In a recent podcast interview on “The Diary Of A CEO,” former Google X chief business officer Mo Gawdat has shared a controversial warning – one that should give sleepless nights to CEOs and even podcasters, not just developers. While discussing artificial intelligence, he said that AI will replace software developers faster than many in the industry are prepared for. However, AI is also going to come for other presumed safe roles like CEOs and podcasters.
Gawdat, a well-known voice on AI and technology, supported his claims with a real-world example from his own startup, Emma Love, an AI platform designed to find “true love relationships.” According to Gawdat, the team for his new venture consists of just three developers working in collaboration with “a lot of AIs.” He revealed that in the past, a similar project would have required a team of approximately 350 developers. He shed light on the immediate and dramatic impact of AI on team size and efficiency.
AI is coming for knowledge-based jobs
Gawdat challenges the widely held belief that new technology always creates new jobs to replace those lost. He says that this time is different because AI targets cognitive work—the very brainpower that has driven professions like software development, rather than just manual labour. He explained why knowledge workers are at a higher risk of losing jobs than manual labourers, a reversal of historical patterns.
In the interview, Gawdat shared a piece of advice he received from Geoffrey Hinton, often referred to as the “godfather of AI.” Hinton told him to “train to be a plumber,” thus highlighting the idea that physical-world jobs remain a challenge for current AI and robotics technology to automate.
Future of AI in two phases
Gawdat described the future of AI integration in two phases: an initial era of “augmented intelligence,” where humans use AI as a tool to enhance their work, followed by an era of “machine mastery,” where AI operates independently.
While he said that some highly skilled developers might find a temporary relief, he maintained that this won’t be a long-term solution. He also highlighted the broader economic shift where AI can now produce what most ‘knowledge workers’ create, suggesting a future where even CEOs might eventually be replaced by advanced general intelligence.
