NAT_190416-SC-Letter-to-Elon-Main2-(Read-Only)
Image Credit: Supplied

Dear Mr Elon Musk,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am Aashi, a high school sophomore at the International School of Choueifat in Abu Dhabi. I’m not exactly sure how else to say this but you cannot possibly imagine what a huge fan I am of yours.

When asked to name a person who perfectly symbolises the future, I find myself blurting out your name almost immediately. Your vision allows us to dream of a better, more sustainable future. Each one of your businesses – from PayPal to Tesla to SpaceX & SolarCity – has a clear goal that contributes to the betterment of society. Tesla makes state-of-the-art electric cars that help make our air cleaner and more breathable. SpaceX is centered on the idea of making the human species interplanetary, not only maximising our long-term survival odds but also bringing unprecedented adventure to another generation. You are known to have encountered epic failures along the road to success. Yet you do not hide behind your failures, instead you wear your failures as proudly as a military man wears his decorated uniform. That is the mark of a true entrepreneur. Your innovative genius enables us to look towards unforeseen horizons and embark on uncharted journeys.

People who know me, know that I like to be referred to as a technophile – an individual obsessed with all things tech. Technology has been my one true, loving companion. At age 10, I built a website in the hopes of sharing with the world my event-planning services. Although my enthusiasm for event-planning has since dampened, my love for technology most definitely hasn’t. People like you, Mr. Musk, have helped make technology mainstream.

Most recently I have been captivated by the field of Artificial Intelligence. This is in part due to your widely-publicised pessimism towards AI, and in part due to my hobby of robotics. I’ve read scores of articles that talk about you calling AI humanity’s “biggest existential threat.” I could not possibly disagree more with your fears concerning AI. I believe in the power of Artificial Intelligence to do good – whether that be in democratising personal finance, improving healthcare or revolutionising our educational systems. Yes, AI may have dangers that must be considered but I believe it is too early to start placing regulations and restrictions on something we ourselves have not entirely understood. It is becoming increasingly important to start a conversation on the pros and cons of AI and who better than to discuss the matter with than Elon Musk himself! I hope we can meet at a time and place of your convenience, maybe even over a cup of coffee at your favorite bistro in Palo Alto!

I hope you enjoyed receiving this letter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for your time.

Thank you,

Aashi Tyagi
Grade 10, International School of Choueifat, Abu Dhabi