Simplified Laws Guide to Taxation and Legal Concern Five years ago, the world faced a major event — the COVID-19 pandemic that shook every corner of the globe. I still remember how, at the time, many famous personalities took to the media and declared that the world would never be the same again! But let’s revisit that part a little later.
Fast forward to today, we’re facing another moment of disruption — this time, it’s Artificial Intelligence. Unlike a health crisis, AI is shaking the confidence of millions of employees worldwide. Since I’ve been closely following this subject, I’ve come across numerous statements made by some of the most respected minds in business and tech.
That’s what inspired this short note. How about we compile these predictions now and come back to them five years later? Wouldn’t it be fascinating to see how they play out?
Here’s what they’ve said:
- Bill Gates (28th March 2025) – Believes that artificial intelligence (AI) could reduce the workweek to just two or three days within the next decade.
- Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic (10th March 2025) – Predicts that AI could write 90% of software code within three to six months. He adds that almost all coding tasks might be handled by AI within a year, though human developers will still be needed to provide design input and define operational parameters.
- Amjad Masad, CEO of Replit (23rd March 2025) – Warns that learning to code may become pointless as AI will soon take over most programming jobs.
- Bloomberg Intelligence Report (8th January 2025) – Based on a survey of tech leaders in banking, it states that global banks could cut up to 200,000 jobs over the next three to five years as AI automates current human roles.
- Jeremy Hunt, Former UK Chancellor (25th March 2025) – Suggests that AI is set to replace many roles in the accountancy profession.
- Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO of Klarna (8th January 2025) – Admits, “AI is capable of doing my job,” and says it makes him feel “gloomy.”
- Vinod Khosla, Venture Capitalist & Co-founder of Sun Microsystems (24th September 2024) – Claims that AI will take over 80% of the work in 80% of jobs, and believes that Universal Basic Income (UBI) may be the only path forward.
What do you think — will these predictions become reality?
It’s an interesting comparison. Though COVID and AI are very different phenomena, both seem to provoke deep changes in the way we live and work. Now, let’s rewind and revisit what people said during the peak of the COVID crisis in 2020.
Here’s what they said about COVID-19 in 2020:
- Bill Gates (April 2020) – “There are a few things, like business trips, that I doubt will ever go back.”
- CNN Business (2020) – “COVID-19 will leave a lasting imprint on the world economy, causing permanent changes and teaching important lessons.”
Many others had also predicted:
- Economic inequality would worsen, as the tech-savvy pull further ahead.
- Technological change would eliminate some jobs.
- Flexible workplace arrangements would enhance quality of life for many families and workers.
- Life in 2025 would be mostly worse for most people than it was before the pandemic. (This statement was made in 2020)
Back then, everyone was saying the world would change — our behaviour, our work, our values. It’s been five years now. What do you think — have we really changed?
Feel free to share your thoughts!
And let’s check back in 2030 to see how today’s AI predictions have aged.
