The global conversation around artificial intelligence is entering a more urgent and divided phase, with contrasting views emerging from two of the industry’s most influential leaders — Dario Amodei, co-founder and CEO of Anthropic, and Demis Hassabis, chief executive of Google DeepMind.
While both agree that AI will reshape economies, geopolitics and society, their assessments of how fast and how dangerous that transformation may be differ sharply.
Amodei Warns: ‘We Are Closer to Real Danger Than We Think’
Dario Amodei has sounded one of the strongest warnings yet about the pace of AI development. In a long essay titled “The Adolescence of Technology”, the Anthropic CEO argued that artificial intelligence is advancing toward capabilities that existing institutions are not equipped to control.
Amodei warned that AI systems could soon outperform the brightest human minds across multiple disciplines and act with increasing autonomy. He wrote that civilisation is “considerably closer to real danger in 2026 than in 2023,” urging governments, companies and the public to act with urgency.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Amodei suggested that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could arrive within one to two years, driven by systems capable of writing, refining and improving their own code.
He highlighted a range of risks, including:
- Autonomous AI systems acting against human interests
- Use of AI in cyber warfare and bioterrorism
- Large-scale job displacement
- Authoritarian regimes deploying AI for mass surveillance
Amodei also called for strict controls on advanced AI chips, comparing their unchecked sale to hostile states with the spread of nuclear weapons.
Hassabis Takes a Measured View on AGI Timelines
In contrast, Demis Hassabis, a Nobel laureate and head of Google DeepMind, struck a more restrained tone at Davos.
While acknowledging rapid progress, Hassabis said there remains a significant gap between today’s AI systems and true AGI. He estimated a 50% chance of achieving AGI by 2030, noting that core challenges such as scientific creativity, deep reasoning and real-world experimentation remain difficult for machines.
Hassabis accepted that AI is likely to disrupt entry-level white-collar jobs, but stressed the importance of international cooperation among governments, economists and scientists to manage the transition responsibly.
Shared Concerns Despite Different Timelines
Despite their differing outlooks, both leaders agree on several key points:
- AI will have profound economic and geopolitical consequences
- Decisions made in the next few years will shape how safely AI is deployed
- Global coordination is essential to manage both opportunity and risk
Their diverging tones reflect a broader debate within the AI community over whether humanity is facing an imminent tipping point — or a longer, more manageable transition.
What Is Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)?
Artificial General Intelligence represents a major leap beyond today’s AI systems.
While current AI is task-specific, AGI would be capable of understanding, learning and applying knowledge across a wide range of domains, much like a human being.
In essence, AGI would possess flexible, general intelligence rather than being confined to narrow functions — a development many experts believe would mark one of the most consequential moments in human history.