RIP Work From Home? Google DeepMind Co-Founder Explains How AI May Replace Remote Jobs

Google DeepMind co-founder Shane Legg predicts that jobs that involve a work-from-home model may soon get replaced by AI in the coming years, according to an interview with him conducted by Professor Hannah Fry.

Legg's interview was posted to the Google DeepMind YouTube channel, as a part of Google DeepMind: The Podcast video series on the channel.

Legg stated that AI would soon develop to an extent where many digital jobs that just require a computer and can be done remotely will be replaced by it.

According to the DeepMind co-founder, AI will evolve beyond playing the role of a digital assistant and will exhibit a capacity for intelligence, which is comparable to humans. It may replace work the requires cognitive thinking skills such as troubleshooting, thinking and analysis.

"Jobs that are purely cognitive and done remotely via a computer are particularly vulnerable," Legg said.

Remote job positions along with entry-level ones are most susceptible to replacement by AI, according to him. For example, a team of 100 engineers may be reduced to 20, with the advent of advanced AI.

Legg has stated that AI has already exhibited its command over general knowledge by outperforming humans in that area, coupling it with evolved cognitive ability such as better reasoning and understanding in the coming years may lead to it gaining human intelligence.

He further clarified that this change will not happen overnight but over the course of the coming years.