DeepMind chief warns AGI may arrive in few years, urges global safety standards
DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis warned that artificial general intelligence (AGI) could arrive within a few years, urging the United States to create a "Frontier AI Standards Body" to test advanced models for cybersecurity, biological and national-security risks before deployment. He said AGI’s impact could be ten times that of the Industrial Revolution, unfolding at ten times the speed, and would accelerate drug discovery, clean energy and materials science while amplifying cybersecurity and biological threats.
For Nigerians, AGI could reshape job markets in finance, agriculture, health and services, potentially displacing routine roles but also creating demand for AI-savvy talent. With a large youth population, the country faces both risk of job loss and opportunity to lead in AI-driven industries if it invests in skills, infrastructure and policy frameworks now.
What should you know or do? Follow Nigeria’s participation in global AI governance talks, build AI-related skills such as data science or machine learning, and consider how AI might affect your profession or business. Ask yourself: How will you prepare your career or business for the potential AI shift - by upskilling, advocating for responsible policy, or exploring new opportunities?