Plumbing still safe as AI replaces office jobs, says AI pioneer

Nobel Prize-winning scientist Geoffrey Hinton, often called the ‘Godfather of AI,’ has warned that many intellectual jobs are at risk of being replaced by AI—while manual trades like plumbing may remain safe for years to come.

Speaking on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Hinton predicted that AI will eventually surpass human capabilities across most fields, but said it will take far longer to master physical skills. ‘A good bet would be to be a plumber,’ he noted, citing the complexity of physical manipulation as a barrier for AI.

Hinton, known for his pioneering work on neural networks, said ‘mundane intellectual labour’ would be among the first to go. ‘AI is just going to replace everybody,’ he said, naming paralegals and call centre workers as particularly vulnerable.

He added that while highly skilled roles or those in sectors with overwhelming demand—like healthcare—may endure, most jobs are unlikely to escape the wave of disruption. ‘Most jobs, I think, are not like that,’ he said, forecasting widespread upheaval in the labour market.

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