Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis stated at a Stanford event that artificial general intelligence (AGI) could emerge around 2030, plus or minus a year, marking the beginning of a new human era. He emphasized that society has limited time to prepare for the profound economic and social consequences, and the responsibility should not rest solely on technologists. Hassabis noted that 2026 was a turning point with AI agents becoming genuinely useful. His comments add to the ongoing debate over AGI's timeline, with other leaders like Sam Altman and Elon Musk also predicting near-term AGI, while skeptics point to benchmarks where AI systems still fall short of human reasoning. The lack of a shared definition of AGI further complicates the discussion.

Key facts

• Hassabis expects AGI by 2030, plus or minus a year.
• He warns society must prepare for AGI's profound economic and social impacts.
• 2026 marked a turning point with AI agents becoming genuinely useful.
• Debate continues over AGI timeline; some claim it's already achieved.