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Elon Musk: Technology Does Not Improve by Itself. It Degrades.

By Elon Musk · AI & Technology · 1 min read

In 1969 we sent people to the moon. Then the Space Shuttle could only reach low orbit. Then the Shuttle retired and the US could take no one to orbit. The trend went to nothing.

Key Points

Technology does not automatically improve — it only improves if people work very hard to make it better
Space technology went backwards: moon to low orbit to zero
Ancient Egypt built the pyramids and forgot how. Rome built aqueducts and forgot how.

People are mistaken when they think that technology just automatically improves. It does not. It only improves if a lot of people work very hard to make it better. And actually by itself it will degrade.

The Trend Is Down

Musk: In 1969 we were able to send people to the moon. Then we had the Space Shuttle — the Shuttle could only take people to low earth orbit. Then the Space Shuttle retired and the United States could take no one to orbit.

The trend is down to nothing.

1969, we sent people to the moon. Then low orbit. Then the Shuttle retired and we could take no one to orbit.

It Does Not Automatically Improve

Musk: People are mistaken when they think that technology just automatically improves. It does not automatically improve. It only improves if a lot of people work very hard to make it better. And actually, I think by itself it will degrade.

Look at great civilizations like ancient Egypt. They were able to make the pyramids. And they forgot how to do that. The Romans built these incredible aqueducts. They forgot how to do it.

Technology does not automatically improve. By itself, it will degrade.