Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google’s DeepMind and 2024 Nobel Prize laureate, emphasizes concerns about AI misuse and lack of safeguards rather than fearing widespread job losses from AI. Speaking at the SXSW festival in London, Hassabis highlighted the risk that powerful AI, particularly artificial general intelligence, could be exploited by bad actors if proper controls are not established.
Contrasting warnings from other AI leaders who predict significant job disruptions, Hassabis advocates for balanced access—restricting malicious use while enabling positive innovations. He pointed to increasing AI-driven threats, including deepfake abuses and AI-generated impersonations flagged by U.S. authorities.
Hassabis supports an international agreement on AI governance, acknowledging geopolitical challenges but stressing the importance of cooperative frameworks to ensure AI serves beneficial purposes. He envisions future AI “agents” assisting daily tasks and enhancing lives, as Google advances AI integration in search and wearable tech.
While AI advances rapidly, Hassabis recognizes ongoing limitations like bias and hallucinations but sees AI as a productivity tool that could create new job types. He compares AI’s societal impact to past technological revolutions such as the internet, noting the need to adapt and distribute AI-generated economic gains fairly.
Swifteradio.com
