Demis Hassabis is one of the most respected and influential voices in the world of artificial intelligence. Last year, the Swedish king presented Hassabis with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He belongs to a mixed race with his father being Greek-Cypriot, and his mother is of Chinese-Singaporean descent, who is the co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind. In a recent interview, he made a powerful statement that has captured the attention of technologists and policymakers: he believes the AI revolution will be "10 times bigger than the Industrial Revolution and maybe 10 times faster."
Recently had a great conversation with @StevenLevy @WIRED about the societal implications of AGI, a lot of things are about to change dramatically: https://t.co/mxXCePcX5B
— Demis Hassabis (@demishassabis) August 3, 2025
And he states that this isn't just a mere prediction, but he considers it a turning point for AI to be at the forefront of development. In this article, explore how AI will transform the economy, redefine jobs, and bring both immense opportunities and significant risks, as per Hassabis's vision.
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What is the "AI Revolution" and How Does It Compare to the Industrial Revolution?
According to Hassabis, the Industrial Revolution was about machines augmenting and amplifying human muscle. However, the AI revolution is all about machines amplifying and in some cases, it is about replacing human thought. He notes that this rapid shift has not gathered much positive feedback and it includes some major tech companies as well. But he points to the increasing popularity of chatbots like ChatGPT in 2020. It showed that the public was ready to embrace AI in ways even developers hadn't fully imagined.
The speed of this change is what makes it so unique. While the Industrial Revolution unfolded over a century, AI is compressing a similar level of societal transformation into a single decade.
How Will AI Affect Jobs and the Economy?
Despite popular concerns about a mass loss of jobs, Hassabis contends that AI will usher in a new period of "incredible productivity" and "radical abundance." He thinks that more new, higher-value occupations will be created even while some jobs will be mechanised.
Automation
AI will handle data-heavy, repetitive, and analytical tasks, allowing for greater efficiency. Hassabis cites a study showing that AI can already automate around 25% of tasks across a wide range of jobs.
Augmentation
Most jobs will not be replaced entirely but will be "augmented" by AI. This means AI will work as a "co-pilot" for humans, helping them perform tasks more effectively. Roles in education and libraries, for instance, are expected to see the highest levels of augmentation.
New Roles
The skills required for future jobs will shift tremendously and he predicts an increase in demand for roles focused on creative problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and advanced data management.
This shift will require governments and businesses to invest in large-scale reskilling and upskilling programs to prepare the workforce for these new AI-driven roles.
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What Does the Future of AI Look Like?
According to Hassabis, who is a key architect in the race toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), it is expected to match or surpass human cognitive capabilities. He estimates this could happen within the next five to ten years. In the healthcare sector, he foresees a clear distinction in how AI will be used:
| Role | AI's Impact |
| Doctors | AI could handle diagnostic tasks, analyse medical data, and suggest treatment plans faster and more accurately. |
| Nurses | AI will not replace nurses because their roles rely on human empathy, emotional support, and physical care, which cannot be automated. |
Despite his optimism, Hassabis is also a vocal advocate for AI safety, warning that the biggest risks of AI are misuse by bad actors and the need for global collaboration to ensure the technology is developed responsibly.
Demis Hassabis's vision reveals a powerful view for the future of AI. By comparing it to the Industrial Revolution, he helps us understand the speed of the changes ahead. Ultimately, he sees AI as a tool that can start an era of prosperity if we can harness its power responsibly.
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