Why ‘Work Will Be Optional,” According To Elon Musk
This is a published version of Forbes’ Careers Newsletter. Click here to subscribe and get it in your inbox every Tuesday. Tesla CEO Elon Musk (L) talks with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum at the Kennedy Center on November 19, 2025 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)Would you continue to work if you could choose not to?According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, that could very well be a choice in the near future. “Work will become optional” as AI and robotics continue to augment the workforce in the next 10 to 20 years, he told the audience at the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Investment Forum last week. “It’ll be like playing sports, or a video game.” He even speculated that far enough into the future, money would stop being relevant. It sounds like an alluring concept—if not the plot of a sci-fi movie—but Musk was sure to caution that there is still a long way to go before the idea can become a reality. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, whom Musk was in conversation with, offered a more tempered view of the future: “Everyone’s jobs will be different,” he said. “As the mundane things we do become simpler and we become more productive, you’ll have more time to pursue ideas.”It sounds peachy, but perhaps not enough to allay workers’ fears that AI will replace their jobs. Indeed, because of increased workplace uncertainty and layoff news, American workers are increasingly looking for part-time and seasonal work (more on that below) to supplement their incomes. A recent Goldman Sachs report found that more people are taking up gig work—from working as independent contractors to freelancers.Work being optional sounds nice, but until then, U.S. workers are building their safety nets. Happy reading, and have a lovely Thanksgiving!WORK SMARTER Practical insights and advice from Forbes staff and contributors to help you succeed in your job, accelerate your career and lead smarter.Set clear goals and measures of success, and more tips for leaders looking to implement enterprise AI tools. Very few people enjoy office politics, but avoiding them altogether comes at a cost. Here’s how to navigate the informal power structure. Whether it’s your passion project or your “just in case” backup, here are steps you can take to start a business while continuing to work full time. This is the five-sentence email that can get you a referral at any company. Deep Dive: Seasonal Hiring Jumps Ahead of Black FridayDays ahead of one of the largest shopping days in the U.S., employers are stocking up on seasonal employees. But it is largely logistics and delivery positions—not traditional retail roles—that are driving the surge. While corporate workers prepare to take some days off this Thanksgiving (my inbox is already filling up with out-of-office replies), seasonal workers are gearing up for Black Friday shopping, and employers are beefing up their employee ranks. Seasonal hiring got off to a slow start this season, as employers kept modest postings and instead relied on full-time workers for the end-of-the-year rush. But the demand from job-seekers was there: Indeed saw a 27% surge in searches for seasonal work by the end of September. Now, new Indeed data shows that logistics hiring is driving almost all the growth for seasonal jobs. In total, seasonal postings are up 11% from 2024, while seasonal driving roles are up 153% and loading and stocking positions have increased 49%, as of November 14.“Interestingly, those roles aren’t up overall,” when you look at the jobs data, says Allison Shrivastava, an economist at Indeed. “This is really a seasonal story.”The shift could also provide a look into how employers are interpreting different consumer signals. The National Retail Federation projects that a record 186.9 million people will shop during the five-day stretch between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, up from 183.4 million last year. But the greater focus on logistic jobs—from transportation to stocking—could indicate that employers are expecting more online purchases than in-store attendance. Meanwhile, shoppers are still expected to be more deal conscious this year. “This might push consumers to more online shopping, or to wait for specific deals before going in store,” Shrivastava says. “It makes deciding what to do, as far as hiring goes, even more difficult for businesses because they’re not sure what to expect.” That falls in line with what she’s been seeing since the end of summer: Employers are more cautious to hire seasonal roles and instead rely on full-time workers for holiday staffing. “They’re hedging their bets,” she adds, “dipping their toes in the hiring water without making a commitment and then having to lay off [workers].TOUCH BASE News from the world of work.It pays to have AI skills listed on your résumé now more than ever, according to a new study by PwC. After analyzing over 1 billion job ads, the consulting firm found that employers are willing to pay an average of 56% more for AI-skilled candidates. Unemployment surged in September, despite employers adding more jobs than expected, Forbes’ Ty Roush reports.The delayed data showed that 4.4% of Americans are unemployed. Four-year degree holders now make up 25% of unemployed workers, the highest level ever reached in data that goes back to 1992, according to the Department of Labor. The high figure comes on the heels of a number of white-collar layoffs announced in October. Only two sectors account for 100% of the job growth in 2025 so far: healthcare and social assistance and leisure and hospitality. The two industries have added a combined 690,000 jobs, according to the Department of Labor, though both are often impacted by high levels of turnover and burnout. Starbucks’ “Red Cup” strike expanded to 30 stores in 25 new cities last week, for a total of 95 participating stores, as the coffee chain’s unionized workers continue to withhold work over what they allege are unfair labor practices. Though some 29 stores have reopened and their workers have returned to work, according to the company. NUMBER TO NOTE More than 70,000That’s how many people, with an average of 28 years old, have reportedly applied to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition team just a few weeks after the positions opened. VIDEOhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ0BQHJcbl0How Lindsay Brewer Used Her Influencer Work To Fund Her Motorsports CareerQUIZ Which of the following strategies is the best way to address your leadership blind spot?A. Work on the skill you’re lackingB. Hire for the skills you need more ofC. Ignore the blind spot and hope you outperform in other areasD. Change your mindset and see it as a strength, not a blind spot Check if you got it right here.
