Kenya, July 30 -- Elon Musk, the billionaire innovator behind Tesla and Neuralink, has claimed that artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, including Tesla's Optimus robot, can address global hunger, disease, and poverty, offering transformative solutions to humanity's most pressing challenges.
Speaking at a recent tech summit, Musk emphasised Optimus's potential to revolutionise food production through automated farming and Neuralink's role in advancing medical treatments for neurological disorders.
His bold vision, coupled with past challenges to the United Nations on world hunger and significant charitable donations, has sparked debate in Kenya and beyond, where food insecurity affects millions.
Musk's assertion centres on leveraging AI and robotics to tackle systemic issues. Tesla's Optimus, a humanoid robot unveiled in 2021 and now in advanced testing, is designed for tasks like precision agriculture, enabling efficient planting, harvesting, and food distribution.
Musk claims Optimus could boost crop yields by 30% through data-driven farming, addressing Nigeria's 26.5 million food-insecure citizens, as reported by the FAO in 2024.
Neuralink, his brain-computer interface venture, aims to treat diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, potentially reducing healthcare burdens in developing nations.
Musk's X posts highlight AI's role in optimising resource allocation, predicting that automation could cut food production costs by 25% by 2030.
In 2021, Musk challenged the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) to outline how $6.6 billion could combat world hunger, promising to sell Tesla stock if a transparent plan was provided.
The WFP responded with a detailed proposal to feed 42 million people across 43 countries, allocating $3.5 billion for food delivery, $2 billion for vouchers, and $700 million for program management.
However, Musk donated $5.7 billion in Tesla shares to his Musk Foundation instead, raising questions about his commitment. The foundation, with $9.4 billion in assets by 2022, distributed $160 million to nonprofits like St. Jude's and X Prize, but critics argue it prioritises Musk's interests, such as AI safety and space exploration, over direct hunger relief.
Kenya's agricultural sector, where 70% of the workforce relies on farming, is watching Musk's claims closely. Local experts like Dr. Jane Mwangi of Nairobi's AgriTech Hub see potential in AI-driven farming but caution against overreliance on foreign technology.
"Optimus could enhance yields, but Kenya needs affordable, locally adapted solutions," Mwangi said. Critics, including Lagos-based activist Tunde Adebayo, echo concerns from Nigeria's GMO debate, fearing that corporate-controlled robotics could undermine food sovereignty by prioritising patented systems over traditional practices.
These concerns mirror Nigeria's doubts about GMOs, where fears of health risks and dependency persist. Neuralink's medical promise also resonates in Kenya, where neurological disorders strain underfunded healthcare systems.
The technology, which implants chips to treat brain conditions, could reduce disability-related poverty, but its high costs, estimated at $50,000 per procedure, raise accessibility concerns.
Musk's vision of AI curing diseases aligns with his Musk Foundation's focus on safe AI, which donated $10 million to OpenAI in 2018.
Yet, Nairobi health officials like Dr. Samuel Ochieng argue that basic healthcare investments, like malaria prevention, would have a more immediate impact on poverty.
Musk's charitable history includes a $30 million donation to Brownsville, Texas, for schools and infrastructure near SpaceX's hub, and a $500,000 contribution to Flint, Michigan, for water filters in 2018.
His signing of The Giving Pledge commits him to donate half his wealth, estimated at $167.6 billion in 2025, but the Musk Foundation's low payout ratio, less than 5% of assets in 2021, has drawn criticism for tax-driven motives.
In Kenya, where 36% of the population lives below the poverty line, Musk's ideas spark hope but also doubt about their practicality.
Nairobi's tech community, active on X, is divided. Some praise Musk's innovation, while others question his focus on high-tech solutions over immediate aid.
The UN estimates 733 million people globally will face hunger in 2025, worsened by conflicts and climate change. Musk's claim that AI and robotics can solve these issues hinges on scalability, but local farmers like Jane Wambui in Kiambu argue that training and infrastructure are more urgent than robots.
As Musk pushes for a tech-driven future, Kenya's stakeholders call for balanced approaches that prioritise local needs alongside global innovations.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.