Elon Musk, the tech billionaire known for his outspokenness and provocative takes, is once again at the centre of an online storm — this time over concerns about falling birth rates. Musk, who has long warned about population collapse, recently responded to a post on X that highlighted a study claiming every woman needs to have 2.7 children for humanity to sustain itself.The Tesla CEO agreed with the sentiment, reiterating his belief that “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 didn’t stop there. In another X post, he argued that low birth rates aren’t just a modern problem and said they were a major reason for the collapse of ancient civilisations. “Shockingly overlooked by most historians,” he said, referring to the role that declining fertility played in the fall of the Roman Empire.According to The New York Times, Musk has fathered at least 14 children with four different women. One of those women is Shivon Zilis, a Neuralink executive with whom Musk welcomed twins in 2021. The author of Musk’s biography also revealed that Musk had offered to “donate” his sperm to Zilis.Take a look at his response: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 https://t.co/Gx1N4sW59E— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 26, 2025 Musk’s comments sparked a flood of reactions online. One user said, “Sounds like it’s time to create X dating.” Some did not find Musk’s take funny. “My 24-year-old daughter and her husband would love to have children but sadly they just can’t afford to,” wrote one person. Another echoed that thought saying, “Most people can’t afford a home these days, maybe that’s why they’re not having children.”Also Read | Man freezes legs in dry ice to pull off Rs 12 crore insurance scam; loses limbs, faces jail timeThe debate comes amid troubling global fertility data. In the United States, the average number of children per woman has dropped to 1.66. Italy and Japan are even lower, at 1.29 and 1.30, respectively, well below the replacement rate, and far from the 2.7 figure mentioned in the viral post.In 1963, the global average was 5.3 children per woman. Today, it’s under 2.5. The implications of this sustained decline are far-reaching: ageing populations, shrinking workforces, and mounting economic strain on social systems.Story continues below this adMusk’s solution seems simple on the surface – have more kids – but his critics argue that the real issue isn’t willingness, it’s affordability. As many pointed out, raising children today is more financially demanding than ever before.© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd