As artificial intelligence accelerates at an unprecedented pace, one former Google insider is sounding a clear and urgent warning: the world is not ready for the shockwaves that are coming our way by 2027.
In a discussion on “The Diary of a CEO,” former Google AI expert and design ethicist Tristan Harris painted a vivid picture of a future many consider unimaginable: “Are a handful of western or US-based AI companies going to consciously distribute that wealth to literally everyone meaning including all the countries around the world whose entire economy was based on a job category that got eliminated?” Harris asks.
The stark reality, he warns, is that AI is already reshaping the job market. Entire industries, including law, finance and customer service, are facing rapid automation. “You have law firms that are currently not wanting to hire junior lawyers because the AI is way better than a junior lawyer who just graduated from law school… You just have this sort of elite managerial class for each of these domains. So you lose intergenerational knowledge transmission, and that creates a societal weakening in the social fabric,” he states.
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He draws a striking analogy between AI and past economic shifts: “AI is like another version of NAFTA… except instead of China appearing on the world stage who will do the manufacturing labor for cheap, suddenly this country of geniuses in a data center created by AI appears on the world stage and it will do all of the cognitive labor in the economy for less than minimum wage,” says Harris.
AI, he points out, threatens not only jobs but the very fabric of society.
Yet amid the warnings, there is a call to action and responsibility. Drawing on lessons from past technology revolutions, Harris emphasizes the need for conscious stewardship: “The default path is companies racing to release the most powerful, inscrutable, uncontrollable technology we’ve ever invented with the maximum incentive to cut corners on safety…So, I’m going to devote my life to changing the path that we’re currently on. That’s what I’m doing.”
As 2027 approaches, the question is no longer whether AI will change the world — it is how humanity chooses to respond.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment.
