How long is the trip from Austin to
here, by the way?
I I think it's about eight eight or nine
hours. Okay. So, you're fresh like
having the first morning. Yeah, exactly.
>> [laughter]
>> So, first question is about demography
and
I spoke with you in the past about that
and I think it's very important for you
and you pointed on that a lot of your
discussion and your purpose. Is it?
Yeah, I I think
you know, I really want to emphasize
that it's important to have children and
to create the new generation.
And as simple as it sounds, if people do
not have children, there is no new
generation.
So.
>> [applause]
>> Um.
So, I I I very very much strongly
recommend that um you know, I'm very
much in favor of
uh humanity expanding and creating a
bright and exciting future for the
world.
And
um but but but fundamental to the
furtherance of human civilization is
having humans.
As as simple and basic as that sounds,
um
and you know, every year I look at the
uh the birth rates and I'm like it's
it's kind of a bit depressing because
uh
birth rates seem to decline every year.
Um
and I I think uh
you know, that past my my biggest advice
um to leaders, to government leaders and
and and to to the people in general
would would be to make sure to have
children to create the new generation.
Um and yeah, I think
any any incentives that can be done to
incent the new generation to make it
easier uh for women to have children
um and to support the children, I think
would be a very wise.
Um this is so fundamental uh and uh
I really can't emphasize that enough. If
if you if you don't
have a new generation,
there is no new generation.
Um or with current birth rates, I think
it may be the generations are are birth
rates maybe half or half of the
replacement rate. And what that means is
in three generations,
the population will be one roughly
roughly 1/10
of its current size.
In three generations, maybe four
generations, the you'll have the
population be 1/10 of its current size.
So, I I I I always um
want to emphasize this point because it
is so basic and fundamental that if if
if there's not at least a birth rate
which is keeping population constant,
then uh the
a people will will will disappear.
Um Disappear means to must disappear.
>> Disappear.
We have a lot of immigration. Somebody
says that immigration is important for
that reason. What What's your point on
that? Immigration
is coming in Europe and is coming in
America from the south of America and
then Europe from the south of
Mediterranean Sea. What do you think
about that?
Well, I I think you one can't depend on
other countries for immigration.
And in fact, if you look at say the the
population worldwide
and this is almost everywhere in the
world and it seems to be a function of
how
once a country industrializes, once a
country urbanizes, the population
immediately starts to decline.
Um so,
one could say for example,
um like like China could not possibly
solve
uh its
population with immigration because if
you you know, China's currently tracking
to be maybe lose 40% of its population
every generation.
You know, that would be 700 million 800
million people.
Um or 700 roughly seven 6 700 million
people. It's a lot basically. You'd have
to have the entire United States
immigrate there twice every generation
to simply maintain numbers just for
China.
So, immigration
the simply aren't enough numbers in
immigration.
Um
and I I think I think there is value to
to a culture
uh you know, and we don't want cultures.
We don't want Japan to disappear. We
don't want Italy as a culture to
disappear. We don't want France as a
culture to disappear. I think we have to
have the maintain this sort of
reasonable cultural identity of the
various countries. Um or they simply
will not be those countries.
Um you know, Italy is
Italy is the people of Italy. The
buildings are there, but but really what
is Italy? Italy is the people of Italy.
>> [applause]
>> So,
I I mean I
I just think it's a
and and and I I speak as someone who is
very much um
very much an I'm an environ-
environmentalist.
I I believe in having you know, building
a sustainable future for the world. Um I
think that there are very few people who
who
as as an individual who've done more
than than I have for to help the
environment with electric cars and solar
and and batteries to create a
sustainable energy future because we
absolutely need a sustainable energy
future.
Um
But
>> [laughter]
>> But but but there is an aspect of the
environmental movement that I think has
gone too far.
Um Really said from you. Yes. So, said
for me,
you know, I think I
am objectively one of the world's
leading environmentalists in terms of
doing things. Not talk.
>> I I mean an environ- environmentalist
who does things. I I've talked of
action, not talk. I act.
Um
>> [applause]
>> So, so I feel I can say as
uh as an environmentalist that the
environmentalist movement has gone too
far. Um and in that
if if you in the natural extension of
the environmentalist movement, if you go
too far, you start to look at humanity
as a bad thing.
