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Tesla CEO Elon Musk is once again weighing in on how to navigate a rapidly changing economy — and this time, he’s proposing a sweeping solution.
“Universal HIGH INCOME via checks issued by the Federal government is the best way to deal with unemployment caused by AI,” Musk wrote in a recent post on X (1).
The suggestion comes as the labor market shifts under the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
In 2025, AI was linked to nearly 55,000 job cuts in the U.S., according to consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas (2). Major companies — including Amazon, Salesforce and Oracle — have cut thousands of roles, citing AI as a contributing factor.
The start of 2026 hasn’t offered much relief. Challenger estimates that roughly 30,000 additional jobs have already been lost to AI this year (3).
Universal income, of course, isn’t a new idea. The most widely discussed version — universal basic income — involves providing every citizen with a regular cash payment, regardless of employment status or income.
Musk’s proposal takes that concept a step further, suggesting not just a basic income to cover necessities, but a high level of income distributed broadly across society.
One of the biggest sticking points in proposals like this has traditionally been inflation. Critics often argue that injecting large amounts of money into the economy risks driving up prices, especially if demand rises faster than supply.
Musk, however, says that may not apply in this case.
“AI/robotics will produce goods & services far in excess of the increase in the money supply, so there will not be inflation,” he wrote.
In his view, advances in automation and productivity could dramatically increase the supply of goods and services — potentially offsetting the inflationary pressure that might otherwise come from a surge in money circulating through the economy.
The message appears to have struck a chord. At the time of writing, Musk’s post has garnered more than 68 million views, along with 195,000 likes and 46,000 comments.
Some online responses have pushed back on the premise. One widely liked reply questioned whether abundance would dilute the value of money altogether, asking: “If money means nothing, what determines who gets the penthouse suite?”
Musk responded by doubling down on his vision of an AI-driven economy.
“AI/Robotics will mean everyone can have a penthouse if they want. The output of goods & services will be several orders of magnitude higher than today’s economy,” he said, adding: “What is the future you want? Amazing abundance seems the best to me (4).”
Still, whether productivity gains — and government policy — can realistically support that kind of outcome remains an open question.
For now, the tension is clear: while AI is boosting productivity — and may have the potential to transform the economy — it’s also raising concerns about job displacement.
Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, has warned that AI could eliminate up to half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years, potentially pushing U.S. unemployment as high as 20% (5).
Against that backdrop, building income streams outside of a traditional job could become increasingly important. Here are a few ways investors are already doing it — no government checks required.
Real estate has been one of the most popular ways to generate recurring income. When you own rental property, and tenants pay rent, you can earn a steady monthly cash flow.
It’s also a popular hedge against inflation, as property values and rental income tend to rise alongside the cost of living.
In fact, investing legend Warren Buffett often points to real estate when explaining what a productive, income-generating asset looks like. In 2022, Buffett stated that if you offered him “1% of all the apartment houses in the country” for $25 billion, he would “write you a check (6).”
Why? Because regardless of what’s happening in the broader economy, people still need a place to live, and apartments can consistently produce rent money. That can also apply to an inflationary scenario driven by a universal basic income.
However, while real estate investing has clear benefits, being a landlord comes with challenges. Managing a property involves finding and screening tenants, collecting rent, and handling maintenance and repair requests (out of your own pocket).
And that’s assuming you can save enough for a down payment and get a mortgage to buy the property in the first place.
The good news? You don’t need to buy a property outright — or deal with leaky faucets — to invest in real estate today. Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.
The process is simple: browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you’d like to purchase and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment — or in other words, passive income.
Another option is Mogul, a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 a.m. tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.
Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties here.
Real estate isn’t the only way to build recurring income. Dividend-paying stocks can offer a similar benefit — providing regular payouts without the need to manage tenants or properties.
Dividends are payments companies make to shareholders out of their profits, typically on a quarterly basis. In other words, they allow investors to generate recurring cash flow without having to sell their shares — an approach many find appealing. As John D. Rockefeller, one of the richest Americans in history, once said, “Do you know the only thing that gives me pleasure? It’s to see my dividends coming in.”
While stock prices can rise and fall, companies with a strong track record of paying — and growing — dividends offer investors a steady cash flow. Over time, those increases can compound into a powerful income stream.
For investors interested in dividend stocks, research platforms like Moby can come in handy. Their team of former hedge fund analysts does the heavy lifting — breaking down the market, flagging quality stocks, and making the research easy to digest.
In fact, across nearly 400 stock picks over the past four years, Moby’s recommendations have beaten the S&P 500 by almost 12% on average. Their research keeps you up-to-the-minute on market shifts, and takes the guesswork out of choosing investments.
Plus, their reports are easy to understand for beginners, so you can become a smarter investor in just five minutes.
In an environment where job security may become less certain, having a financial cushion can make all the difference.
A solid emergency fund doesn’t just help cover unexpected expenses — it can also give you the flexibility to take time to pivot, retrain or explore new opportunities if needed. At the same time, the right account can help your idle cash earn a return instead of sitting on the sidelines.
To get started, a high-yield account like a Wealthfront Cash Account can be a great place to grow your emergency funds, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to your money when you need it.
A Wealthfront Cash Account currently offers a base APY of 3.30% through program banks, and new clients can get an extra 0.75% boost during their first three months on up to $150,000 for a total variable APY of 4.05%.
That’s ten times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC’s March report.
Additionally, Wealthfront is offering new clients who enable direct deposit ($1,000/mo minimum) to their Cash Account and open and fund a new investment account an additional 0.25% APY increase with no expiration date or balance limit, meaning your APY could be as high as 4.30%.
With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, you get access to up to $8M FDIC Insurance eligibility through program banks.
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@elonmusk, X (1), (4); CNBC (2), (6); Forbes (3); TheStreet (5)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.