Due to the significant job loss threat and the potential for investment gains or losses, there is growing interest among the general public, students, professionals, policymakers, and investors about what AI can do. Prominent AI moguls claim that AI will surpass human intelligence, with AI-powered Humanoid robots capable of performing all human jobs in physical space. This has heightened fears of impending job loss.
On the flip side, such claims, coupled with innovations like ChatGPT, have led US technology companies to gain a market capitalization of up to $10 trillion across just seven companies. To drive AI further, Donald Trump has announced a $500 billion Stargate project, adding to the growing hype and uncertainty.
Amid this rapid transformation, the vital question arises: What can AI truly do? The balance between opportunity and risk continues to fuel debate, shaping the future of work, technology and investment.
Claims about what AI can do
In November 2023, xAI founder Elon Musk made a bold claim while discussing with the UK Prime Minister: “AI will render all jobs obsolete.” This statement highlights Musk’s vision of artificial intelligence’s transformative potential. Central to this vision is the Tesla humanoid robot, Optimus, which Musk asserts will perform any job a human can do. If realized, such automation could disrupt labor markets and physical industries—causing massive job loss and rise of market capitalization of firms like Tesla, Nvidia and a few others.
Simultaneously, advancements in ChatGPT and agentic AI promise to transform knowledge-based service jobs. These systems are designed to handle cognitive tasks like decision-making, problem-solving, and content creation. Agentic AI, in particular, demonstrates the ability to act autonomously, performing complex tasks without human oversight for extended periods. This marks a pivotal shift in how knowledge-centric work is approached.
On January 8, 2025, Time Magazine reported on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s prediction about the imminent rise of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). AGI, described as a “highly autonomous system,” is expected to surpass human performance in most economically valuable tasks. According to OpenAI, AGI has the potential to “increase abundance, turbocharge the global economy, and drive scientific discovery” beyond current limitations.
Altman’s vision extends even further to superintelligence, which he anticipates within a few thousand days. He describes superintelligent tools as systems that could accelerate Innovation and scientific breakthroughs, creating immense prosperity and abundance. These advancements promise to redefine the limits of human achievement but also raise critical questions about societal impact.
The combined potential of humanoid robots, AGI, and superintelligence is both exciting and unsettling. While these technologies promise unprecedented innovation, their implications for labor markets and social structures demand careful navigation. Such claims place policymakers and investors in an uncertain situation.
Investment boom due to Belief about what AI can do
From 2023 to the end of 2024, belief in the transformative potential of Generative AI (GenAI), exemplified by systems like ChatGPT, has propelled several leading technology companies to achieve a staggering $10 trillion increase in market capitalization. This growth underscores speculations about the profound economic impact of AI advancements.
To realize Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and enhance GenAI, the AI community, spearheaded by OpenAI, requires vast amounts of data and immense computing power. Addressing this need, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the launch of Stargate, a venture committing $500 billion to building extensive data centers across the United States. This initiative represents one of the largest investments in AI infrastructure to date.
During the Stargate announcement, Oracle’s Larry Ellison highlighted the groundbreaking potential of AI in healthcare. He claimed that AI could detect cancer through a simple blood test and produce mRNA-based personalized vaccines robotically within 48 hours. These assertions demonstrate the disruptive potential of AI in revolutionizing critical industries like medicine.
The financing for this mega project is expected to come from SoftBank, leveraging resources likely sourced from the Wealth funds of Middle Eastern countries. This financial mobilization highlights the global stakes and collaborative efforts to accelerate AI-driven innovation.
Such claims, investments, and staggering market capitalization gains indicate that humanity is on the brink of achieving superintelligent machines capable of performing tasks both within and beyond human capability. This convergence of advancements promises Disruptive innovation on a massive scale, reshaping industries, economies, and societal structures.
As we edge closer to this transformative era, the combination of technological breakthroughs, unprecedented investments, and global collaboration is poised to usher in a new chapter of human achievement. The challenge will lie in managing these innovations to ensure they deliver equitable and sustainable benefits for all. However, if such claims are based on weak foundations, there could be catastrophic negative consequences.
Divergent views about AI capability
Despite the ambitious claims of tech leaders like Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Larry Ellison, some technology experts appear less optimistic about AI’s transformative potential. At the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos (2025), discussions highlighted a contrasting perspective: a call for AI-driven job creation. This raises an important question—if AI is expected to replace jobs, what is the merit in advocating for job creation alongside its rise?
Similarly, claims such as “AI empowers everyone,” “AI is about collaboration,” and “AI has the power to elevate human potential to an unprecedented level” suggest a more measured view. These statements emphasize AI as a tool for empowerment rather than disruption. Additionally, assertions like “AI is not technology disruption” and “AI is about people transformation” imply a focus on human-AI collaboration rather than outright replacement.
This divergence in perspectives suggests a lack of consensus within the tech community. While Musk and Altman advocate for AI as a complete replacement of human labor due to its similar or superior capabilities, other experts project AI as an assistive tool designed to enhance human productivity and creativity.
Does this mean that experts lack a common understanding of AI’s latent potential? Alternatively, could it indicate differing interpretations of the underlying science? It raises the possibility that bold predictions may be rooted more in science fiction-like visions rather than a grounded understanding of AI’s current capabilities.
This lack of alignment points to the complexity of AI’s evolution and its societal implications. As debates unfold, it becomes evident that the narrative surrounding AI is far from unified. The challenge lies in distinguishing between realistic projections and speculative hunches, ensuring that AI’s development aligns with collective human interests.
Inconsistency in Claims Raises Questions about Merits of AI
It appears that there has been significant inconsistency in the claims made by AI moguls like Sam Altman and Elon Musk, and technology professionals. On the one hand, there have been claims that AI will take over human intelligence and capability in both cognitive and physical space, rendering all jobs obsolete. On the other hand, high-end professionals have been making claims that AI will be empowering people and collaborating with them. Such a contradiction appears to be rooted in a lack of understanding of the underlying science.
Consequentially, these individuals seem to be drawing from their own imagination to express views that align with their purposes—whether it be mobilizing investment, inflating valuations of their companies, or securing high-paying technology consulting assignments. However, these science fiction-type contradictions have been causing confusion in the minds of general people, investors, and policymakers alike.
Unfortunately, the academic community has remained silent, as such claims have been aiding them in securing funding for academic research, producing publications, recruiting graduate students, and achieving promotions.
