Elon Musk says robots will surpass top surgeons, doctors reply 'it's not that simple'

Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has predicted that robots will soon surpass even the best human surgeons — a claim that many doctors have challenged.

"Robots will surpass good human surgeons within a few years, and the best human surgeons within ~5 years," Musk said, replying to a post by Mario Nawfal on X (formerly Twitter).

Musk added, "@Neuralink had to use a robot for brain-computer electrode insertion, as it was impossible for a human to achieve the required speed and precision."


Mario Nawfal had shared a report from RTTNews, highlighting that Medtronic tested its Hugo robotic system in 137 real surgeries — involving procedures on prostates, kidneys, and bladders — with highly positive outcomes.

According to the report: "Complication rates were extremely low: 3.7% for prostate surgeries, 1.9% for kidney surgeries, and 17.9% for bladder surgeries — all outperforming historical safety goals. Hugo achieved a 98.5% success rate, far exceeding the target of 85%. Only two surgeries had to be converted back to traditional procedures — one due to a robot malfunction and another because of a complicated patient case."

While the report emphasized that robots are not replacing surgeons immediately, it noted that future surgeries may increasingly involve robotic assistance.

Medical Community Pushes Back

However, many doctors were quick to refute Musk's prediction.

"This is false," wrote one user on X who identified himself as an American neurosurgeon.

"As a neurosurgeon, I promise you that no 'robot' surgeon can EVER autonomously perform brain and spine surgery — or likely any surgeries — effectively, appropriately, or safely. There are too many variables requiring critical thinking. Robots also lack the compassion and ethical judgment of a human surgeon who cares for patients beyond algorithmic compliance," he stated.

Another surgeon weighed in: "It’s not that simple. For standardized, well-documented procedures, robots will soon outperform surgeons in speed, accuracy, and efficiency. But the human body is not a machine, and unexpected complications arise constantly. Solving these problems requires creativity — a skill robots are far from mastering."

A different user pointed out a broader contradiction in Musk’s vision: "How does it make sense to push for population growth while also planning to replace everyone's jobs with robots? What work will all these people you want actually do?"