AI Poses Existential Threat to Jobs and Leadership, Warns Ex-Google Executive

Artificial intelligence is accelerating its takeover of human labor, and Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer of Google X, has sounded an alarm: the idea that AI will create more jobs than it destroys is “100% crap.” Speaking on The Diary of a CEO podcast, Gawdat argued that AI is poised to replace not only mid-level and entry-level workers but even top executives and world leaders. His comments join a growing chorus of tech insiders warning that AI is not just a tool for efficiency but a disruptive force reshaping entire industries [1].

Gawdat emphasized that while the best professionals in any field—like elite software developers—may retain their roles for now, this is only a temporary reprieve. AI is already outperforming humans in coding, customer service, and data analysis, and its capabilities are expected to expand rapidly. “AGI [artificial general intelligence] is going to be better at everything than most humans,” he said, a sentiment echoed by tech leaders such as OpenAI’s Sam Altman. What concerns Gawdat most is that CEOs are too focused on the immediate benefits of AI—reduced costs and increased productivity—to see how quickly their own roles could become obsolete [1].

The trend is already visible in some industries. Companies like Duolingo, Workday, and Klarna have cut jobs or stopped hiring humans altogether in favor of AI-driven workflows. Yet executives remain complacent, celebrating short-term gains while ignoring the long-term risks. “They don’t think of the fact that AI will replace them too,” Gawdat warned. In his view, AI’s rise is not a technological inevitability but a byproduct of a capitalist system that prioritizes profit over people [1].

Gawdat also pointed to the broader societal implications of AI’s advance. He argued that the same technology that can automate jobs can also be used to replace harmful leaders—both corporate and political. “The only way for us to get to a better place is for the evil people at the top to be replaced with AI,” he said, noting that AI could enforce ethical governance and decision-making in a way that flawed human leaders cannot. However, this future is not without risks; AI in the wrong hands could amplify existing evils, making regulation and oversight critical [1].

Tech leaders like Altman and Google’s Sundar Pichai have also called for greater control over AI development. Altman has proposed the creation of an international body akin to the IAEA to regulate superintelligence, ensuring that AI projects adhere to safety and ethical standards. The urgency of these calls reflects a growing recognition that AI cannot be left to evolve unchecked [1].

While the debate over AI’s future is far from settled, one thing is clear: the technology is already reshaping the workforce in ways that many are unprepared for. The challenge ahead is not just about managing the transition but about redefining the role of humans in a world where machines can do what was once thought to be uniquely human.

[1] Fortune, https://fortune.com/2025/08/06/ai-job-killer-ex-google-executive-mo-gawdat-warns-workers-ceos-politicians-replaced-robots/