Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, predicted that artificial intelligence (AI) with human-like cognitive capabilities will be achieved within the next decade, emphasizing that the technology holds enormous potential, including the ability to “cure all diseases.”
Speaking at the Times Technology Summit, he noted that achieving AGI would require “two or three big innovations.”
Hassabis explained that AGI is “a general system capable of performing any cognitive task that humans are capable of performing.” “That was the original goal of the AI field, and that’s what DeepMind is working towards.”
Hassabis founded DeepMind in 2010 with Shane Legg and Mostafa Suleiman, and the company was acquired by Google in 2014 for $500 million.
The company has made several breakthroughs in AI, including AlphaFold, which can predict the behavior of proteins, potentially leading to the development of antibiotics and cancer treatments.
Hassabis, 48, noted that there is a “big buzz” warning of an existential threat to humans from AI, commenting that this view is “clearly wrong” and that AI is a historic shift beyond the internet and cell phones.
Hassabis stressed the need to approach AI with caution, citing his experience with AI in gaming, where an AI system was able to learn the game of chess in just 8 hours and become capable of beating the best chess players as well as specialized computer systems. “This is impressive,” he said. “It’s just a game but it’s limited, and I don’t see any reason why this capability can’t be applied to more comprehensive systems.
Despite the concerns, Hassabis expressed confidence that AI will be “tremendously positive” for the world.
“We are close to being able to cure all diseases with AI, help address the climate crisis, discover new energy sources, improve daily productivity, and lighten the burden of routine administrative tasks. It’s all going to happen soon.”
