Did Nikola Tesla Really Warn About Future Tech Horrors?

For a long time, people have been sharing a quote about the risks of technology, saying it came from Nikola Tesla. The quote goes, "You may live to see man-made horrors beyond your comprehension. " But is there proof that Tesla actually said this? Not really. The strongest hint comes from a magazine article published years after Tesla's death, and it doesn't have a solid source. The article, from Esquire in 1947, claims Tesla said this in response to an admiral's interest in using his radio-controlled electric boat for war. However, the admiral isn't named, and there's no source for the story. Plus, we couldn't find any contemporary evidence of this conversation.

Another story, told in a biography of Tesla by John J. O'Neill, has a similar situation but a different quote. It says a college student, not an admiral, suggested using the boats for war, and Tesla replied, "You do not see there a wireless torpedo. You see there the first of a race of robots, mechanical men which will do the laborious work of the human race. " So, did Tesla really warn about future tech horrors? We can't be sure. The lack of solid evidence makes it hard to confirm. But we do know that Tesla was concerned about the misuse of technology. For example, during World War I, he was worried that his wireless energy weapon could make the war even worse.

Actions