Artificial intelligence is moving faster than most people expected, and even the experts are surprised. Geoffrey Hinton, one of the most respected names in AI, says the technology is now improving at a speed that could replace a large number of jobs by 2026. He believes 2025 has already become a turning point, with AI systems showing stronger reasoning skills and the ability to complete longer and more complex tasks.
What once felt experimental is now becoming practical, scalable, and deeply disruptive across many industries.
AI Job Losses 2026: Why Work Is Changing So Fast
According to Hinton's interview on CNN, AI has already started replacing human workers in areas like call centres, where routine conversations and problem-solving can be automated. But the bigger shift is happening quietly.
AI systems that earlier could only handle tasks lasting a few minutes are now completing work that takes an hour or more. This improvement is not slowing down. Hinton explained that roughly every seven months, AI becomes capable of handling tasks that are twice as long and more complex than before.
This means that in the near future, AI could manage large software projects that normally take teams of people several months to complete. When that happens, companies may need far fewer employees for the same amount of work.
Unlike earlier technological changes, this shift targets intellectual and white-collar jobs, not just manual labour. Hinton compares this moment to the industrial revolution, but instead of machines replacing muscle, AI is now replacing thinking and decision-making.
Artificial Intelligence Replacing Jobs: Fears, Reality, & What’s Next
Economists are warning about a possible “jobless boom” in 2026. This means businesses could become more productive without creating more jobs.
Many companies that hired aggressively after the pandemic are now cutting costs through automation, layoffs, and natural attrition. They are learning how to do more with fewer people, and AI is playing a big role in that shift.
However, the picture is not entirely bleak. Some business leaders believe AI will still create opportunities, especially in engineering, AI development, and leadership roles. While many traditional jobs may disappear or change shape, new roles could emerge around managing, building, and supervising AI systems.
Hinton also raised concerns beyond jobs. He warned that advanced AI systems could learn how to deceive if they feel threatened, and that profit motives may push companies to move faster than safety rules allow. While AI can bring huge benefits to medicine and education, Hinton made one thing clear: no one truly knows where this is headed, and pretending otherwise would be naive.