ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Demis Hassabis: AI Job Cuts Are a Mistake

ai-technology · 2026-05-19

Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, argues that companies should use AI productivity gains to expand operations rather than reduce headcount. In an interview with WIRED, he criticized the trend of using AI as a justification for layoffs, emphasizing that the technology should augment human work, not replace it. Hassabis spoke ahead of Google I/O, where new AI features were announced. His comments come amid widespread debate over AI's impact on employment, with many tech firms citing efficiency improvements as a reason for workforce reductions.

Key facts

  • Demis Hassabis is CEO of Google DeepMind.
  • He spoke to WIRED about AI and job cuts.
  • Hassabis believes companies should use AI to do more, not lay people off.
  • The interview was published ahead of Google I/O.
  • Google I/O is Google's annual developer conference.
  • Hassabis criticized the trend of AI-driven layoffs.
  • He argues AI should augment human work.
  • Tech firms often cite efficiency gains from AI for layoffs.

Entities

Artists

  • Demis Hassabis

Institutions

  • Google DeepMind
  • WIRED
  • Google

Sources