Google DeepMind Chief Executive Officer Demis Hassabis has projected that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could become a reality within the next few years, urging governments and industry to establish global safety standards before the technology arrives.

Hassabis made the remarks in a lengthy post on his X account on Tuesday titled A Framework for Frontier AI and the Dawning of a New Age.

He argued that AGI, which refers to AI systems capable of matching the full range of human cognitive abilities, would have a more profound impact on society than previous technological revolutions, including the internet and mobile computing.

What Hassabis is saying

Hassabis warned that AI capabilities are already advancing faster than society’s understanding of the technology. He framed AGI not as a conventional technology milestone but as a civilizational turning point comparable to humanity’s discovery of electricity or fire.

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  • “AGI cannot be compared to standard technological breakthroughs, not even ones as consequential as the internet or mobile – it is much more akin to the discovery of electricity or fire,” he wrote.
  • “The magnitude of this technology’s impact will be unprecedented, perhaps 10x of the Industrial Revolution at 10x the speed,” he added, arguing that AGI’s economic and societal impact could exceed that of any previous technological shift while unfolding at a far faster pace.

He said AGI could dramatically accelerate drug discovery, help develop clean energy technologies, create advanced materials, and remove resource constraints that currently limit human progress.

On the risks, Hassabis said cybersecurity threats have already emerged with today’s advanced AI models, while biological and nuclear-related risks could become significantly more serious as systems grow more capable.

He added that future AI systems may become increasingly autonomous and self-improving, making robust technical safeguards essential.

  • “Nobody in the world knows for sure what is going to happen from here, and even the experts disagree,” he said, adding that cautious optimism rather than either complacency or alarm should guide AI policy during this period.

More insights

As part of his proposal, Hassabis called for the United States to establish a dedicated Frontier AI Standards Body to evaluate the capabilities and risks of the world’s most advanced AI models before they are widely deployed.

  • He suggested the organisation could operate as a federally supervised public-private partnership similar to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, bringing together government agencies, independent technical experts, open-source representatives and AI companies under a shared assessment framework.

Under the proposed structure, advanced AI models would undergo rigorous testing in high-risk areas, including cybersecurity, biological threats and other national security concerns, before deployment, with developers of frontier AI systems initially encouraged to submit their models voluntarily before mandatory compliance takes effect as the framework matures.

  • He also recommended that frontier AI laboratories adopt stronger cybersecurity measures, publish technical documentation for their models, invest more heavily in AI safety research and work with regulators to address vulnerabilities identified after deployment.

He concluded that the period before AGI arrives represents a critical window for governments, researchers and industry to establish the technical, regulatory and ethical foundations needed to ensure the technology delivers widespread benefit rather than introducing new global challenges.

What you should know

Hassabis’ call adds to a growing chorus of global leaders and policymakers urging faster action on AI governance as the technology advances at an unprecedented pace.

  • Earlier this month, Nairametrics reported that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has cautioned that the development of artificial intelligence is moving faster than regulators can effectively oversee.

Guterres said the speed of AI advancement has exceeded the capacity of governments, regulators and even technology developers to adequately manage its associated risks.

He urged countries to work together on coordinated global regulations to ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a safe and responsible manner.