You start to look at humanity as though
we are a plague on the surface of the
earth.
Um as though humanity is a bad thing.
And in fact, there are some people who
think and and say explicitly that in
fact, there was on the front page of the
New York Times, there was a guy who said
there are 8 billion people on earth, it
would be better if there were none.
Which is crazy. Definitely. Um
So,
>> me a joke about the You told me once a
joke about the cows and the problem with
the cows. You remember that? Oh, yeah,
don't worry about the cows. The cows are
fine. Cows are not going to destroy the
environment. Cows are fine. Yeah. Uh
yes. You know, we have a lot of
a lot of laws, European laws again-
against
all the people who works with them. You
know, that is a big issue for us because
it seems very very
green issue, but it's a very industrial
issue for us.
Yeah, I think farming and cows are not
do not have a any meaningful effect on
the environment. Yes, underline, please.
I I yes. Objectively, this is true.
So, so the
If you say like there's there's really
only one thing that matters from an
environmental standpoint uh for carbon,
which is that we are taking uh billions,
eventually trillions of tons of carbon
from very deep within under the earth
and putting transferring it to the
atmosphere and oceans. That's the That's
actually really all that matters is is
taking um
vast amounts of carbon from underground
where it's buried and moving it into the
atmosphere by burning it.
Um and if you do that for long enough,
eventually you will get climate change.
Now, I think the climate change alarm is
a little somewhat
uh
overblown in the short term. It's still
a concern in the long term, but I think
it's exaggerated in the short term.
Great. Um
Now, now so I have to I'm trying to
thread the
the needle here between what
you know,
like what is pragmatic and what is
sensible. What really matters and what
doesn't matter. What really matters is
that over the long term, over the course
of the next uh
several decades, that we gradually
reduce how how many
millions and billions of tons of of
carbon that we move from underground and
to the atmosphere because we're running
sort of a climate experiment that is
dangerous.
Um but
but I also don't think that I think of
it as a a fundamental civilizational
risk. It it is it's not going to destroy
life on earth. It's not going to destroy
humanity, but it will it will create uh
hardship if you change the climate um
over many decades. So, it's it's it's I
I I think my my my message is like I
think much more pragmatic and and I
think I think correct and sensible. Um
And I I and I don't think we should uh
demonize oil and gas. I think we should
we should uh say look, that is obviously
necessary in the short term um and the
medium term, too. And it will be take
several decades to become sustainable.
So, I think if we just without getting
too worried about it, uh seek to have a
sustainable energy future um gradually,
then that's what will happen. Um and so,
but but I think that some of the
environmentalist movement has is is part
of what is
causing people to lose hope in the
future. So, I guess what I'm trying to
say is that we should have hope in the
future. We should be excited about the
future and we should build the future we
want.
>> [applause]
>> What about um Elon?
You call it um
the woke
mind. Yes, it's your it's the name you
gave to that
that illness. Woke mind
uh illness. What's that virus?
Yeah, so so
It's coming to Europe. I have to advise
you, huh?
Yes, well, this is not something you
should import from America. Please don't
import the woke mind virus. It's bad.
>> [laughter]
>> Um
so
the the I mean essentially
that
it's to summarize maybe the woke mind
virus. It consists of creating very very
divisive
um
identity politics. So, it actually
amplifies woke virus mind virus in my
view amplifies racism, amplifies uh
frankly sexism, and all the isms. And
what while claiming to do the opposite
it it actually divides people and makes
them uh
sort of hate each other, and it makes
people hate themselves.
Um and it's also anti-meritocratic. It's
not like
um you know, it's not merit-based. So,
you want you want to have people succeed
based on how hard they work and the
talents, not who they are, whether
they're man, woman, what what what race
or you know, gender what it That That
stuff is all creating it's an artificial
uh
you know, mental civil war that is
created.
Um and it's not
And And let me tell you it's no fun,
okay?
No fun at It is like it is like
woke mind virus and fun are
incompatible.
There's no fun in that.
No joy.
>> [applause]
>> It's It's It It woke mind virus is all
about condemning people instead of
celebrating people. Um
you know, like when in the woke It It
just doesn't celebrate. It's all about
condemning and being divisive and and
being uh
just I think it's just evil, frankly.
Really? Yeah.
Yeah, it's bad.
So bad. Yeah.
