Ex-Google X chief warns AI could erase middle class
Mo Gawdat, who once led Google X, says we're heading for a rough patch with AI.
On the "Diary of a CEO" podcast, he predicted that starting in 2027, tech could wipe out jobs across every field and cause the middle class to disappear.
Gawdat argues AI isn't an independent villain—it just makes human problems like scams and surveillance worse.
Gawdat's background and current focus on AI
Gawdat was Google X's Chief Business Officer until 2018 and now works on AI projects like Emma.love (which shrank from 350 staff to just three).
His experience drives his warnings about white-collar automation and why he's calling for urgent regulation.
His views on job loss and the need for regulation
Gawdat doesn't buy the idea that AI will magically create new jobs—he calls that "100% crap."
He bluntly says, "Unless you're in the top 0.1%, you're a peasant."
For him, it's not about how we design AI but how we use it: "AI is like a hammer—neutral until misused."
He wants rules around its use so it aligns with values like freedom and creativity.