Abstract:
In a new podcast interview with biographer Walter Isaacson, Musk said that the "DOGE" (Department of Government Effectiveness) effort he once led ultimately failed; this experience proved that trying to solve the deficit problem from within the government simply does not work.
“The only way to solve the national debt problem is artificial intelligence and robots. Just ‘saving money’ cannot solve this problem.” Musk said. This interview is from The Builders, a new podcast series (hosted by Walter Isaacson) that premieres next Tuesday.
Musk admitted that the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) attempt failed; but he also pointed out that a future government may be able to try again to solve this problem with the help of increasingly powerful artificial intelligence.
Musk said that neither the White House, the House of Representatives, the Senate, nor the judiciary have any intention to cut spending. "Fundamentally, no one in power in government — with perhaps rare exceptions like Rand Paul — really wants to cut spending."
"If the president can make this his top priority, maybe we can do it," Musk added, "but if you try to fix the deficit and eliminate wasteful spending, you're going to make a lot of enemies. President Trump wants to be popular; he doesn't want to see people coming in complaining because something has been cut and they're unhappy."
Musk admitted that he "did get a little carried away" at the time, which led to him leaving his company for "too long."
“I should have been more in the background,” he added, “and maybe just for a month or two” — rather than the four months he actually spent in the White House.
“I should have returned earlier and reinvested my energy in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).”
When Isaacson asked Musk if his experience in the West Wing was somehow too "sexy," Musk responded: "It was a little bit. I mean, it was kind of cool... because I was in the Oval Office and seeing those big decisions being made."
When asked about him wielding a chainsaw on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) a month into Trump's second term, Musk said: "That was a weird weekend."
When pressed for more details, Musk said: "It’s better not to mention the past."
Comments