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AI went from a fun novelty to a daily habit almost overnight. Now, millions of us lean on chatbots to write emails or fix code. But while this sudden spike in productivity feels great, a darker question hangs over the convenience. At what point does the assistant stop helping and start replacing us? For Geoffrey Hinton, the man widely revered as the 'Godfather of AI', that tipping point is not a distant sci-fi scenario—it is already here, and specific industries are staring down the barrel.

The Speed Of Evolution Is Outpacing Us

Hinton sent shockwaves through the tech world when he resigned from his position at Google in 2023, a move he made specifically to speak freely about the existential risks of the technology he helped pioneer. Now 78, his warnings have become increasingly urgent.

He argues that the capabilities of artificial intelligence are effectively doubling every seven months. This exponential rate of improvement suggests that the workplace landscape could look unrecognisable in the very near future.

Speaking to CNN, Hilton admitted that his apprehension has only grown since he left the search engine giant. 'It's progressed even faster than I thought. In particular, it's got better at doing things like reasoning and also at things like deceiving people,' he stated. His assessment paints a picture of a technology that is evolving far quicker than society, or regulation, can adapt to.

Cognitive And Menial Roles Are The First Casualties

The most chilling aspect of Hinton's forecast is the specificity regarding who falls into the danger zone. He argues that "menial" cognitive tasks are on the chopping block first. We are talking about huge chunks of the job market here, including call centers, customer support, and transcription. These roles usually serve as the entry point for recent graduates, but those traditional career ladders are losing their bottom rungs.

The danger does not stop at administrative work. Hinton warns that creative and analytical jobs are next on the list. We could soon see layoffs in marketing, accounting, and journalism as algorithms prove they can generate copy and analyze data far faster than any human team could hope to match.

According to The Hill, Hinton warns that once these initial sectors are automated, no profession remains entirely safe.

Why Productivity Gains Might Not Help Workers

In a conversation on The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett, Hinton highlighted the grim economic reality of this shift. While efficiency typically drives economic growth, the benefits of the AI revolution may not trickle down.

'If you get a big increase in productivity, everybody should be better off,' he explained. 'But if you can replace lots of people by AI, then the people who get replaced will be worse off, and the company that supplies the AI will be much better off than the company that uses the AI.'

This mix of hoarding wealth and erasing entry-level roles makes the future look daunting for anyone just finishing their degree. Hinton referenced a report from The Atlantic indicating that graduates are already struggling to secure employment, a trend he attributes directly to companies substituting junior staff with software.

For those currently employed in vulnerable sectors, his outlook is stark: 'If I worked in a call centre, I'd be terrified. I think it's beginning to happen already.'

A Future Where Teams Continue To Shrink

The trajectory is clear: teams across industries will likely contract, as one individual equipped with advanced AI tools can perform the work of many. Hinton's consistency on this matter has been unwavering.

'I think we're going to see AI get even better. It's already extremely good. We're going to see it having the capabilities to replace many, many jobs. It's already able to replace jobs in call centres, but it's going to be able to replace many other jobs,' he told CNN.

While these are predictions from a long-time critic, the speed at which his past warnings have materialised lends significant weight to his words. As the technology doubles in power every few months, the window for workforce adaptation narrows, leaving graduates and workers in tech reports and beyond to wonder if their role is next on the list.

Originally published on IBTimes UK

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