Elon Musk's shocking claim about AI has everyone shocked

Elon Musk has once again sparked debate online, and this time with an audacious plan to use artificial intelligence (AI) to control how much sunlight reaches Earth.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the SpaceX and Tesla CEO suggested that “a large solar-powered AI satellite constellation would be able to prevent global warming by making tiny adjustments in how much solar energy reaches Earth.”

While Musk presented it as a visionary solution to climate change, the internet wasn’t entirely convinced.

One user wrote, “So basically we’re letting AI decide how much sunlight humans get now? What could possibly go wrong?”

Another user took a more scientific stance, warning that the plan could backfire. “The Sun will enter a Grand Solar Minimum soon, and with Earth’s weakening magnetic field, we might face global cooling instead. Messing with sunlight isn’t the answer,” they wrote.

Others called the concept “planetary engineering,” questioning how an AI-controlled system could ensure balanced solar distribution across hemispheres or prevent geopolitical conflicts over who controls it.

Interestingly, Musk’s idea comes as new research warns that AI could actually worsen climate change.

According to Wood Mackenzie’s Energy Transition Outlook 2025–26, AI-driven data centre demand could push global warming to 2.6°C by 2100, making the goal of net zero by 2050 increasingly unrealistic.