Elon Musk has insisted “there’s going to be a third world war,” while artificial intelligence warns the threat is real enough that the world should take it “dead seriously.”

As tensions continue to build across multiple regions, the question of whether the world is moving closer to another major war has taken on new urgency, with artificial intelligence (AI) now being used to assess the risks in ways that feel both calculated and unsettling.

On the YouTube channel IAskAI, one user asked, “How likely is World War III based on current global tensions?”

“I’d put it around 15-20%. High enough that anyone dismissing it as fearmongering isn’t paying attention, but still more unlikely than likely,” the AI replied.

That estimate came with context, pointing to nuclear weapons as the key factor that has held large-scale war at bay for decades. “That knowledge has prevented WW3 for 80 years through crises that were arguably worse than today.”

Rather than suggesting stability, however, the analysis described a fragile balance built on deterrence. “Deterrence is ugly but it works. Leaders are reckless, not insane. Even [Donald] Trump, even [Vladimir] Putin, even Xi [Jinping] – none of them wants to be the one that ends everything.”

‘Mutually catastrophic’
Economic interdependence between global powers was also highlighted as a brake on escalation, with the warning that any direct conflict would come at an enormous cost before it even fully unfolded.

“China holds US debt, the US buys Chinese goods, Europe buys everyone’s energy. A war between these players would be mutually catastrophic before the first shot lands. Everyone knows it.”

‘China is watching’ and ‘calculating’
Even with those deterrents in place, the same analysis warned that the current global landscape is under more strain than at any point in recent history, with multiple flashpoints developing at the same time.

“The US is actively bombing a major regional power right now. Russia is grinding through its fourth year of war in Europe. The Strait of Hormuz is disrupted. China is watching all of this and calculating.”

At the same time, the structures that once helped keep global conflict in check have been steadily eroding. “The system is under more stress than it was ever designed to handle, and the diplomatic infrastructure that used to manage these crises – arms control treaties, back channels, functioning UN mechanisms – has been systematically dismantled over the past decade.”

That erosion, AI suggests, leaves little room for mistakes in an already volatile environment. “The margin for error is razor thin. One miscalculation, one missile that hits the wrong target, one commander who makes a bad call in the fog of war – and you’re in an escalation spiral that nobody planned, but nobody can stop.”

‘Take it dead seriously’
Leadership adds another layer of uncertainty: “The people making decisions right now are not steady hands. Trump is impulsive and transactional. Putin is cornered and bitter. Iran’s command structure just got decapitated. Xi is under domestic economic pressure and surrounded by yes men.”

“These are not conditions that produce careful, measured responses when surprises hit.”

Summing up the situation, the AI compared the risk to a serious diagnosis rather than a distant possibility. “You wouldn’t shrug it off. You’d take it dead seriously. The world should, too.”

Musk delivers his own warning
Against that backdrop, Elon Musk added his voice to the conversation during an appearance on the Full Send podcast.

When the discussion turned to the possibility of another global conflict, his answer carried a level of certainty that stood out.

“At some point, there’s going to be a third world war. And who knows what’s left after World War III?” he said.

As the discussion continued, one of the hosts suggested that nuclear warfare could bring an end to humanity.

Musk, connecting a global conflict with his long-standing focus on space exploration, did not dismiss the idea.

Instead, he framed the future as a race against time. “It could. So there’s arguably this race between: Do we become a multi-planet species or World War III. Which one is first? And if World War III is first, then maybe we will never get to another planet.”

With so many warning signs unfolding at once, it raises a difficult question – do you believe the world is moving closer to a third world war? Please let us know your thoughts and make sure you share this story so we can get the conversation going!