Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis is urging teenagers to prepare for an AI-driven future by learning about artificial intelligence and maintaining strong STEM skills. In a recent interview on the ‘Hard Fork’ podcast, Hassabis explained that the rapid advancement of generative AI will disrupt some jobs while creating new, more valuable ones. He emphasized that young people should familiarize themselves with AI tools to stay ahead in the job market.
Hassabis drew parallels between the current AI revolution and previous technological advancements that defined different generations. Just as millennials were shaped by the internet and personal computers, and Gen Z by smartphones and tablets, Gen Alpha is now being defined by generative AI. ‘Over the next 5 to 10 years, I think we’re going to find what normally happens with big new technology shifts, which is that some jobs get disrupted,’ he said. ‘New, more valuable, usually more interesting jobs get created’ in the wake of that disruption.
The generative AI landscape has been rapidly evolving since OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022. Google DeepMind, under Hassabis’ leadership, is at the forefront of this AI race, working towards the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI). Hassabis revealed at the Google I/O developer conference that DeepMind is less than 10 years away from creating its own AGI.
To future-proof their careers, Hassabis advises young people to ‘immerse yourself now’ in learning AI tools and to ‘become a sort of ninja using the latest tools.’ He emphasized that understanding how AI works and what it can do will be beneficial regardless of how the technology evolves. While encouraging the adoption of AI skills, Hassabis also stressed the importance of maintaining fundamental STEM skills, such as coding.
‘Creativity skills, adaptability, resilience. I think all of these, sort of meta skills, are what will be important for the next generation,’ Hassabis said on the podcast. Other AI leaders, like Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, have also encouraged young people to engage with AI technology and learn its limitations. Educational institutions are responding to the growing importance of AI, with Rice University recently announcing plans to offer AI degrees.