But have you get a lot of problems
saying so on on your social and ex or
have this point of view? You are
good friend of Obama administration, and
now they don't really like you so much
for for this kind of speech you do in in
public or not?
I don't know. I I mean I I I just um I'm
very I'm very pro-human. I'm very
pro-civilization.
I'm in favor of uh humanity um
and and our collective consciousness
expanding um on Earth and going beyond
Earth uh being a multi-planet species, a
space-faring civilization, and being out
there among the stars, and finding out
the nature of the universe. Like all the
things that, you know, it's That seems
like to me an an you know, exciting
thing somebody can get really excited
about. Is Is you can get excited like we
want to have
ideas that make you look forward to
waking up in the morning, look forward
to the day, look forward to the future.
And I you know, so
you have to say
what
What excites you about the future?
What moves your heart about the future?
What makes you say like, "Yes,
I'm glad about what will happen in the
future." That's what we must
you know, focus on. And that's That's
why we have to have a new generation
we've got to build and we got to grow.
And and uh like I said, we
understand this understand the
the the the nature of this beautiful
universe that we find ourselves in
and the meaning of life or even what
questions to ask about you know, the
meaning of life.
Um
let us explore this wondrous creation
and and have a good time doing it. Yeah.
That's my philosophy.
>> [laughter]
>> Let me Let me go back for a little
because I want to ask you about your
perception of Europe as a building, not
as as people because Europe do a lot of
laws, want a lot of integration of
cultures, different cultures, and has
different approach to the immigration.
We heard
Meloni did a lot on that with the
Premier Rama I see in the first line of
Albania. What do you think about the
this approach of Europe approach as
building, I would say as an established
building.
Well, I I should say like on the To be
clear on on immigration overall, I'm I'm
very much in favor of legal immigration.
I think that um generally I think we
should one should welcome to a country
anyone who is willing to work hard
and is honest, you know, has high
integrity, and will add to, you know,
any given country. If somebody is an
asset to the country, why not have them
join? That's obviously a great thing to
do. Um so, I think it it's good actually
to have an increase in legal
immigration. And And a simple Legal with
paper, with uh Yeah, just some some
approval process. Should um with a
simple
requirement that look, if somebody is
going to add to a country um like just
really hard working and high high
integrity let them in. I think that's
great. Um but if there's if it's illegal
immigration and there's no filter, well,
how do you know who's coming? You don't
know. So, you you have to have some
you know, uh
basis for saying somebody should come in
or not come in. And And And And And my
argument is like it should be a very
simple basis. Uh will they Will they add
to the country? Will they be a
productive part of the economy? And um
do they admire the culture? Do they want
to join because of the culture? Uh then
that's great.
Um
but if you know, if if there's no
process for that, then you don't know. I
think, you know, at least some number of
the people that come in will will not be
necessarily uh And And I want to be
careful because my words will be
misconstrued. Yeah. I'm not saying all
illegal immigrants are are are bad. I
think probably
perhaps most of them are good. But But
there will be some if there's no process
for reviewing not at all,
then how can you say that everyone who
is an illegal immigrant is is going to
be honest and hard working? You can't
say that cuz you simply don't know.
Um
so
So, I want to be clear top line,
pro-immigration, but but let's increase
legal immigration, but but we should
stop illegal immigration. I think this
is just logical.
>> [applause]
>> You
You have a lot of company.
That's all right. You can drink because
I want to do the list of the companies.
You have 5-7 minutes to do that. I mean,
I'm joking with SpaceX X
Neuralink So many X's. Huh? Uh I All the
X's. Guess what my favorite letter is.
Okay. [laughter] X, I guess.
Is a good place to invest Italy? Is a
good place place to invest some of
I mean, not your money, but you have
some investment from your company of the
American companies of the I would say
competitive companies in this place.
What's your opinion?
No, I I I mean, I think Italy is uh an
incredible country, incredible culture.
I love I love visiting. I love the
Italian people. I think you guys are
amazing.
Thanks.
>> [applause]
>> So,
Italia.
