[Problem profile] “How AI could create the world’s biggest problems” by Zershaaneh Qureshi

AGI could rapidly transform the world, posing existential risks to humanity. Here’s why working on AI risks could be the most important use of your career.

Narrated by the author.

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Outline:

(00:00) How artificial intelligence could create the world’s biggest problems

(00:19) Introduction

(03:41) So how could advanced AI pose the world’s most pressing problems?

(08:31) 1. AI could replace human labour in the most economically valuable fields

(22:14) 2. Replacing this much human labour could trigger the next radical transformation of society

(28:01) 3. This transformation could be extremely rapid and dramatic

(36:39) 4. A rapid, AI-driven transformation would raise a range of major challenges, including existential risks

(44:47) 5. Work on these problems is tractable but neglected

(47:49) Objections and replies

(01:27:51) Learn more

(01:29:13) Acknowledgements

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First published:
February 24th, 2026

Source:
https://80000hours.org/problem-profiles/artificial-intelligence