Elon Musk commented on a viral video showing a Pakistani man claiming higher birth rates will outnumber Danes, saying “His math is correct.” Musk warns population decline, not overpopulation, poses global economic and societal risks.
Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk has once again reignited the debate on global population trends after commenting on a controversial video circulating on his platform X (formerly Twitter). The video shows a heated exchange between a Pakistani man and a Danish man, where the former claims that higher birth rates among immigrants would eventually outnumber native Danes. In the clip, the Pakistani man argues that while Danes typically have one or two children, immigrants like him often have five or more. He further asserts that, within 10 to 15 years, Pakistanis would surpass Danes in population, adding that Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Finland are already witnessing similar demographic shifts. Another individual in the video echoes the sentiment, saying he too plans on having multiple children. Musk, responding to the post, wrote simply: “His math is correct.” His remark has sparked fresh conversations about birth rates, immigration, and the broader implications of demographic change.
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Musk’s Ongoing Warning on Population Collapse
The billionaire entrepreneur has repeatedly stressed that population decline—not overpopulation—is one of the greatest threats to human civilization. According to Musk, falling birth rates can lead to severe consequences, including labor shortages, slower economic growth, and even societal instability. In past interviews, Musk has said, “Most people still think the world is overpopulated. It’s actually the opposite.” Countries like Japan, South Korea, Italy, and parts of Eastern Europe are often cited as case studies, with shrinking populations posing challenges to their economies and social welfare systems.
Musk recently highlighted Japan’s demographic struggles, noting that the country is projected to lose nearly one million people this year due to the gap between births and deaths. He emphasized that this decline has been building for decades and is unrelated to technological disruption. Instead, he suggested that artificial intelligence and robotics might be the only viable solutions to counterbalance shrinking workforces. “AI is the only hope for turning this around,” Musk said in response to an X post about Japan’s population drop.
The debate Musk has fueled touches on larger questions of how nations will manage demographic decline. Solutions being discussed globally include encouraging higher birth rates through pro-natalist policies, revising immigration laws, and integrating advanced AI and automation to fill labor gaps. While his comments are often polarizing, Musk’s consistent warnings underline the urgency of tackling population collapse—a challenge that may shape the future of economies, societies, and global stability far more than many currently recognize.