Yoshua Bengio, one of the renowned “godfathers of AI,” has shared profound career advice for navigating a future where artificial intelligence increasingly displaces human workers. Speaking on “The Diary of a CEO” podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett on December 18, Bengio emphasized the importance of developing uniquely human qualities over technical skills.
Bengio, a pioneering research scientist known for his groundbreaking work in deep learning and neural networks, advised focusing on “the beautiful human being that you can become,” suggesting that human qualities will persist even as machines take over most jobs. The professor at Université de Montréal’s computer science department warned that with companies eagerly integrating AI into workflows, it’s only a matter of time before AI can perform most keyboard-based jobs.
The AI pioneer noted that even physical jobs like plumbing may eventually face automation through robotics, though this transition will likely take longer. Despite increasing automation, Bengio emphasized that human qualities such as love, accepting responsibility, and contributing to others’ well-being will remain irreplaceable. He illustrated this point by noting, “If I’m in a hospital, I want a human being to hold my hand while I’m anxious or in pain.”
Bengio, who shares the “godfathers of AI” title with Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun, recently launched LawZero, an AI safety research nonprofit in June 2024. The organization aims to reduce dangerous behaviors associated with agentic AI systems, including deception.
The three AI pioneers have been actively sharing career guidance for the AI era. Hinton suggested in June 2025 that becoming a plumber might be wise, as physical jobs will resist AI disruption longer. Meanwhile, LeCun advised computer science students to focus on foundational courses like mathematics and physics rather than trendy technology courses for breaking into AI.
This advice comes as the AI industry continues its rapid expansion, with businesses across sectors racing to implement AI solutions and workers increasingly concerned about job displacement and career relevance in an automated future.
Key Quotes
Work on the beautiful human being that you can become. I think that that part of ourselves will persist even if machines can do most of the jobs.
Yoshua Bengio shared this advice when asked what career guidance he would give his 4-year-old grandson. This quote encapsulates his core message that human qualities will remain valuable even as AI automates most technical work.
If I’m in a hospital, I want a human being to hold my hand while I’m anxious or in pain. The human touch is going to, I think, take more and more value, as the other skills become more and more automated.
Bengio used this example to illustrate why empathy and human connection will become increasingly valuable as automation expands. It demonstrates his belief that emotional intelligence and care work will resist automation longer than technical skills.
Our Take
What makes Bengio’s advice particularly striking is the irony: one of the architects of modern AI is essentially warning about his own creation’s disruptive power. His pivot from technical innovation to AI safety advocacy through LawZero reflects growing unease among AI pioneers about the technology’s trajectory. The convergence of advice from all three “godfathers” suggests a consensus that job displacement is inevitable and imminent, not speculative. Bengio’s emphasis on human qualities over technical skills challenges the prevailing narrative that everyone should learn to code or master AI tools. Instead, he’s suggesting that emotional intelligence, empathy, and human connection may be the most automation-resistant skills. This represents a fundamental rethinking of career preparation and education priorities, with profound implications for how we prepare the next generation for an AI-dominated workplace.
Why This Matters
This story carries significant weight for the AI industry and workforce because it comes directly from one of AI’s founding figures, lending credibility and urgency to concerns about automation’s impact on employment. Bengio’s advice represents a paradigm shift in career planning, suggesting that soft skills and human connection may become more valuable than technical expertise as AI capabilities expand.
The implications extend beyond individual career choices to broader societal questions about education, workforce development, and the future of work. As companies accelerate AI adoption, workers across industries face pressure to adapt or risk obsolescence. Bengio’s emphasis on human qualities over technical skills challenges conventional wisdom about STEM education and career preparation.
The fact that all three “godfathers of AI” are actively warning about AI’s disruptive potential and offering career guidance signals that job displacement is not a distant threat but an imminent reality requiring immediate attention. This matters for businesses planning workforce strategies, educators designing curricula, and policymakers considering how to support workers through this transition. The focus on AI safety through LawZero also highlights growing concerns about ensuring AI development benefits humanity rather than causing harm.
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- Microsoft AI CEO’s Career Advice for Young People in the AI Era
- AI Pioneer Geoffrey Hinton Warns of Superintelligent AI by 2025
- Business Leaders Share Top 3 AI Workforce Predictions for 2025
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/yoshua-bengio-godfather-beautiful-human-ai-2025-12