ChatGPT certainly has many limitations, but one of the things it is best at is compiling data so humans can make their own interpretations.
If you were curious, for example, about how the world could change if you could spread Elon Musk’s billions across American retirees, you’d have to do some heavy digging, research and calculations to find the answer. But ChatGPT is able to access and present that information nearly instantaneously, using reliable sources like Business Insider and Barron’s. How you interpret the information is up to you, but it’s convenient to have it all presented in front of you in an easy-to-read format.
With all this in mind, here’s a look at what ChatGPT said when asked, “How many middle-class retirements could you fund with Elon Musk’s wealth?”
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Elon Musk’s Net Worth
ChatGPT looked at three sources to determine Musk’s approximate net worth, as it’s not a precisely defined figure:
- Bloomberg (June 20, 2025): $366 billion
- Business Insider (June 30, 2025): $367 billion
- Forbes (May 2025): $425 billion
Based on the above, ChatGPT estimates Musk’s current net worth to be somewhere in the $370 to $400 billion range. According to Forbes, this easily makes him the wealthiest person on the planet, worth roughly $126 billion more than No. 2 on the list, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
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Cost of a Middle-Class, 20-Year Retirement
ChatGPT wasn’t as specific when enumerating the cost of a middle-class, 20-year retirement, offering only that nationally, it costs around $500,000 with Social Security.
However, we know that the cost of retirement can vary wildly from region to region, and even from state to state, so it really depends on an individual’s location and circumstances.
How Many Retirements Could He Fund?
For the solution to the problem, ChatGPT divides the range of Musk’s estimated net worth by sample retirement costs:
“Let’s do some quick math,” the AI said.
| Musk’s Wealth | Retirement Cost | Retirements Funded |
| $370 billion | $500,000 | 740,000 or so retirees |
| $400 billion | $500,000 | 800,000 or so retirees |
“So conservatively,” ChatGPT said, “Elon Musk’s fortune could sustain 740,000 to 800,000 middle-class retirements for 20 years.”
A Broader Perspective
In conclusion, ChatGPT tried to put Musk’s immense wealth into perspective: “That’s nearly a million families getting by comfortably through retirement — an astonishing scale. To put it another way, each dollar of his wealth could fund about one retirement-dollar for five retirees.”
Summary
- Wealth: $370-$400 billion
- Typical retirement cost: $500K
- Total retirements funded: 740,000-800,000
Musk’s wealth is around 800,000 20-year retirements — a staggering testament to the scale of modern extreme wealth.
Caveats
ChatGPT certainly provides digestible, readable material, and its information in this case is reasonably in the ballpark. However, while the AI tool can be a good resource, it’s always best to double-check any data it presents to ensure it’s accurate and up to date.
In this case, for example, ChatGPT doesn’t do a great job of getting its numbers right. According to the Forbes billionaire’s list as of July 2025, Musk’s net worth has fallen to approximately $342 billion. While still an unfathomable amount of money, it’s about $28 billion to $58 billion less than ChatGPT’s estimate. That’s quite a large difference, translating to a decrease of between 7.5% and 14.5%.
ChatGPT’s retirement data is also more of a broad estimate than an on-the-money projection. According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study, for example, the average American expects to need $1.26 million in retirement, not $500,000 as suggested by ChatGPT. This would mean that Musk would be able to fund far fewer middle-class retirements.
All in all, the data shows that for these types of retirement funding projections, ChatGPT is still better at entertainment value than providing hard, accurate numbers.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I Asked ChatGPT: How Many Middle-Class Retirements Could You Fund With Elon Musk’s Wealth?
