminate “dangerous or boring jobs” such as bending over to pick something up or go shopping.

The entrepreneur said that an initial prototype will be available for next year and left a prediction of what will happen thanks to this type of artificial intelligence projects: ” In short, in the future physical work will be optional .”

Starlink

String of Starlink satellites before being put into orbit

Finally, Elon Musk affirmed that his network of satellites communicating with the Internet will change the world.

During the interview, he commented that Starlink aims to provide broadband Internet service, low latency and global coverage at low cost.

In that way, the network will offer the internet to anyone who has the necessary equipment. This, Musk said, will have a world-changing equalizer effect.

Currently the cost of the necessary equipment is nearly $ 500, plus a monthly fee of $ 99.

“It is really designed to serve the ‘under-served,’” that is, those who live in rural and remote areas.