DeepMind Technologies CEO Demis Hassabis. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) struck a note of “cautious optimism” saying Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to transform science and medicine but asserted that managing its societal challenges will require international dialogue and cooperation.
Addressing a packed hall at India AI Impact Summit, Mr. Hassabis said the world is at a “threshold moment”, with Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) potentially on the horizon within the next five to eight years, making the the event in New Delhi particularly timely as more autonomous and agentic AI systems begin to emerge.
“My message is one of, I would say, cautious optimism. So I think we’re on the cusp of an absolutely incredible transformation that’s going to bring incredible benefits in science and medicine specifically, is what I’m passionate about, and I can see revolutionising the way we deal with human health,” he said.
Mr. Hassabis noted many amazing companies, tools and products are building on top of AI systems.
“But then also, I would just add a note of caution, which is, I think we will solve these technical issues given enough time and enough brain power on it. I believe in human ingenuity, and if the best minds work towards that, I think it will solve the technical risks,” he said.
He added that the effort must be undertaken internationally on societal challenges posed by AI, something Mr. Hassabis said could ultimately prove more complex than the technical aspects.
“…but we also need to do this internationally, so the societal challenges of that may actually end up being the harder problem than the technical ones,” he said.
He noted that the opportunities are extraordinary, especially in advancing science, medicine, drug discovery, material science and climate action through systems such as ‘AlphaFold’.
Describing AI as one of the most transformative technologies in human history, he stressed that its impact will be global and across borders, underscoring the need for international dialogue and cooperation.
He said global AI summits, beginning in the U.K. and continuing through Paris, Seoul and now India, play a crucial role in bringing together world leaders and technology experts to ensure AI’s benefits are widely shared while mitigating its risks.
Published – February 18, 2026 01:26 pm IST