So,
um
So, I I I I want I I you know,
personally I want I want the Actually, I
want the prosperity of Italy and I want
the prosperity of every country. Um
I want the prosperity of humanity as a
whole. And And like I said, I want I had
to ask to have an exciting
uh future where we're we're fired up
about what's going to happen and really
excited. So, uh you know, I And And I
think um
it it you know,
Italy is a great place to invest. It's a
great uh
you know, great country. Um
>> [applause]
>> And uh
but but I I do want to emphasize that
the the
that I I do worry that about the the low
birth rate. And you know, if if if a
com- if a company is to invest in Italy,
they're like, "Well, you have to say
like, will there be enough people to
work there?"
You know, it's a simple question, you
know, if if if if the workforce is
declining, then if the workforce is
declining, then
then the then who will work at the
company? It's simple. If there's no
people, there's no people to work
>> Yeah, but I mean, in 50 years to 60
>> but I think it's even sooner than that,
though, you know, if all the
>> You're so worried about that.
Is the problem. I I I I feel like a
total Cassandra here um
because like I seem to be worried about
it much more than other people. Um
but you know, there just
uh needs to be people If you don't make
a new generation of people, there is no
new generation of people.
So,
that's it.
I I know I'm I'm I'm being rep-
you know, I'm being rep- rep- repetitive
here. Um
but um
I'm just I'm just trying to state state
facts, you know?
So,
and uh yeah. So,
Is a good place to invest. I know I
agree it's a good place to invest. Um
and uh
and and what a wonderful country. So, um
please make more Italians is what I'm
saying.
>> [laughter]
>> You said once that the internet is the
is the system is the new I I I write
down the the the your word, the nervous
system of humanity. What's it? The
essence. Yes.
>> You said once to me. And what is
artificial intelligence for you?
Sorry, then? The intel- artificial If
that is the nervous system, intelligence
artificial intelligence, what's I mean,
use another metaphor.
Uh you asked me what do I think of
artificial intelligence? Obviously.
Well, you can think of artificial
intelligence as um
This is perhaps the
the biggest inflection point in
intelligence
since Homo sapiens.
Um
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Um
Artificial intelligence is
will be essentially a sort of a a new
species or is a new species.
Um
So, I think one of the biggest
challenges if you if if I look at say
civilizational risk um
you know, the the risk to the future of
humanity
um
you know, birth rate is one of them if
we just don't have kids and dwindle
away.
Um that's one which I've talked a lot
about. The other is
uh
you know, there's always like
potentially nuclear war, of course, that
kind of thing. Um
The then AI is also an existential risk.
And we need to be
um
I think we need to be careful with the
advent of AI.
Um
It it it but it is very much it's a it's
a very much a double-edged sword. You
can think of AI as kind of like the
magic genie.
You know, that
like digital super intelligence will be
capable of doing anything.
Anything? Pretty much anything.
>> But he doesn't have any consciousness.
I'm I'm wondering about that.
I mean,
there is a whole question of like what
is consciousness?
In fact, so here's like a
I was I thought a lot about what is
consciousness and where does
consciousness arise?
Um
you know, just to say like
because I I think in terms of physics,
you know, um
And
it it at least if physics is true, then
we go from
a
start of the universe where things are
almost entirely hydrogen. And then if
you leave the hydrogen out in the long
enough, eventually it coalesces into
stars.
And then those stars explode.
And then they re- recondense.
Um you know, and so so like
most of the mass in your body is was
once at the center of a star.
Which is kind of wild, billions of years
ago.
And
so so where where along the lines of of
hydrogen
to human does consciousness arise?
You get very serious when you speak
about that, huh? Yeah, it's a real
question. If you leave hydrogen out in
the sun long enough,
it it starts talking to itself.
Here we are, hydrogen talking to itself.
How to deal with that? So,
if it is so important, how is to deal? I
mean, right
laws
person behave How how to deal with that
artificial intelligence? This is a
process, I mean I think we need to keep
a close eye on artificial intelligence.
Um
I mean, I'm in favor of some regulatory
insight
just so that there's someone can at
least um
be a referee. Like if you think of any
game,
like there's always a referee for a
game.
For for industries that affect the good
of the people, there's are there are
regulatory agencies that oversee those
industries.
Anything that's dangerous is overseen by
uh some kind of referee or regulator.
Um I think we should have the same thing
for AI.
Um
just to to help
ensure that it is beneficial.
Um the
the good part of AI is that we are
headed for a future of abundance.
Um
so AI and robotics will
mean that there are no shortage of goods
and services. You there's there will be
goods and services. If if you can think
of it, you can have it, basically.
