By V3Edge Blog Media
Elon Musk has sparked fresh controversy by claiming medical degrees will soon become pointless, arguing that AI-powered humanoid robots will surpass even the world’s best human surgeons within the next three years.
Speaking on the Moonshots podcast hosted by Peter Diamandis, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO emphasised the limitations of human doctors — long training periods, proneness to error, and finite availability — while highlighting the potential of robots like Tesla’s Optimus.
“Right now there’s a shortage of doctors and great surgeons,” Musk said.
“[It takes] a super long time to learn how to be a good doctor. Doctors have limited time, they make mistakes. How many great surgeons are there? Not that many.”
When Diamandis asked, “So don’t go to medical school?” Musk replied bluntly:
“Yes. Pointless.”
This isn’t the first time Musk has made such predictions. In April 2025, he pointed to Neuralink’s surgical robot — which implants ultra-thin electrodes into the human brain with superhuman precision — as evidence that robots would soon master complex surgery.
While robotic-assisted surgery is advancing rapidly (with systems like da Vinci already widely used), experts continue to stress that medicine requires human judgment, ethical decision-making, accountability, empathy, and the ability to handle unpredictable complications — areas where AI and robots still fall short.
Musk’s comments have reignited debate about the future of healthcare professions, the role of AI in high-stakes fields, and whether society is ready for a world where machines could dominate surgery.
Watch the full clip below.
Elon Musk on AI and robotics impact on medical care
“Everyone will have access to medical care that is better than what the president receives right now. So don't go to medical school? Yes, pointless.”
pic.twitter.com/Iow9tS6Gba— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) January 23, 2026
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