Robots will use humans as pets once they achieve a subset of artificial intelligence known as 'superintelligence'.

This is according to SpaceX-founder Elon Musk who claims that when computers become smarter than people, they will treat them like 'pet Labradors'.

His comments were made in a recent interview with scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who added that computers could choose to breed docile humans and eradicate the violent ones.  

Elon Musk has already likened artificial intelligence to 'summoning the demon'.

But in his latest interview, Musk said his fears revolve around something known as superintelligence.

This, according to author Nick Bostrom, is 'any intellect that greatly exceed the cognitive performance of humans in virtually all domains of interest.'

'I mean, we won't be like a pet Labrador if we're lucky,' Musk told Tyson, adding that we may become lab pets to them.