'Three more please': Elon Musk wants parents to volunteer to make up for the ones with none

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is once again sounding the alarm on declining birth rates—this time urging parents to have at least three more children to make up for those who aren’t having any.

“People who have kids do need to have 3 kids to make up for those who have 0 or 1 kid or population will collapse,” Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter), responding to a post by entrepreneur Mario Nawfal.

Nawfal had shared alarming statistics, citing Fortune, noting that the long-held belief that 2.1 children per woman is the replacement rate is no longer valid. "Scientists now say 2.1 kids per woman won’t cut it - 2.7 is the real number needed to avoid long-term extinction. Right now, the U.S. is at 1.66, and most rich countries are even lower, including Italy at 1.29 and Japan at 1.30. The new math factors in randomness - like who never has kids or how many girls are born," Nawfal wrote.


“This isn’t new,” Nawfal said. “Elon’s been warning about this for years, but most Americans still aren’t losing sleep over it.”


Musk, who has repeatedly warned of the risks of population collapse, believes low fertility rates pose a serious threat to economic stability, technological advancement, and societal survival.

He has been a strong advocate for policies that encourage larger families, especially in ageing countries such as Japan, South Korea, and many parts of Europe, where declining populations are already straining healthcare systems and labour markets.

Global fertility rates have plummeted from an average of 5.3 children per woman in 1963 to under 2.5 today, according to recent reports. If this trend continues, experts warn of severe consequences—labour shortages, stagnating economies, and increased social burdens.

For Musk, the message is simple: If we want a thriving future, more kids are the solution.