The man credited with coining the term “Artificial General Intelligence” (AGI) has shared a timeline for the future of technology. Ben Goertzel, an AI researcher and ‘father of AGI’, believes that AI capable of matching human intelligence is just two to three years away – a timeframe in line with claims previously made by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. While this breakthrough promises a technological revolution, Goertzel warned that AGI will come with a massive ‘job apocalypse’ that could render the vast majority of current professions obsolete. In a recent podcast appearance (via Forbes), was also blunt about the economic consequences.“Once you have a human-level AGI… the vast majority of human jobs become obsolete,” Goertzel warned but clarified that while the transition will not happen overnight, similar to the gradual adoption of Generative AI since 2022.
Which jobs will be impacted
According to Forbes, the roles being threatened first aren’t the ones experts originally predicted. For example, jobs like lawyers and graphic artists are seeing disruption faster than manual labour jobs. Furthermore, Goertzel noted that plumbers, electricians and educators are likely to remain relevant longer than many office-based roles.Even new AI-related roles are aging quickly. “Prompt engineering was the most important thing two years ago – but not now,” he mentioned, noting how quickly specific technical skills are losing their value.
AGI is ‘good news’ for human relations: Goertzel
Despite the grim outlook for traditional employment, Goertzel doesn’t see the future as a dark dystopia. Instead, he describes a potential “utopian world” where the end of the 9-to-5 grind leads to a better quality of life.In this future, Goertzel envisions that humans will have more time to spend with family and loved ones as robots handle the heavy lifting of the economy. Secondly, he says, the freedom for people to pursue hobbies and creative endeavours that offer emotional fulfillment rather than just a paycheck.Finally, the necessity of Universal Basic Income (UBI) and decentralised access to technology will ensure everyone benefits from AI’s wealth, Goertzel added.Goertzel says that the ability to adapt is more important than mastering a single tool. As AGI moves from a laboratory concept to a workplace reality, the focus for humans may soon shift from “making a living” to “finding a purpose” in a world.
Poll
Which aspect of AGI do you find most concerning?
“Work is so much more than making money,” Goertzel admitted, while saying that workers will need to hone skills that will enable them to be fully useful and remain relevant in the future of work.
