As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the job market, one of its founding fathers is urging people to think outside the box.
Geoffrey Hinton, famously dubbed the "Godfather of AI," has issued a stark warning about where humanity could be heading in the age of machines.
In a candid interview on the Diary of a CEO podcast that aired on June 16, the former Google expert didn’t mince words when it came to the job threat posed by advanced AI.
“AI Is Going to Replace Everybody”
Hinton painted a grim picture of the near future, saying: "I'd say it's going to be a long time before it's as good at physical manipulation. So a good bet would be to be a plumber."
That’s right, plumbing might just be one of the last strongholds against the AI takeover.
Unlike white-collar desk jobs, hands-on trades may be much harder for machines to replicate anytime soon.
He didn’t stop there. Hinton doubled down on the notion that intellectual labor is especially vulnerable, warning: "For mundane intellectual labor, AI is just going to replace everybody."
Blue-Collar Boom: Gen Z Is Already Making the Shift
With Gen Z entering a notoriously tough job market, many young people are rethinking traditional career paths.
As previously reported by Business Insider, more and more are turning to trades and blue-collar work - not out of desperation, but out of strategy.
Hinton's comments echo that logic.
He pointed to roles like paralegals and call center agents as particularly exposed, admitting: "I'd be terrified if I worked in a call center."
His message was clear: only those with highly specialized skills might survive the AI revolution, adding: "You would... have to be very skilled to have an AI-proof job."
Universal Basic Income? Still Not Enough, Says Hinton
While many tech leaders have floated the idea of a universal basic income as a safety net, Hinton sees deeper problems on the horizon.
Even if people are financially supported, the loss of purpose from unemployment is, in his eyes, a much bigger emotional and societal issue.
He described mass job displacement as the most immediate threat AI poses to human happiness.
According to Hinton, we’re not waiting for a distant AI apocalypse - it’s already here.
He pointed out that AI is starting to creep into entry-level positions that used to be safe bets for recent college grads.
Even if AI doesn't replace workers outright, it will dramatically reshape how many roles function. Hinton explained that in some scenarios, humans may still be involved - but far fewer of them.
He broke it down clearly: one person with an AI assistant could replace the work previously done by a full team. "That means one person will do what used to be the work of 10 people," he said. "For many industries... that will mean mass firings."
Not all sectors will be equally affected. Hinton pointed to healthcare as one area where demand might cushion the blow.
"But most jobs, I think, are not like that," he concluded, leaving little room for optimism for the average worker.