Tech billionaire Elon Musk is raising eyebrows again—not for a rocket launch or electric car breakthrough, but for something much more down-to-earth: babies. Musk has repeatedly sounded the alarm about declining birth rates, warning that a population collapse could be the real threat to civilization—not overpopulation as many fear.
In recent weeks, Musk has taken to his social platform X (formerly Twitter), reposting data about plummeting fertility rates across the globe. According to him, most countries aren’t having enough babies to replace their population—and that, he says, could be the beginning of a slow, silent collapse.
“People who have kids need to have at least three to make up for those who don’t have any,” Musk emphasized, pointing out that the real replacement rate may be closer to 2.7 children per woman, not the usual 2.1 often cited.
It’s a topic that clearly hits close to home for the Tesla and SpaceX boss. Musk, a known advocate for large families, isn’t just talking the talk—he’s living it. With over a dozen children shared across several relationships, Musk seems committed to contributing his part in fighting the so-called baby bust.
While many worry about climate change or economic downturns, Musk insists that population decline is “one of the biggest risks to human civilization.” He’s even compared the situation to the fall of ancient civilizations, saying low birth rates played a key role in their downfall.
Whether people agree or not, Musk isn’t backing down from his mission to get the world thinking (and acting) on reproduction. And with his ever-growing family, he may be setting a personal example for the rest of us.
