AI friends and optional jobs – Sunak and Musk share future hopes

Technology in education, a future where work will be optional and deadly robots that can climb trees were all covered as Rishi Sunak sat down to talk AI with Elon Musk.

The prime minister held a highly unusual “in conversation” event with the X and Tesla owner at the end of this week’s summit on the emerging technology.

In a wide-ranging discussion, they talked about London as a tech hub for the AI industry and the positive role the technology could play.

But the pair also touched on the darker side of the AI debate.

Billionaire tech investor and inventor Mr Musk has put money into AI firms and has employed the technology in his driverless Tesla cars – but he’s also on the record about his fears it could threaten society and human existence itself.

“There is a safety concern, especially with humanoid robots – at least a car can’t chase you into a building or up a tree,” he told the audience.

Mr Sunak – who is keen to see investment in the UK’s growing tech industry – replied: “You’re not selling this.”

The event was held in front of invited guests from the tech industry in a grand hall in central London’s Lancaster House.

Unusually for an event involving the prime minister, TV cameras were not allowed inside, with Downing Street instead releasing their own footage. Some reporters were allowed to observe, but not to ask questions.

Mr Musk was one of the star guests at this week’s AI summit – but on Thursday, he took a clear swipe at the gathering on X, formerly known as Twitter, just a few hours before he was due to meet Mr Sunak.

Around the time the prime minister was on his feet giving his final press conference at the event, Mr Musk shared a cartoon parodying an “AI Safety Summit”.

It depicted caricatures representing the UK, European Union, China and the US with speech bubbles reading “We declare that AI posses a potentially catastrophic risk to humankind” – while their thought bubbles read “And I can not wait to develop it”.

But the pair struck a cordial note as they discussed the potential benefits of AI, including for young people and education.

Mr Musk said: “One of my sons has trouble making friends and an AI friend would be great for him.”

There was also agreement on the possibilities AI presents for young people’s learning, with Mr Musk saying it could be “the best and most patient tutor”.

But there was a stark warning on the potentially ruinous impact it could have on traditional jobs.

“We are seeing the most destructive force in history here,” he said, before speculating: “There will come a point where no job is needed – you can have a job if you want one for personal satisfaction but AI will do everything.

“It’s both good and bad – one of the challenges in the future will be how do we find meaning in life.”

It’s not every day you see the prime minister of a country interviewing a tech billionaire, but Mr Sunak seemed relaxed and chatty during the event.

And if he seemed like he was enjoying it, it should be no surprise – Mr Sunak previously lived in California, home to Silicon Valley, and his love of all things tech is well-documented.

In a hall that size, Mr Musk was difficult to hear and mumbled through his elaborate musings about the future.

From the cheap seats, it was hard to make out who was the powerful one out of the pair.

Was it Mr Sunak as he asked the tech billionaire questions? Or was it Mr Musk, who did much of the talking?

Either way, both men hope to have a say in whatever the future has in store.