On the evening of September 25th, the WeChat public account “CCTV Finance” published an exclusive interview with Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla in the United States. Musk shared his insights on topics such as large-scale artificial intelligence systems in China, power and computing infrastructure, global AI security regulations, commercial space cooperation, and the unique advantages of Chinese manufacturing industries.
“CCTV Finance” Screenshot
Regarding the development of large models in China, Musk spoke highly of them. He said that Chinese AI large models are "very impressive overall," especially considering the limited computing power available to Chinese AI companies. The performance of these large models is excellent, with their performance per unit of computing power being almost at the global top level.
Musk also reiterated his earlier judgment: "I believe that China will solve the problem of computing power faster than most people expect. Roughly estimated, within two to three years, China will be able to fill the gap in computing power through lithography technology and chip manufacturing."
In early September this year, Musk raised the serious issues of computing power shortages and electricity supply during the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Research and Innovation. He mentioned that China has a stronger infrastructure for electricity generation. During this interview, he discussed this topic once again.
"I have merely stated objective facts." Musk said, earlier this year, China's power generation had surpassed the sum of those in the U.S., Europe, and India, and was still growing rapidly. If the per capita electricity consumption in China reached that of the U.S., total energy consumption would increase to three times or even four times the current scale based on population size.
On the topic of AI security, Musk believes that China and the United States can establish a working group to study AI safety regulations. He stated that AI safety regulation requires cooperation; neither the United States nor China should be responsible for regulation alone. How to fairly regulate AI developed by all countries is an issue that the world must consider.
"China and the United States are the two most crucial countries in this field. So for global AI security, it's a critical issue." Musk said.
In another major frontier field—space technology—Musk also believes that China and the United States should cooperate closely. He stated that the most urgent space cooperation at present is the close coordination of orbital parameters when both countries launch satellites, in order to avoid satellite collisions.
Meanwhile, Musk also shared the latest progress of SpaceX's Starship program, stating that they are striving to complete the recovery of Starship by the end of the month, and to achieve a second launch by the end of this year or early next year. Speaking of the success of Chinese commercial space enterprises in rocket recovery, Musk said, "The ability of rockets to be quickly reused is the foundation for humanity to become a multiplanetary species. I believe other countries will eventually master this technology, and China will definitely be able to do so in the future."
In May of this year, Elon Musk, who had just visited China, also unreservedly acted as a "China promotion officer" during his interviews.
If I were to recommend an American entrepreneur, their advice is: "As long as you have time, you must go to China." There is so much worth seeing in China. "If your time is limited, at least visit Shanghai and Beijing. I also recommend visiting the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an."
Musk recalled that he once took the high-speed train from Beijing to Xi'an, and the experience was excellent. The train station was very impressive. He said that the Terracotta Army is one of the world's wonders, and reminded people to "stay outside more often, and not keep staring at your phone. The scenery along the way is breathtakingly beautiful."
In response to reporters who said, “You always recommend that people go and experience China firsthand,” Musk said that in his language, it is simply impossible to fully convey the charm of China. “China is amazing. China is a remarkable country. I recommend that everyone go to China and explore on their own.”
And the "Chinese work" that Musk is most proud of is Tesla's Shanghai Super Factory. When talking about why this factory can be considered a "treasure" in Tesla's global layout, Musk attributed all the credit to the Chinese employees.
"To be honest, the success of Tesla's Shanghai Super Factory is due to the Chinese team. The Chinese team is very talented and hardworking, and they are trustworthy," said Musk. He also mentioned that China has a profound manufacturing heritage, and both the quality and efficiency of work at the Shanghai factory are outstanding.
He also emphasized that Tesla places great importance on employee welfare. By providing comprehensive medical care and high-quality meals, they ensure that everyone can come to work in a happy state of mind. “This is very important.”
