Bezos: Millions Will Live in Space This Century

▼ Summary
– Jeff Bezos predicted millions of people will live in space within the next couple of decades during his appearance at Italian Tech Week.
– He stated people will choose to live in space voluntarily, with robots handling labor and AI data centers orbiting above.
– Bezos’ comments appear to contrast with Elon Musk’s vision of colonizing Mars with a million people by 2050.
– He defended the current AI investment boom as a positive “industrial” bubble rather than a harmful financial one.
– Bezos declared “there has never been a better time to be excited about the future” during his optimistic presentation.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently shared his vision for humanity’s future during a public talk at Italian Tech Week in Turin. He confidently predicted that millions of people will choose to live in space within the next few decades, framing this shift as a voluntary migration rather than a necessity. Bezos, who also established the aerospace firm Blue Origin, explained that advanced robotics would manage laborious tasks in these off-world settlements. He further described a scenario where enormous AI data centers would operate in orbit, supporting both Earth-based and space-based activities.
His comments inevitably invite comparison with fellow space entrepreneur Elon Musk, who has long championed the colonization of Mars. Musk has projected a million inhabitants on the Red Planet by 2050, a timeline that is rapidly approaching. The parallel forecasts from these two billionaires prompt questions about whether they possess unique insights into coming technological leaps or if their ambitious timelines reflect a growing disconnect from everyday realities.
Beyond space colonization, Bezos expressed strong optimism about the current surge in artificial intelligence investment. He characterized the AI boom as a “good” kind of bubble, distinguishing it from past financial bubbles by emphasizing its “industrial” nature. He argued that the foundational infrastructure being built today will yield long-term benefits, driving progress across multiple sectors. Concluding on an enthusiastic note, Bezos told the audience, “There has never been a better time to be excited about the future,” a statement that likely left many contemplating the profound changes that may lie ahead.
(Source: TechCrunch)