AI might snatch most jobs by 2040, warns ex-Google executive
What's the story
Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer at Google X, has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could take over most human jobs in the next 15 years. The prediction includes roles that were previously considered safe from automation. Speaking on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Gawdat said, "The next 15 years will be hell before we get to heaven."
Job displacement
Middle class at risk
Gawdat said that his own start-up, which creates emotionally intelligent AI for relationships, only needs three employees to run it. He noted that this would have required hundreds of employees just a few years ago. He warned that the rapid rise of AI will not only eliminate jobs but also destroy the middle class. "Unless you're in the top 0.1%, you're a peasant," he said.
Social impact
AGI's superiority over humans
Gawdat further warned that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) will be better than humans at everything, even being a CEO. He fears this change could lead to major social problems as people lose their jobs and struggle with identity, loneliness, and mental health issues. "We're going to see a lot of social unrest," he said.
Communication concerns
Language barrier with AI systems
Gawdat's warning comes soon after another AI pioneer, Geoffrey Hinton, raised similar concerns. Hinton warned that AI systems could soon develop their own private language to communicate, which humans wouldn't be able to understand or control. "If they start thinking in their own language, we might not even know what they're thinking," he said.