Tech Leaders Debate AI's Future at Davos: AGI Could Arrive in 5-10 Years, Reshape Work

DAVOS, Switzerland – As the World Economic Forum convenes in the Swiss Alps this week, artificial intelligence has become the dominant talking point, eclipsing traditional geopolitical and trade concerns. Artificial intelligence (AI) has infiltrated nearly every conversation at Davos 2026, rivalling the prominence of traditional hot-button issues such as trade tariffs, international competition, and geopolitical tensions.

Central to these discussions is a bold claim from some of the world's most influential technology leaders: artificial general intelligence—AI that matches or surpasses human cognitive capabilities—could arrive within the next 5 to 10 years, fundamentally reshaping the global workforce and economic systems.

The 5-10 Year Timeline for AGI

Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, said AGI could arrive in five to 10 years. This prediction marks a significant shift in how tech leaders are discussing the trajectory of artificial intelligence development, particularly following recent breakthroughs in large language models and AI capabilities.

After AGI arrives, the job market would be in "uncharted territory", with potentially not enough work for people, which poses bigger questions about meaning and purpose, not just salaries. The implications are staggering—if Hassabis's timeline proves accurate, global labor markets would face unprecedented transformation within a decade.

Geopolitics and AI Safety Trade-Offs

The rapid advancement toward AGI has created competing pressures between national competitiveness and AI safety. Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, argued that "not selling chips to China is one of the biggest things we can do to make sure we have time to handle this," referring to AI getting out of control.

Amodei also pointed out that geopolitical and AI company competition meant that safety standards were being rushed. This tension between the race for AI leadership and careful development protocols has become a central concern at the forum, with experts warning that the competitive environment may force corners to be cut on safety.

The Jobs Paradox: Creation and Displacement

Tech leaders present conflicting visions of AI's impact on employment. Amodei said that AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs. However, perspectives vary on whether new opportunities will emerge to offset losses.

Google DeepMind's CEO was more optimistic, saying he expected "new, more meaningful jobs being created" and that while there may be a slowdown in internship hirings, this would be "compensated by the amazing tools out there for everyone."

In any tech transition, "you lose one, you generate one-to-two," according to NTT Data CEO Abhijit Dubey. Protecting those who are negatively impacted can't be entirely left up to the private sector, with proposed solutions including universal basic income and taxing AI agents the same way people are taxed.

Shifting From Hype to Implementation

Conversations around artificial intelligence are shifting from promise to practice, with global technology leaders pointing to 2026 as a critical year when AI moves decisively from pilots to deployment at scale. Power availability, secure systems, and enterprise readiness are emerging as the key factors that will shape the next phase of adoption.

New PwC research shows that more than half of companies say they're getting "nothing" out of AI adoption. Companies not seeing a payoff have forgotten the basics like clean data, processes, and governance.

Addressing the Human Element in AI's Future

Beyond economics, Davos discussions have increasingly focused on the existential questions raised by advanced AI systems. AI researcher Yoshua Bengio warned against AI superintelligence, saying that we have "no experience with building a hybrid human AI society" and called for humility and a "correction mechanism" should things go wrong.

Governments, industry leaders, technology developers, academia, civil society, and standards bodies are being urged to adopt the Human-AI-T framework as a shared global reference framework for governing AGI and Quantum technologies, to ensure that the future of intelligence remains human-led, trustworthy, and aligned with the values that define civilization itself.

Strategic Imperatives for Global Leadership

For business leaders and policymakers, leaders who invest in skills, design for resilience, and embrace change as a strategy will define the next era. This means governments need agile frameworks for reskilling, labour market adaptation, and the ability to forecast future job market needs.

As Davos 2026 continues, one message is clear: the AI transformation is no longer theoretical. Whether the 5-10 year AGI timeline proves accurate or not, the decisions made in the coming months will determine whether this technological revolution enhances human capability or exacerbates global inequality.

Sources:

• Euronews – AI at Davos 2026: What Tech Leaders Have Said
• TIME – At Davos, Business Leaders Seek a Human-Centered AI Future
• Fortune – AI Hype Gives Way to Focus on Implementation at Scale
• World Economic Forum – AI Paradoxes: Why AI's Future Isn't Straightforward
• StartupNews – Davos 2026: Power, Security, and Enterprise Readiness to Define Next Phase of AI Adoption