Elon Musk predicts traditional smartphones will disappear within six years

Elon Musk predicts that traditional smartphones will become obsolete within five to six years. During an interview on the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast, Musk explained that instead of conventional mobile phones, users will utilize a ‘peripheral node’ for AI inference.

This proposed device would lack traditional operating systems and applications, consisting primarily of a screen and audio interface. It would rely on wireless connections to powerful servers, where cloud-based AI and on-device AI work together to generate real-time video and anticipate user needs. Musk stated that he does not intend to manufacture a conventional phone unless it becomes strictly necessary.

This vision aligns with Musk’s work at Neuralink regarding brain-computer interfaces. The company reached a milestone in January 2024 when it successfully implanted a chip in Noland Arbaugh, a patient with quadriplegia, allowing him to control a computer and play video games using only his thoughts. Musk suggested that such implants could eventually be adopted by the masses as they become safer and more advanced.