Elon Musk will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos for the first time on Thursday, marking a striking reversal for the billionaire who has publicly criticised the annual gathering of political and business elites for years. The world's richest person is scheduled to join BlackRock CEO Larry Fink on a panel at 1530 GMT, according to the latest World Economic Forum program.

Reversal from Years of Criticism

Musk's appearance represents a dramatic shift from his previous stance toward the WEF. In recent years, he has been one of the organisation's most prominent critics, regularly attacking the annual Davos gathering as elitist, unaccountable, and disconnected from ordinary people.

Current Global Influence

Musk's attendance comes as he continues to play a key role in several global debates. His companies remain at the center of significant discussions, including SpaceX's supply of satellite internet to conflict zones and recent public criticism over sexualised images generated by Grok, a chatbot developed by his AI startup xAI.

The Tesla CEO's status as an ally of US President Donald Trump has elevated his political clout, giving him an unusual degree of influence over policy discussions spanning technology, defense, and global communications.

Strategic Business Interests

Several of Musk's companies are of direct interest to governments worldwide:

• SpaceX: Major US defense contractor whose Starlink network operates in conflict zones
• X (formerly Twitter): Social media platform where changes to moderation policies have drawn criticism over misinformation and hate speech
• Tesla: Leading electric vehicle manufacturer
• xAI: Artificial intelligence startup developing the Grok chatbot

Musk's first Davos appearance signals a potential shift in his approach to engaging with global political and business leaders, despite his longstanding criticism of the forum's elite nature and influence.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has shared his distinctive perspective on money and economics, challenging conventional understanding of financial systems and predicting radical changes driven by artificial intelligence. His comments, spanning from April 2022 interviews to recent social media posts, present a vision where traditional economic concepts may become obsolete.

Money as Information System, Not Value Store

Speaking to Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer, on the WELT Documentary channel in April 2022, Musk explained his fundamental view of monetary systems. "What is an economy? People get confused, sometimes they think an economy is money. Money is a database for exchange requisite services and for time-shifting the exchange of written services, that's it. Money is a database, it doesn't have power in and of itself," he stated.

To illustrate his point, Musk presented hypothetical scenarios that highlight the distinction between financial wealth and practical value:

Labor as Economic Constraint

Musk identified labor as the primary bottleneck in economic production. "The limiting factor for the economy is labour and so if you address the limiting factor for the economy then it's not clear that an economy in the traditional sense has any meaning. Because you have no constraint on goods and services, we decide to make things scarce, like a particular piece of art," he explained during the 2022 interview.

This perspective forms the foundation of his predictions about future economic transformation through technological advancement.

AI-Driven Economic Revolution

Musk's recent statements suggest he believes artificial intelligence will fundamentally alter economic structures within the next two decades. He has made several specific predictions about this transformation:

Retirement Planning Obsolescence

Musk recently advised against traditional retirement savings, stating: "One like side recommendation I have is, don't worry about squirreling money away for retirement. In 10 or 20 years, you won't need to save for retirement. If any of the things that we've said are true, saving for a retirement will be irrelevant." He suggested that healthcare, housing, and income needs will be met by an abundant society.

Work as Optional Activity

In October 2025, Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter): "AI and robots will replace all jobs. Working will be optional, like growing your own vegetables, instead of buying them from the store." This statement reflects his belief that technological advancement will eliminate the necessity of traditional employment.

Near-Zero Cost Goods and Services

During an interview with United States Senator Ted Cruz, Musk described a future economic model where "tens of billions of robots will make you anything or provide any service you want for basically next to nothing." This vision suggests that automation could drive the cost of goods and services to minimal levels.

Economic Philosophy and Future Implications

Musk's economic philosophy centers on the distinction between financial systems and productive capacity. His arguments suggest that current monetary frameworks may become irrelevant as artificial intelligence and robotics address what he considers the fundamental constraint of human labor. These perspectives challenge traditional economic thinking about value creation, wealth accumulation, and the role of work in society.

The billionaire's predictions span a 10-20 year timeframe, during which he expects artificial intelligence-led advances to create conditions of material abundance that could reshape fundamental economic relationships and eliminate traditional concerns about financial security.