So,
this is a
quite profound. Like I said, it's the
magic genie.
Um AI and AI and robotics will get you
anything you want.
Um now, usually in these sort of
fairy tales about magic genies, it
doesn't turn out so well.
Um
You have to be careful what you wish
for, even if what you wish for are
wishes.
Um
So,
it's just something we should be
cautious about. Okay.
Um
On the plus side, it will bring many
benefits, like I said. It will
it will usher in an age of abundance.
Um
The so the the positive scenario of AI
is that there's an age of abundance and
there's no shortage of goods and
services.
That any scarcity that is
that exists will be only because we
define it to be scarce.
So,
and it does seem to be somewhat of an
inevitable thing
uh AI.
So,
you know, there's that supposedly that
that's a Chinese saying about
uh may you live in interesting times.
Well, I think we currently live in the
most interesting of times in all of
history, right now.
Um
So, anyway, so my recommendation on AI
is I think we want some kind of
regulatory oversight just to make sure
um
that it's beneficial AI.
Great. We hope so.
And what about
what the governments like
I mean, they are elected by people like
Meloni and this government and the other
government, they have any risks or what
do you think about these um
challenge for the for the executive of
the nations about all these new
process?
Sorry, I'm not sure I understand the
question.
>> [clears throat]
>> What's the risk for the government of
this
artificial intelligence? Are there any
risks?
I mean, the democracy is finished.
Well, I think
there's certainly a risk of artificial
intelligence um
affecting
voting opinion, I think I suppose, and
manipulating public opinion.
Um
So, I think there's there's some risk of
yeah,
AI
um
manipulating the public.
I think that's part there's there's some
risk of that.
Um
So,
yeah, um
Okay.
You know, But I think prob- like like I
said, 80% probable that AI is
beneficial, 20% harmful, something like
that.
>> I am
I'm always worried because you know, we
have a new government just 2 years this
government, almost 2 years. And we have
a Europe for us is our artificial
intelligence. It seems like artificial
intelligence, but it's not very
intelligent sometimes Europe. And so,
I'm wondering what do you think about
the government and about Europe? For us
is so important the relation. I I
understand artificial intelligence in
the future, but in the present we have
laws
you know,
constraints that comes from Europe. What
do you think about that if you have any
opinion on that? What do you think about
about Italian government which is trying
to have a
position? I would say a position Meloni.
I don't know if this more than a
position. You want me to be more tough
than a position?
It's okay. What do you think?
Is is good to have a position in Europe
to be I mean
I would say
different from main course of European
politics.
Um you mean you mean like
country decisions versus EU decisions or
Decision about green, about the
politics, immigration.
Oh.
I mean, I there's a separate question of
like I think regulations in Europe um
there are too many regulations.
In in general, not I'm not speaking
about specific case of AI. The I I think
one could look at this as overall a
fundamental function of
of a stable civilization. The long- the
longer that any given civilization is
stable and does not have a big war, the
more rules and regulations will
accumulate over time.
So, rules, regulations, laws, they are
immortal. They never die.
So, but people die. So, if every year
um more and more rules, regulations, and
laws are added,
uh
you you will eventually make everything
illegal.
Um and you can think of it sort of like
Gulliver's Travels where
Gulliver if if the nation is Gulliver
is being tied down by one little
regulatory string at a time.
And eventually you have millions of
strings. And then the giant can't move.
And so,
and like I think there needs to be
something where we uh delete rules,
regulations, and laws.
Um cuz if we keep if we simply if all we
do is add them,
eventually we will be able to do
nothing.
Okay.
Shall shall I shall I do some question
about your companies? Because here there
are all the young people, not only the
young people from important important
Italian party. And they most of them use
the social network, they use X. And I I
I saw in the past
days that the CEO of Disney said, I
don't want to invest any advertising on
X and he's uh
investing for example in the meta, in
the Instagram and he said that there are
problems of I don't know which kind of
problem they find on X.
Child exploitation on
Instagram. Yeah, what what's what's
going on and why why an important
investor like Disney said something so
tough on on X? What's going on there?
Well, I think X will be will be fine um
and um we are actually already seeing um
advertisers return to to X.
Um so I guess they were I don't know
upset with something I said or something
I don't know.
