【AI前沿】Demis Hassabis said this might be the ‘foothills of the singularity.’ What?

TechAINewsDemis Hassabis said this might be the ‘foothills of the singularity.’ What?After a couple of hours of apps and itineraries, Google’s big AI presentation turned philosophical.After a couple of hours of apps and itineraries, Google’s big AI presentation turned philosophical.byStevie BonifieldMay 19, 2026, 10:16 PM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: GooglePart OfGoogle I/O 2026: All the news and announcementssee all updatesStevie Bonifieldis a news writer covering all things consumer tech. Stevie started out at Laptop Mag writing news and reviews on hardware, gaming, and AI.Welcome to a “profound moment for humanity,” according to Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, who closed outGoogle I/O’s keynote presentationon Tuesday, saying:Google’s cutting-edge research and products will help unlock AGI’s incredible potential for the benefit of the entire world. When we look back at this time, I think we will realize that we were standing in the foothills of the singularity.It will be a profound moment for humanity. This technology will be a force multiplier for human ingenuity and usher in a new golden age of scientific discovery and progress, improving the lives of everyone, everywhere. We look forward to building the future with all of you. Thank you, and enjoy the rest of Google I/O.Just before announcing we’ve possibly arrived at “the foothills of the singularity,” Hassabis introducedGemini for Science, a set of tools and experiments in Google Labs and Google Antigravity intended for helping with scientific research. According to Hassabis, with tools like these, Google hopes to “reimagine drug discovery with the goal of one day solving all disease.” Tech executives often discuss AI this way, like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella referring to AI as “cognitive amplifier tools” and Luma AI CEO Amit Jain’sclaim last yearthat AI is the key to saving Hollywood.In aninterview withBloombergjust a few months ago, Hassabis said that “the singularity is another word for a full AGI arriving,” which is not the same definition we’re used to from the likes ofVernor VingeandRay Kurzweil.At the time, even by his measurement, he claimed that “we’re nowhere near that.” When asked about his timeline for achieving AGI, Hassabis said he was standing by his prediction that we have a “50 percent chance of getting there by 2030.”Follow topics and authorsfrom this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Stevie BonifieldAIGoogleGoogle I/O 2026NewsTechMore in:Google I/O 2026: All the news and announcementsGoogle is launching an Android version of its AI Studio vibe coding tool.Jay PetersTwo hours agoWear OS 7 will keep track of deliveries and sports scores on your wristJay PetersMay 19The future of Google is a search box that does everythingJay PetersMay 19Most PopularMost PopularThe 13 biggest announcements at Google I/O 2026Gemini is in danger of going full CopilotMicrosoft launches Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 with Intel chipsAnker fixes the two worst things about power stationsGoogle I/O 2026: All the news and announcementsThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to ourTermsandPrivacy Notice.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the GooglePrivacy PolicyandTerms of Serviceapply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native ad