Tech billionaire Elon Musk has renewed his warning over declining birth rates, saying humanity is “disappearing” as fertility levels continue to fall in countries such as the United States and Australia.
Musk was reacting to a Wall Street Journal article, Making Sense of America’s Low Fertility Rate, which explores why fewer Americans are choosing to have children.
Responding on X, the social media platform he owns, Musk wrote: “Humanity is disappearing 😔.”
According to the report, the United States fertility rate stands at about 1.6 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population without immigration.
The Wall Street Journal attributed the decline to several factors, including the rising cost of living, delayed marriage and parenthood, shifting social attitudes, and more women pursuing higher education and careers.
Musk also weighed in on a post by Katie Miller highlighting Australia’s record-low fertility rate of 1.48 children per woman. Miller described the trend as “a human catastrophe” and noted that the average age of mothers has risen from 25 years in 1971 to 32 years today.
Replying to the post, Musk wrote: “They are disappearing.”
The Tesla and SpaceX chief executive has repeatedly argued that falling birth rates pose one of the greatest long-term threats to civilisation, warning that shrinking populations could trigger labour shortages, slower economic growth and mounting pressure on ageing societies.
Several developed nations, including Japan, South Korea, Italy and Germany, continue to record fertility rates below replacement level and have introduced policies aimed at encouraging people to have more children.