Um but um
they you know,
advertisers I think
are
the brand advertisers are little they're
always worried about their brand and um
you know, maybe I think maybe a bit more
than they should be um
but I think it's a short-term issue. Um
like I said the
advertisers they sometimes get upset but
then they usually calm down and they
return to advertising.
So um
Come on, you know that there is a woke
virus over there. Well, oh yes We have
to say so I I don't want to
answer for you.
>> Yeah, yeah, no no, you're right. You're
right.
If we're going to fight the woke mind
virus then the woke woke mind virus will
fight back and unfortunately Disney is
deeply infected with the woke mind
virus. In fact, if you ask an AI what is
the most
woke company on Earth, it's Disney.
You know.
>> [applause]
>> But
and and you have to say what would
I mean, I think they should be asking
themselves what would Walt Disney think
of Disney today? I think he's turning in
his grave.
I think he's not happy. Sure. Sure. You
know, if if the namesake of the company
is not happy, that's probably a bad
sign, you know? Because Walt Disney what
did he care about? He cared about
bringing joy to people's lives. He put
up you know um making wonderful things
that children and families could enjoy
um and you know, he was
created some of the the coolest um
uh you know, art in the world and stuff
that even 100 years after it's created
we still remember it and and still it's
still a major thing. You have to say how
great was Walt Disney? He was amazing.
Um but now uh Disney at least for now is
deeply infected with the woke mind
virus. I think that will, you know
that will change over time.
>> Yeah, oh I hope so. Yeah, right but the
European Commission they are not
investing on X, you know that.
Maybe they're a little they got the woke
woke mind virus too.
Yeah.
You don't care. I I think so, you know?
And and and and and it's like why are
they importing this
this crazy thing for America? You know,
it's like it's it's just some
thing that was created basically by
sort of far left crazy people in US
colleges and now it's spreading all over
the world.
Um
and it's it's like you you know, like
the thing is the woke mind virus it's
it's not a message of joy. It's a it's a
a message of division. Sure.
>> It's not a message of love, it's a
message of hate. And I was like
and
so
>> [applause]
>> I'm like I'm like it like you know,
let's
uh
I don't know. I'm I'm
I'm in favor of like let's have a future
that's got more love, more light, more
and let us build a fun, exciting future.
And and and the woke mind virus is all
about condemning one group and
condemning this, condemning that. It's
like and and and and it's also like just
being like
it just wants to scold you all the time
and and treat you like a you know I
don't know.
Uh if you want to be scolded, you know?
It's not fun.
Um
So anyway,
um I think we want to
you know
have a I I like so I I I guess at its
heart my concern is that the woke mind
virus is anti-civilizational.
Um and of civilization
>> Anti-civilizational.
>> I think civilization, sure. But
if it represents a cost for your
company, what's you know, you have a
trade-off between the cost of your
position and and the cost for the
company. What's your choice and what how
much is important in your behavior the
the free speech standing? That's the
question.
>> I I I do think free speech is incredibly
important because
if people cannot speak their minds
um and then we we won't have a
democracy. Democracy is the foundation
of democracy is freedom of speech.
>> [applause]
>> So But also saying something
>> [applause]
>> So Andrea Andrea Stroppa is is laughing
at that because he knows that it's so
important for you. But tell me more
about the free speech because here is
very important person here couldn't
speak for a lot of people because they
were considered maverick some worse than
that. Free speech for everybody is
important, not just for the person who
say the right things. Exactly. No no,
exactly.
Free speech means that
free free speech is only relevant free
speech is only meaningful when if if you
allow people you don't like to say
things you don't like.
So
that's how you know it's working.
Yeah, that's how you know it's working.
Um because if if
as
once you start to censor
uh people you don't like saying things
you don't like it's only a matter of
time before that censorship turns on
you.
Eventually
you know, live by the sword, die by the
sword. Live by censorship, die by
censorship.
Hey Giovanni,
come funziona? No.
Due minuti. Va beh, allora c'abbiamo due
minuti. Eh ragazzi, qua viene
Che cosa?
Tutti fatevi un applauso a Elon.
Andiamo, facciamogli altri paio di
minuti, eh.
>> [applause]
>> Elon, why? Allora, you spoke about the
free speech you bought Twitter for the
free speech. Due minuti, dai, due
minuti, eh. Just for the free speech,
not for the business inside.
