Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as Canada’s "Godfather of AI," believes that artificial intelligence is on track to replace most jobs that involve basic mental tasks. Jon Vennavally-Rao reports on this growing concern.
Geoffrey Hinton Warns AI Will Wipe Out Routine Desk Jobs
Geoffrey Hinton, the man often called the “Godfather of AI,” has sounded a serious alarm on where artificial intelligence is heading — and it could mean bad news for millions of office workers. In a candid chat on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Hinton predicted that AI will soon take over what he calls “mundane intellectual labour.”
By this, he means jobs like call centre work or paralegal tasks — roles that rely more on routine and repetition than creativity or emotional intelligence. “I think AI will replace everyone in those types of jobs,” he said.
Hinton, a former Google employee who stepped down in 2023 so he could speak freely about the dangers of AI, says the threat is no longer theoretical — it’s already happening. “Making people jobless is a serious and urgent problem,” he explained. “Even if governments offer universal basic income, it doesn’t make people feel fulfilled or happy.”
AI Is Already Changing the Game
Hinton’s warning isn’t a distant possibility. In fact, real-world examples are already here. A recent NBA Finals commercial made entirely by AI cost just US$2,000 to produce and needed no human crew, actors, or production team. It took just over two days to complete — a process that would’ve typically involved dozens of people and weeks of effort.
Big companies are also getting serious about AI. Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, recently told employees that AI will lead to major restructuring, especially among office staff. Some jobs will disappear, but others will emerge — roles more focused on working alongside or developing AI tools. Jassy described the shift as being sparked by a “once-in-a-lifetime technology.”
Experts Say Entry-Level White-Collar Jobs Are in Danger
The fear isn’t just about job losses — it’s about speed. Dario Amodei, CEO of AI firm Anthropic, believes that up to 50% of low-level office jobs could vanish in the next five years. He even warned that unemployment might rise to 20% unless society acts fast. His call to action? Workers and governments must prepare now — not later — for AI to fully take over many existing roles.
Still, not everyone in the AI world is panicking.
Not All Jobs Are Doomed — But Most Will Change
Mark Daley, the Chief AI Officer at Western University, is also closely watching how this shift could affect the workplace.
Mark Daley, Western University’s Chief AI Officer, agrees that white-collar work is changing — but he doesn’t see it vanishing. “It’s true that many jobs have elements that AI can replace,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean they’ll disappear. The nature of the work will just shift.”
Daley also addressed a common claim: that new technology always ends up creating more jobs than it destroys. But this time, he warns, it may be different. “This isn’t like other tech changes. We’ve never had machines that can think,” he said.
Hinton shares that doubt. He isn’t confident that new jobs will appear to balance out the losses. “If AI can handle all the routine thinking work, what’s left? Only the jobs that require a high level of skill or human connection,” he said.
New Graduates Already Struggling
That impact is already being felt by new graduates. Daley mentioned that even students from top technical fields like computer science are struggling to find jobs. Companies are hesitating to hire for roles that might soon be handled by AI or need fewer people.
Jobs That Might Survive the AI Wave
So, what careers are safer from AI? Experts say roles that rely heavily on real human interaction — like healthcare and performing arts — will remain in demand. “We’re human, and we’ll always want to watch humans perform,” Daley said.
And what’s Hinton’s surprisingly practical advice? Skip the desk and pick up a wrench. “It’ll be a long time before AI is good at physical work,” he said. “Train to be a plumber.”
