Elon Musk warns AI could surpass human intelligence by 2031

Elon Musk has renewed warnings over the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, stating that AI systems could surpass the combined intelligence of humanity within the next decade.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Tesla and xAI chief said the pace of AI development is accelerating at such speed that machines more capable than any individual human could emerge much sooner than widely anticipated. He stated that this threshold could be reached as early as the end of this year and is almost certain to arrive by 2031 at the latest.

Musk has consistently argued that artificial intelligence represents both a transformative opportunity and a serious risk, and has repeatedly called for stronger regulatory oversight even as his own companies continue to make substantial investments in the technology.

Alongside his comments on AI, Musk spoke about regulatory progress for Tesla in Europe, stating that the company is close to securing approval for its Full Self-Driving advanced driver assistance system. He informed that Tesla is hopeful supervised Full Self-Driving could receive authorisation in Europe as early as next month, adding that a similar timeline is being targeted for regulatory approval in China.

If approvals are granted, this would mark a significant regulatory milestone for Tesla and could enable broader deployment of its autonomous driving features across major global markets.

Musk also made his first appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, marking a notable shift in his engagement with the annual gathering.