You bought the
>> Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, I mean here's the thing. So
um
you know, I think
you have to say like if civilization is
not strong, if civilization doesn't grow
um then nothing else matters, you know?
Profits don't matter if civilization
collapses.
There's there's no profits, there's no
you know, you
you we we are not
we cannot exist absent civilization.
So sometimes maybe people may say like,
well
is this an altruistic thing? I mean, I
think it's for me it feels altruistic
but even if it's even if one is not
altruistic, even if one is very
self-centered um
you have to say if you simply think
long-term, you have to be
pro-civilization because you cannot
exist without civilization. Okay?
How how important from zero to 10 in the
scale from zero to 10 money? You are the
richest person in the world. How is
important money for you from zero to 10?
Zero is the less important and 10 is the
is the good one. I don't want to One or
two or something?
>> Now, come on.
No, I mean One or two? Just just one or
>> Well, if you say like
I mean
the reason I guess I have what so-called
wealth or it's really just shares in the
company is that I've created these
companies. You know, in these companies
like SpaceX and Tesla
Tesla is 140,000 jobs direct
worldwide and like five times that
number maybe maybe almost a million jobs
when you look at the whole supply chain
for is what Tesla has created. And then
SpaceX is is about 15,000 people and
also, you know, like maybe a full total
supply chain 50,000 people. So, you
know, I mean I basically
with the help of
many talented people built these
companies. And then the
the so-called these these wealth
statistics simply they simply add up
what the ownership is in the companies
and say, okay, this is
a certain amount of money. But I don't
actually have that in money. I have it
in stock. I just it's just it's just
that the companies have succeeded. Um
but How was the last the last launch of
the SpaceX? That means something. That's
my question, please.
Giovanni, the last launch. I see my
brother sitting on the floor. Why are
you sitting on the floor? Are you
worried about the highness?
>> [laughter]
>> Same here.
How was the last launch? Was you were
optimist about your SpaceX the big big
Yeah, so well well Starship so the the
the exciting thing about Starship is
that it's the first rocket design that
could make life multi-planetary. That
could enable a self-sustaining
base on the moon and a city on Mars.
Um
so
because it is it's not just a very large
vehicle but it is what designed for full
and rapid reusability. Um
so that would
um
lower the cost of access to space by I
don't know, maybe a 100 or more.
And so and basically it's it's It's
rocket that is capable of
um
building a base on Mars and a base on
the moon. Yes. That's That's That's
Yeah.
>> [applause]
>> So,
you know,
you know, there's the the the
the great Italian physicist, Enrico
Fermi. I'm a I'm a big admirer of Fermi.
And he had uh
he was very good at asking profound
questions. Um and one of his questions,
which is called the Fermi paradox, is
where are the aliens?
And
one of the explanations is that, and
perhaps I think the one that
I think is most appears to be most
accurate, is that consciousness is
extremely rare.
That
it's you know, we we People often ask
me, have I Do I know about aliens or
something like that, you know?
Ask that a lot. Um
and the crazy thing is that I've seen no
evidence of aliens whatsoever.
Um
This This means that I think most likely
at least in this part of the galaxy,
um we are the only
consciousness that exists.
And so, you can think of
human consciousness really as like a
a tiny candle in a vast darkness.
And we must do everything we can to
ensure that the candle does not go out.
That's great. We can finish with that.
We can finish with that, Elon.
Yeah. Okay.
We can finish with this. Oh. And so,
so
um it's worth reading about the Fermi
paradox and because people have thought
very hard about this.
Um
cuz there are these cuz one of the
things is like, well, maybe there are
these great filters. And and so and and
these civilizations don't pass these
filters.
One of the filters is
um
do we become a multi-planet species or
not?
If we do not become a multi-planet
species, then eventually
at some point, something will happen to
the planet. Either it will be
uh
man-made or it will be uh
something natural, like a a meteor, like
whatever killed the dinosaurs, for
example.
So, and then eventually the sun will
actually expand and will destroy all
life on Earth.
So, if one cares about life on Earth at
all, we should care about becoming a
multi-planet species and eventually
going out there and
becoming a multi-stellar species and
having many star systems. You know, we
we we want the exciting parts of science
fiction to not be fiction forever. We
want to make them real.
And um yeah.
Great. Oh. Thank