Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize–winning computer scientist often called the “Godfather of AI,” says artificial intelligence will soon reshape the global job market—making the rich richer while leaving many workers behind.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Hinton predicted that AI will drive massive unemployment as companies replace human workers with machines. At the same time, profits will soar for those at the top. But he stressed that the real issue isn’t AI itself—it’s the way capitalism works.
“Rich people are going to use AI to replace workers,” Hinton explained. “It’s going to create massive unemployment and a huge rise in profits. That’s not AI’s fault—that is the capitalist system.”
Job Market Shifts Already Underway
While large-scale layoffs haven’t hit yet, signs are emerging. Entry-level opportunities—especially for recent graduates—are shrinking as AI tools take over routine tasks.
A survey by the New York Fed shows most companies using AI prefer retraining employees rather than firing them, but expectations of job cuts in the coming months are growing.
Healthcare Could Be Different
Interestingly, Hinton believes healthcare may be one of the few industries that benefit rather than suffer. Making doctors more efficient could mean more care for patients without raising costs. As he put it, “There’s almost no limit to how much health care people can absorb.”
Human Dignity vs. Universal Basic Income
Hinton disagrees with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s idea of universal basic income (UBI). While UBI could provide money, Hinton argues it doesn’t address the human dignity and sense of purpose that jobs give people.
Bigger Risks Ahead
Beyond jobs, Hinton has long warned about the existential dangers of AI. He estimates a 10–20% chance that superintelligent AI could eventually wipe out humanity. He also fears that bad actors could misuse AI—for example, to build dangerous bioweapons.
He criticized weak U.S. regulation, especially under the Trump administration, and noted that China appears to be taking the risks more seriously.
Still, Hinton admits that AI holds enormous promise. “We are at a point in history where something amazing is happening—it could be amazingly good or amazingly bad,” he said.
A Personal Touch
Despite his concerns, Hinton uses AI himself. He says ChatGPT is his go-to tool for research. On a lighter note, he shared that an ex-girlfriend once used the chatbot to write him a breakup message explaining “what a rat” he was.
As for leaving Google in 2023, Hinton insists it wasn’t just to speak freely about AI’s dangers. At 75, he said he simply wanted to retire, spend time relaxing, and finally catch up on Netflix after 55 years of hard work.
#AI #FutureOfWork #GeoffreyHinton #ArtificialIntelligence #JobLoss