Renowned researcher Ben Goertzel predicts that artificial intelligence (AI) could soon replace around 80% of human jobs. During an interview, he emphasized the potential benefits of AI, such as freeing people from mundane work. However, he also expressed concerns about the social challenges that may arise during the transitional period. Goertzel discussed the need for AI to surpass its limitations and achieve human-like cognitive abilities. While progress has been made, further advancements are required before machines can match human intelligence.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to replace a significant portion of human jobs shortly, according to Ben Goertzel, a US-Brazilian researcher and cognitive scientist. Goertzel, who is renowned for his work in robotics and is the founder and CEO of SingularityNET, a research group dedicated to developing “Artificial General Intelligence” (AGI) with human-like cognitive abilities, shared his insights during an interview at the recent Web Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
During the interview, Goertzel discussed the impact of AGI on employment and its comparison to human intelligence. He expressed his belief that even without AGI, approximately 80% of current jobs could be rendered obsolete by AI systems that are expected to emerge in the coming years. However, he emphasized that he did not consider this development a threat but rather an opportunity for individuals to pursue more fulfilling endeavors beyond traditional work. In his view, most jobs involving paperwork could be automated, leading to increased efficiency and allowing people to focus on more meaningful activities.
While Goertzel acknowledged the potential benefits of AI, he also highlighted the challenges that may arise during the transitional period when AI systems gradually replace human jobs. He expressed concerns about addressing the social implications and resolving the associated issues that may arise from widespread job obsolescence.
In terms of intelligence, Goertzel argued that for machines to truly match human intelligence and effectively deal with unknown situations, they need to possess the capability to surpass their training and programming limitations. While he believed that reaching that level of intelligence is not far off, he noted that further advancements are required before AI systems can exhibit the same level of agility and adaptability as humans.
