On Thursday, Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis said artificial general intelligence could reshape the world faster than any prior technological shift — if handled responsibly.
AGI Could Transform Society Faster Than Any Previous Revolution
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Hassabis said AGI may trigger one of the most consequential eras in human history, comparing its potential impact to the discovery of fire and the invention of electricity.
“If I were to try and quantify what’s coming down the line with the advent of AGI,” Hassabis said, “it’s going to be something like ten times the impact of the Industrial Revolution, but happening at ten times the speed — probably unfolding in a decade rather than a century.”
He described the pace of progress in advanced AI systems as accelerating rapidly, with increasingly capable foundation models emerging in quick succession.
The DeepMind CEO also reiterated his previous prediction, saying the year 2026 marks another pivotal moment for AI, with AGI potentially arriving within the next five years.
Last year, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said that he believes AGI will arrive before 2030, whereas Hassabis expected it to emerge shortly after 2030.
Scientific Guardrails And Global Cooperation Key To Safe AI
Despite his optimism, Hassabis stressed that such transformative power demands caution and rigorous oversight.
“We’ve got to try and navigate this moment very carefully,” he said, highlighting the need for a scientific approach to understanding AI capabilities and risks.
He called for building strong guardrails and monitoring systems to ensure advanced AI systems serve human goals.
Hassabis also said responsibility for shaping AI’s future should extend beyond technologists to include governments, scientists, artists and philosophers.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo by Photo For Everything via Shutterstock
Recent Comments