New Delhi: The comfort of the work-from-home or remote job could soon be replaced by AI, Shane Legg, chief artificial general intelligence scientist and co-founder of Google DeepMind, has predicted. Speaking with the British Professor Hannah Fry, Legg outlined a thumb rule which states that many remote, computer-based roles can be taken over by AI, effectively putting an end to work-from-home gigs.
Legg stated that, “if you can do the job remotely over the internet, just using a laptop, then it is probably very much cognitive Work. If you’re in that category, I think that advanced AI will be able to operate in that space to some extent.” He added that companies may soon realise that AI can deliver results equal to or better than human teams, prompting rapid downsizing. Legg gave software engineering as an example of a role he believes could be partially replaced by AI. Teams of 100 developers, he said, could shrink to just 20, with AI handling most of the workload.
In a few years, when you previously needed 100 software engineers, you may need 20, and those 20 use advanced AI tools. He also stated that some cognitive roles, where the human aspect is involved, could be protected from these kinds of disruptions. Let’s state that the users are influencers, and users work remotely. The fact that users are particular people with particular personalities, and people know that person behind the job, is valuable in many cases.
Legg stated AI could unlock a real golden age of productivity, machines could take over repetitive tasks, freeing humans for more meaningful Work. He cautioned that society will face significant challenges in ensuring displaced workers are supported and that the benefits of AI are shared fairly.
