Elon Musk has created companies that reshaped entire industries, from Tesla’s (TSLA) electric vehicle (EV) systems to SpaceX’s reusable rockets and now xAI’s ambitious supercomputer development. But his latest prediction about the future of work is one of the most disruptive yet.
In a high-profile conversation with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Musk argued that artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing so rapidly that many traditional jobs, including highly technical roles like coding, may not exist in the future.
“There will come a point where no work will be needed,” he said. “You can have a job if you want it for your personal satisfaction, but AI will be able to do it all.”
While the comment sparked debate, it aligns with the fundamental shift currently occurring in AI. Massive compute clusters powered by NVIDIA (NVDA) GPUs, hyperscale cloud platforms run by Amazon (AMZN) and Google (GOOG) (GOOGL), and xAI’s own training runs point toward a world where machines don’t just help with the work, they complete it.
And in that world, Musk says the most valuable skill is not learning to code. It is learning to think.
At the UK AI Security Summit, Musk called artificial intelligence “the most disruptive force in history” and noted that it will replace physical and cognitive work at an unprecedented speed.
AI systems can already write production-grade code, design hardware, plan logistics, generate legal drafts, and analyze markets. Tools like Microsoft (MSFT) Copilot, Google’s Gemini, Meta (META) AI within WhatsApp and Instagram, and open source models built into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) systems show how far automation has come.
In this environment, the scarce skill is not execution, because the AI takes care of that. Low skill is address. It is the ability to define a problem, imagine a solution, judge trade-offs, understand human context, and use AI as a collaborative partner.
Education systems have been teaching technical skills for decades. Musk says the future belongs to people who can combine those technical tools with creativity, strategic knowledge and ethical reasoning.
So while coding used to be the differentiator, it is now the foundation.
If Musk is right, the next decade will reward companies that rethink entire industries using AI. These funds capture a broad AI-driven edge without betting on a single winner:
A world where work is optional means greater automation across industries. This theme is reflected in real income-based ETFs like:
Both ETFs invest in companies that generate measurable income from automation, not speculative future bets.
If AI can perform the most technically demanding tasks (and do so flawlessly), the strongest companies will be those that do one of the following:
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Build or provide the computing behind AI
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Create tools that improve human-AI collaboration
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Operate in sectors where AI boosts productivity rather than replacing it
This is where investors should focus.
In particular, AI infrastructure remains the foundation, as training frontier models requires enormous computing power.
Musk said xAI needs thousands of high-end GPUs, underscoring demand from companies like NVIDIA and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), undisputed leaders in AI GPUs, and Super Micro Computer (SMCI), responsible for the server and rack systems behind AI data centers.
As long as AI continues to advance, these companies will remain essential.
And if future work revolves around directing AI, then platforms that enable that interaction also become central.
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Microsoft incorporates AI natively in Office and Windows
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Google integrates Gemini into Workspace and Android
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Meta pushes AI assistants into your social and messaging ecosystem
Musk has repeatedly warned that advanced AI introduces serious cyber risks. As industries adopt AI, the need to protect data and identity grows.
Companies already leading this space include:
Unlike automation, demand for cybersecurity is increasing because of AI, not despite it.
The more AI can do, the more valuable human judgment becomes. If Musk’s prediction is accurate, the most successful workers will be those who understand what to build and why, not just how. Likewise, the most successful companies will be those that integrate AI to amplify human potential rather than simply reduce costs.
Similarly, the most successful investors will be those who position themselves in industries that directly benefit from this transformation: infrastructure, platforms, automation and security.
AI can do the work, but humans will still provide the purpose. And in Musk’s vision of the future, that’s the job that matters most.
As of the date of publication, Barchart Insights had no (directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article are for informational purposes only. This article was originally published on Barchart.com
