Asger Risom
Elon Musk has reignited debate about the limits of human life after claiming that death is effectively a software problem — and one that technology, AI, and robotics could soon rewrite.
Musk’s latest remarks have once again placed him at the centre of a long-running debate about longevity, the role of technology in healthcare, and how far humans should go in trying to extend life. Speaking on a recent podcast, the Tesla and SpaceX chief suggested that aging is not an inevitable fate, but a system that can be understood — and potentially altered.
‘Death is a program that can be changed’
During an appearance on the Moonshots with Peter Diamandis podcast, Musk described human mortality as the result of biological programming rather than an unavoidable law of nature.
“You’re pre-programmed to die,” he said. “And so if you change the program, you will live longer.”
Musk argued that the way the human body ages in sync points to an underlying mechanism that governs the entire process. According to him, identifying that mechanism could unlock dramatic increases in lifespan — and may not be as complex as many assume once the right tools are applied.
Why the body ages in sync
A central part of Musk’s argument is the observation that aging happens uniformly across the body. He questioned why humans do not experience wildly uneven aging in different limbs or organs.
“When you consider the fact that your body is extremely synchronized in its age, the clock must be incredibly obvious,” he said.
Researchers generally agree that aging is influenced by system-wide biological processes, including genetics, hormones and cellular signalling. However, scientists caution that while aging appears coordinated, it is driven by many overlapping mechanisms rather than a single, easily switched “clock.”
Robots could reshape modern medicine
Musk also linked longevity to rapid advances in AI and robotics, predicting that humanoid robots could outperform human surgeons within five years.
He pointed to procedures such as LASIK eye surgery, which already rely on computer-controlled lasers rather than manual precision, as evidence that automation can deliver more consistent results than human hands.
According to Musk, robots would avoid fatigue, tremors and judgement errors — issues that even highly trained surgeons can face over long careers. In his view, this could lead to a future where world-class medical care is available to everyone, not just the wealthy or powerful.
Longevity versus society’s limits
Despite his confidence in extending human life, Musk has previously voiced concern about the social consequences of extreme longevity.
He has warned that longer lifespans could slow social change, entrench leadership and create new inequalities. In earlier remarks, Musk said he would not want to live to old age if it meant cognitive decline or becoming a burden on society.
That tension remains unresolved. While Musk now frames aging as an engineering problem, his comments raise deeper questions about whether longer lives would strengthen society — or fundamentally reshape it in unpredictable ways.
As AI continues to advance, the debate Musk has reignited is likely to grow louder: if humans can rewrite the biological limits of life, should they — and who gets to decide?
Sources: Moonshots with Peter Diamandis podcast, public statements by Elon Musk
