Google DeepMind CEO predicts AGI in 5-10 years but says AI still lacks imagination

By | April 23, 2025

Google DeepMind CEO Predicts AGI in 5-10 Years, But Emphasizes AI’s Lack of Imagination

The CEO of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, recently made a bold prediction. He believes Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—a machine that can understand and learn tasks like a human—could arrive in the next 5 to 10 years. This has sparked intense debate in the AI community. Experts are now speculating on what this timeline could mean.

The AGI Dream: Closer Than We Think?

AGI is the ultimate goal for AI researchers. It would surpass current machine learning systems. Today’s AI can excel in specific tasks, like self-driving cars or language models such as GPT-4. However, these systems still need human oversight for tasks outside their programmed scope. Hassabis’ prediction signals a potential shift towards more generalizable AI systems that can learn and adapt like humans.

Despite the excitement, Hassabis also raised a crucial point. He highlighted that AI still lacks imagination. AI excels at data processing and pattern recognition. But it struggles with creativity and abstract thinking. These traits are essential for human intelligence.

AI’s Limitations: The Imagination Gap

“AI is good at processing data,” said Hassabis, “but it still cannot think outside the box.” AI systems are not yet capable of true creativity. They cannot come up with completely new ideas or hypotheses. This is a major limitation. AI outputs often depend on the data it has been trained on. It cannot innovate in the same way humans do. To develop AGI, researchers must enable AI to bridge this gap.

The Road Ahead: Challenges in Achieving AGI

Achieving AGI will require breakthroughs in several areas. AI must learn to generalize across tasks. It needs a deeper understanding of the world and the ability to integrate creativity into problem-solving. Companies like Google DeepMind are making strides, especially with neural networks and large language models. But many experts believe AGI is still decades away.

There are also ethical and societal challenges. AGI could bring job displacement, privacy issues, and misuse concerns. Researchers must address these issues as they push toward AGI.

Conclusion: A Vision for the Future

Demis Hassabis’ prediction may seem optimistic. However, it reflects the growing ambition in the AI community. AGI could be within reach, but significant hurdles remain. Researchers need to help AI systems develop imagination. The next 5 to 10 years could be crucial for AGI’s progress.

The future of AI is thrilling. We are watching closely as DeepMind and other AI leaders push to make AGI a reality.