In a recent interview on X spaces, Tesla CEO Elon Musk delivered thought-provoking insights into the future of artificial intelligence (AI), predicting that AI capable of surpassing the intelligence of the smartest human may emerge as soon as next year or by 2026. Despite encountering technical glitches during the interview, Musk delved into various topics, shedding light on the constraints facing AI development, particularly related to electricity availability.
During the conversation with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norway’s wealth fund, Musk provided updates on Grok, an AI chatbot developed by his xAI startup. He revealed plans for the upcoming version of Grok, scheduled for training by May, while acknowledging challenges posed by a shortage of advanced chips.
Notably, Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, expressed concerns about the deviation of OpenAI from its original mission and the prioritization of profit over humanity’s welfare. He founded xAI last year as a competitor to OpenAI, which he has sued for allegedly straying from its altruistic goals.
Discussing the resource-intensive nature of AI training, Musk disclosed that training the Grok 2 model required approximately 20,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs, with future iterations anticipated to necessitate up to 100,000 Nvidia H100 chips. However, he underscored that chip shortages and electricity supply would emerge as critical factors shaping AI development in the near future.
Transitioning to the automotive sector, Musk lauded Chinese carmakers as the most competitive globally, issuing warnings about their potential to outperform global rivals without appropriate trade barriers. Addressing recent labor disputes, he provided updates on a union strike in Sweden against Tesla, indicating that discussions had taken place with Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, a significant Tesla shareholder, to address the situation.
Elon Musk’s remarks offer valuable insights into the evolving landscape of AI development and the formidable challenges confronting both the technology and automotive industries. As advancements in AI continue to accelerate, navigating these challenges will be paramount to shaping the future of innovation and technology.
