Elon Musk has once again sounded the alarm on what he believes is an accelerating global population crisis, this time focusing on Europe’s sharply declining birth rates. The Tesla and SpaceX chief warned that persistently low fertility levels pose a serious long-term risk to human civilization.
Musk’s latest remarks follow reports highlighting Poland’s fertility rate, which stood at around 1.1 children per woman in 2024 and is expected to dip further to nearly 1.05 in 2025. These figures place Poland among the countries with the lowest birth rates in Europe. The concern echoes findings from a 2024 Lancet study, which revealed that more than half of the world’s nations now have fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1.
Reacting to a post by DogeDesigner that described Poland’s declining numbers as a warning sign for the future, Musk reshared it with a brief but stark comment: “Collapse of population is accelerating.” The original post cautioned that civilization itself could be at risk if such trends continue unchecked.
Musk has repeatedly voiced similar concerns in public discussions. During a recent conversation with People by WTF host Nikhil Kamath, he suggested that sustained population decline could eventually lead to humanity’s disappearance. According to Musk, human progress and the expansion of consciousness depend on having a sufficiently large population.
He explained that collective awareness grows with the number of people, arguing that fewer humans would mean a reduced ability to explore deeper questions about existence and advance as a species. While acknowledging that decline and extinction are not the same, Musk warned that continued downward trends could blur that distinction.
Emphasizing his long-held stance, Musk reiterated that having children is not just a personal decision but a crucial factor for the survival of civilization. He even encouraged Kamath to consider parenthood, adding that humanity must continue to grow or risk fading away.