Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer at Google X, has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could wipe out most middle-class jobs by 2027. He shared this prediction on the ‘Diary of a CEO’ podcast, describing the coming years as “hell before we get to heaven”.
According to Gawdat, no profession is safe. He said AI could replace software engineers, podcasters, and even chief executive officers (CEOs). He cited his own AI start-up Emma.love, an emotional support chatbot that runs with only 3 people; this work would have once required 350 engineers.
He warned that this AI wave is different from past revolutions. It will not only target manual labour jobs but also office-based, white-collar roles, in the process wiping out the very foundation of the middle class that powers global economies.
Gawdat also described a grim picture of the future, predicting massive inequality. “Unless you’re in the top 0.1%, you’re a peasant,” he said. In his view, there will be no middle class left — only a small elite and a large economically irrelevant population.
Beyond jobs, Gawdat said AI-driven disruption could cause a mental health crisis. As people lose their purpose and identity with their jobs, society may face rising loneliness, unrest and psychological decline — especially in the absence of support systems.
Amid these alarming predictions, Gawdat remains hopeful about the post-AI world — if it’s managed wisely. After 2040, he envisions a society built on love, creativity and community, free from repetitive work and guided by deeper human values.
He stressed that the only way to reach that future is by acting now. Gawdat urged governments and corporations to regulate AI ethically, introduce universal basic income and ensure equal access — to prevent collapse and create a balanced society.
Gawdat’s concerns are shared by others working in the field of AI. Dario Amodei, who leads the AI company Anthropic, warns of a “white-collar bloodbath”, meaning mass job losses among office workers. Experts say AI could automate 35–50% of tasks, while risking jobs, wages and economic stability.
Geoffrey Hinton, often called the 'Godfather of AI,' has warned that AI might create private languages to think and communicate among themselves that would be beyond human understanding. He fears we may never know how these systems work or what they’re planning internally.
