Elon Musk delivered a wide-ranging and forward-looking interview at the World Economic Forum, outlining a vision of what he described as a future defined by sustainable abundance, technological optimism, and humanity’s expansion beyond Earth. Speaking alongside BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Musk argued that rapid advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and space exploration are converging to dramatically improve quality of life—if societies choose progress over fear.

Central to Musk’s message was the assertion that electrical power, not intelligence or hardware, is now the primary bottleneck limiting AI growth. He noted that China’s rapid deployment of solar energy could soon exceed its domestic needs, while warning that tariffs and regulatory barriers in the United States risk slowing innovation. Musk proposed an unconventional solution: space-based, solar-powered AI data centers, which he said could operate more efficiently without atmospheric cooling constraints and terrestrial land limitations.

Musk also outlined an ambitious roadmap for robotics, predicting that Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots will be deployed internally in factories by 2026 and made available for public purchase by late 2027. He described humanoid robots as potentially transformative for global labor shortages, elder care, and industrial productivity, suggesting they could eventually represent the majority of Tesla’s long-term value despite past delays in production timelines.

On transportation, Musk reiterated his view that autonomous driving is now a “solved problem,” pointing to emerging insurance discounts for self-driving vehicles as early market validation. He further highlighted SpaceX’s Starship program, forecasting full reusability within the year and a potential hundredfold reduction in the cost of access to space—an advance he framed as essential for making humanity a multi-planetary species.

Throughout the discussion, Musk emphasized the importance of mindset in shaping the future. He encouraged audiences to embrace optimism, stating that it is better for quality of life to be an optimist who is occasionally wrong than a pessimist who is consistently right. In Musk’s view, technological progress paired with human confidence remains the defining opportunity of the current era, making this moment one of the most consequential in human history.