Elon Musk makes mind-blowing prediction about AI and the future of working and it’s left people terrified

Elon Musk has just made a wild prediction about AI in the workplace and everyone is now terrified.

Although fears of a robot uprising taking over the world appears to become less far-fetched as the technology advances, there is a very real possibility artificial intelligence could alter life as we know it within just a handful of years.

Speaking to investor and entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, tech mogul Musk only consolidated fears by saying AI will very soon take over the workplace.

Musk isn't the only person who's come forward with predictions as to when AI will replace human abilities in one way or another.

One expert recently went on the Diary of a CEO podcast to discuss different forms of AI and how, even though we're not sure how long more advanced AI will take to compete with us mere mortals, but that it's definitely in the works.

Musk made a terrifying prediction (Twitter/@nikhilkamathcio)

Speaking to Kamath, Musk said: "I think it will actually be that people don't have to work at all," the 54-year-old SpaceX and x.AI Corp founder said. "And it may not be that far in the future.

"Maybe only, I don't know, 10 - I'd say less than 20 years.

"My prediction is that in less than 20 years working will be optional, working at all will be optional, like a hobby pretty much."

Kamath asked: "And that would be because of increased productivity meaning people do not have to work?"

Musk replied: "They don't have to. Look, obviously, people can play this back in 20 years and say, 'Look, Elon made this ridiculous prediction and it's not true,' but I think it will turn out to be true that in less than 20 years, maybe even in as little as 10 or 15 years, the advancements in AI and in robotics will bring us to the point where working is optional in the same way that you can grow your own vegetables in your garden, or you can go to the store and buy vegetables."

He continued: "It's much harder to grow your own vegetables, but some people like doing that which is fine. But it'll be optional in that way, is my prediction."

The mind-blowing revelation has struck a chord with many viewers who aren't exactly thrilled by the concept.

"Removing purpose from people's life will be the destruction of society," wrote one on X, formerly Twitter.

Another weighed in: "This is not good for humanity. Work is holy. Work brings purpose and accomplishment."

Musk even says it could happen in as little as 10 years (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A third also said if Musk's prediction is accurate, the human race will have some serious adapting to do.

"If this is accurate, the transition period will be ugly, mass unemployment, poverty, social unrest, then when everything settles into the new normal - it may be like Elon says, but there's going to have to be a transition time," they wrote. "Scary. Stack ammo, water, provisions."

A fourth chimed: "We already have plenty of people who treat work as optional and they haven’t contributed to ground-breaking discoveries in science or written the next great American novel or composed any new symphonies or painted any new masterpieces.

"This will be a disaster. Universe 25."

However, others said they remain hopeful of such a future with AI at the helm, as one wrote: "Imagine a world where work is optional and passion projects take center stage. AI might just make that dream real sooner than we think."