Elon Musk Discusses the Future of AI and Self-Driving Vehicles at Bosch Connected World Event

During a recent video Q&A at Bosch’s Connected World conference, Elon Musk shared his insights into the future of AI and autonomous vehicles (AVs), declaring that industries are on the verge of the "biggest technology revolution" in history. Musk emphasized, “AI is going to profoundly change the world,” particularly highlighting the advancements in self-driving technology. He expressed confidence in the progress made toward achieving fully autonomous vehicles, stating, "We're putting a lot of effort into self-driving for cars … and I think we’re quite close to having the car fully autonomous."

The rapid development of intelligent vehicles has fueled an increased demand for AI, alongside notable advancements in humanoid robotics. Musk remarked on the unprecedented pace of AI technology, saying, "I've never seen any technology advance faster than [AI compute]. The artificial intelligence compute coming online appears to be increasing by a factor of 10 every six months … that cannot continue at such a high rate forever … but I've never seen anything like it." He likened the current situation to a “chip rush,” which he believes surpasses any previous economic surge.

Musk also stressed the necessity of boosting sustainable power generation technologies to support the computational demands arising from both the burgeoning AI sector and the expanding AV market. Regarding self-driving cars, he foresees a transformative impact on transportation, with the expectation that they will soon become a common sight on the roads. However, he acknowledged that regulatory challenges and infrastructure requirements could hinder widespread adoption.

In advancing AV technology, Musk urged companies to focus on the development of voltage step-down transformers and innovative electrical power generators to meet the power needs of AI and AVs. He explained, "The simultaneous growth of electric cars and AI, both of which need electricity, and both of which require voltage transformers, is creating an enormous demand for electrical equipment and energy generation."

Musk provided a forecast on the progression of shortages in the industry, stating, "A year ago, the shortage was chips; neural net chips. Then it became clear that the next shortage would be voltage step-down transformers … and the subsequent challenge will be electricity. I predict that next year, we will face limitations in finding enough electricity to power all the chips."

By enhancing sustainable electricity production, Musk believes the industry can address these impending challenges and support the ongoing growth of AI technologies, paving the way for a future where autonomous vehicles and advanced AI technologies are seamlessly integrated into society.