What Kind of Thinker Will Thrive in the AI Era? | Head of Google Research

Yossi Matias, VP of Google Research, envisions that by 2030, every researcher could have their own “AI lab.” AI would read literature across disciplines, help test hypotheses, and do the heavy lifting; humans would spend more time asking questions, choosing research directions, and checking results. A scientist’s role would become closer to that of someone leading a lab. AI also helps experts cross disciplinary boundaries. A researcher can access knowledge outside their specialty more quickly and connect the pieces to see a problem more comprehensively. Yossi still emphasizes that deep expertise is very important: AI extends our reach, while our expertise helps us know what to trust, verify, or investigate further. One concrete example is Google’s Flood Hub. The flood forecasting system helped authorities in Nigeria deliver millions of dollars in assistance to people before flooding occurred. With Earth AI, the questions can go beyond weather forecasting: which areas will be affected, which infrastructure is at risk, and where should relief teams prioritize their efforts? AI provides additional analytical capabilities so people can act earlier. Yossi calls AI that is naturally integrated into everyday life “ambient intelligence.” Automatic translation used to be something that required specialists; now, many people see it as a readily available function. Waymo also shows how a complex technology can gradually become an everyday experience. When AI is useful and reliable enough, users will focus on the goal they need to accomplish. So what skills do people need to develop at work? Yossi mentions the ability to ask the right questions, recognize opportunities, conduct research, use technology, communicate, listen, exercise ethical judgment, and adapt. He describes the worker of the future as a “one-person company”: building, researching, evaluating options, and continually adjusting how they work. This is also why the skills commonly called “soft skills” are becoming increasingly valuable—they help us understand what truly matters before assigning work to AI. AI can help each person take on more roles, but increased productivity also brings higher expectations and more ambitious goals. Yossi believes a major challenge is choosing the right opportunities among the many things we could do, from healthcare, education, and energy to disaster response. The interviewer also offers a lighthearted prediction about a new profession: an “AI-trician,” someone you call to fix the AI in your home and devices.