No One Can Escape AI: Goudat's Stark Warning for the Future

No One Can Escape AI: Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer at Google X, the company’s innovation lab, says AI is likely coming for your role — whether you’re in the C-suite or an entry-level worker. 

The idea that artificial intelligence will create jobs is “100% crap,” Gawdat said Monday (4th Aug 2025) on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast, using his own AI startup, Emma.love, as an example. He and two other software experts built the app with the help of AI, a project that would have required “350 developers in the past,” he said.

Gawdat has worked in tech for over 30 years. He was in the C-suite at Google X for almost five years tackling major problems facing humanity, like energy, climate change and internet access. 

Even the jobs you may think require humans will be eliminated, including video editors, podcasters and executives, said Gawdat. Bill Gates has predicted that doctors and teachers will also be replaced in the coming years.

Those who have the most promising outlook are professionals who are the best at their jobs, said Gawdat, author of “Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World.” But even they won’t be safe forever.

Artificial general intelligence is “going to be better than humans at everything, including being a CEO,” said Gawdat. “There will be a time where most incompetent CEOs will be replaced.”

The Core Message: AI’s Inevitable Ubiquity

At the heart of Goudat’s warning is a powerful thesis—AI will be everywhere, and there will be no way to opt out. He draws parallels between AI and other transformative technologies like electricity or the internet but suggests that AI is even more pervasive, insidious, and uncontainable.

Let’s break this message down:

• AI will permeate every industry.

• AI will influence personal decisions, sometimes without our knowledge.

• AI will become embedded in infrastructure, making disengagement impossible.

• The social contract itself will evolve to accommodate AI.

This is not just about robots taking jobs. It’s about AI becoming the “operating system” of society.

The Pervasive Reach of AI: Real-World Examples

1. Work and Employment

AI is transforming job markets globally. In sectors like finance, customer service, logistics, and healthcare, AI tools already outperform humans in terms of speed, accuracy, and cost.

• Customer Service: AI chatbots handle millions of customer queries daily, reducing the need for human agents.

• Recruitment: Resume screening algorithms make hiring decisions long before a human recruiter gets involved.

• Healthcare: AI diagnoses diseases using medical imaging and predictive analytics, often with better accuracy than doctors.

By 2030, AI is expected to automate up to 40% of current job tasks across various sectors. Whether you’re a truck driver, accountant, or even a journalist, AI is knocking on your door.

2. Education and Learning

AI is no longer just a support tool—it’s becoming the instructor itself.

• Adaptive learning platforms like Duolingo and Khan Academy now use AI to tailor education to each learner’s pace and style.

• Automated grading systems assess essays, coding submissions, and even class participation using machine learning.

Goudat warns that AI will redefine what it means to learn—shifting fro

“The AI Prison”: Goudat’s Most Chilling Metaphor

In his keynote, Goudat described the future as an “AI prison with invisible walls.” Unlike a traditional prison, you won’t know you’re inside it. You’ll feel empowered by convenience while being constantly monitored, analyzed, and nudged.

He outlines four layers of this “prison”:

1. Data Chains – Every action you take feeds the machine. Your data is the raw material of your digital confinement.