Latest news with #Kak
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Tech Professor Issues Stark Warning: AI May Slash Global Population to 100 Million
A computer science professor from Oklahoma State University is warning that artificial intelligence could trigger a massive population collapse, leaving Earth with just 100 million people by the year 2300. And it wouldn't happen through nuclear war or robot uprisings, he says. Just pure, relentless obsolescence. 'It's going to be devastating for society,' said Subhash Kak, author of The Age of Artificial Intelligence, in an interview with The Sun. 'I think people really don't have a clue.' Kak believes that while robots will never become conscious, they will replace most human jobs, including those in law, education, and even relationships. That widespread redundancy, combined with the high cost of raising children, could convince future generations to stop having kids altogether.'There are demographers who are suggesting that as a consequence, the world population will collapse,' he explained. 'It could go down to as low as just 100 million people on the entire planet Earth in 2300 or 2380.' That's roughly the population of the United Kingdom today, meaning massive cities like New York or Tokyo could become ghost towns. Currently, roughly eight billion humans live on the planet, so that's a dramatic change in the next few centuries. Kak pointed to current birthrate trends in developed nations as a warning sign. 'People have stopped having babies,' he said. 'Europe, China, Japan—and the most rapid fall in population right now is taking place in Korea.' Echoing Elon Musk's concerns about population collapse, Kak even floated the idea of building colonies in space to ensure humanity's survival. 'Should such a tragedy hit Earth, then it could be reseeded,' he said. Whether we're headed for extinction or just dramatic downsizing, Kak insists the shift is already happening. 'What is absolutely certain,' he said, 'is that there is a population collapse occurring right before our eyes.'Tech Professor Issues Stark Warning: AI May Slash Global Population to 100 Million first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 4, 2025
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First Post
3 days ago
- Business
- First Post
How rise of AI could leave Earth with just 100 million people
Subhash Kak, an Indian-origin computer science professor at Oklahoma State University, has warned that artificial intelligence could become so widespread that Earth's population may fall from about eight billion to just 100 million by the year 2300. He also claimed that major cities like New York and London could one day become empty ghost towns read more He also said that major cities such as New York and London could eventually turn into empty ghost towns. AI-Generated/Representative Image A US-based expert has warned that artificial intelligence could push the world towards a bleak future, cutting the global population from the current eight billion to just around 100 million by the year 2300. Subhash Kak, an Indian-origin computer science professor who teaches at Oklahoma State University, said the main reason would be the high cost of raising children in a world where there are no jobs left for them. ALSO READ | Two sides of the same coin: How AI's rise is fueling both optimism and anxiety in India STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also said that major cities such as New York and London could eventually turn into empty ghost towns. In this explainer, we look at what the expert has said, his warning, and the changes artificial intelligence has already brought to the job market. Let's take a look: 'It's going to be devastating': What is the expert's warning? Subhash Kak, a computer science professor at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, has warned that artificial intelligence will become so widespread that Earth's population could shrink from around eight billion to just 100 million by the year 2300. Speaking to The Sun, he said, 'It's going to be devastating for society and world society.' 'I think people really don't have a clue.' Kak believes that this grim future will not be caused by nuclear war or a 'Terminator'-style event, but rather by artificial intelligence taking over most human jobs. 'Computers or robots will never be conscious, but they will be doing literally all that we do because most of what we do in our lives can be replaced,' he said. 'Literally everything, even decision making in offices, will be replaced.' At present, many technology experts fear that AI is making people obsolete in every field, from law and education to personal relationships. This, they suggest, will lead to a sharp drop in birth rates, as people might avoid having children who would grow up with no work opportunities, especially with the high cost of raising them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to Kak, without new generations being born, the world could face a dramatic decline in population. 'There are demographers who are suggesting that as a consequence, the world population will collapse, and it could go down to as low as just 100 million people on the entire planet Earth in 2300 or 2380,' he warned. At present, many technology experts fear that AI is making people obsolete in every field. Pixabay/Representative Image If that happens, Kak said major cities like London and New York could end up abandoned. 'I have all the data in the book. This is not just my personal opinion,' he told The Sun, noting that the decline is already happening. 'People have stopped having babies. Europe, China, Japan, and the most rapid fall in population right now is taking place in Korea,' he added. 'Now, I'm not saying that these trends will continue, but it's very hard to reverse them because a lot of people have children for a variety of reasons.' 'One is, of course, social. In the back of your mind, you have a sense of what the future is going to be like.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also referred to SpaceX chief Elon Musk's repeated concerns about declining birth rates and his push for space colonisation as a possible solution. 'That's why Musk is saying maybe humans should go to space, maybe build colonies elsewhere, so that should such a tragedy hit Earth, then it could be reseeded,' Kak told the publication. While he is not certain whether humans will die out completely, Kak believes one thing is clear: 'what is absolutely certain is that there is a population collapse occurring right before our eyes'. ALSO READ | Saying 'please', 'thank you' to ChatGPT? How your polite chats are costing OpenAI millions The advancement of AI Notably, artificial intelligence has seen a sharp rise in development over the past few years. Since its launch in 2022, tools like ChatGPT have become widely used by both businesses and individuals. However, this rapid progress has raised fresh concerns about the future of jobs. In March, Chancellor Rachel Reeves pointed out that AI is taking over more and more roles. She made the comments while announcing plans to cut civil service posts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the same time, the need for AI-related skills is also growing quickly. According to a survey reported in The Wall Street Journal, nearly 87 per cent of hiring managers are now seeking candidates with AI experience. One in four job ads also mentions AI skills as a key requirement. Will artificial intelligence replace jobs? In April, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said that up to 40 per cent of jobs worldwide could be affected by artificial intelligence. While some roles might only change, others may disappear completely. The report also noted that jobs typically held by women may face a higher risk than those usually done by men. Figures from venture capital firm SignalFire show that entry-level hiring at major tech companies has dropped by over half since 2019. The need for AI-related skills is also growing quickly. Pixabay/Representative Image Previously, new graduates made up about 15 per cent of fresh hires. That figure has now fallen to just 7 per cent, according to TechCrunch. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently said AI at his company is already working at the level of a mid-tier software engineer. 'We will get to a point where all the code in our apps and the AI it generates will also be written by AI engineers instead of people engineers,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This shift is already affecting the job market. IBM, for example, has laid off around 8,000 staff, many from the human resources department. Reports say AI is now doing many of the tasks that people used to handle. Still, a 2023 report by Goldman Sachs pointed out that while many jobs may be partly taken over by AI, most roles will continue to need some human input. In the past, automation has also led to the creation of new kinds of work.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
AI May Reduce World Population To 100 Million By 2300, Expert Warns: "Going To Be Devastating"
Earth could be left with only 100 million people by the year 2300, down from the current estimated population of eight billion, owing to artificial intelligence (AI) becoming omnipresent, a US-based tech expert has predicted. Subhash Kak, who teaches computer science at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, made the doomsday prediction, claiming that the population collapse will occur not due to Terminator-style nuclear holocaust but rather through AI replacing our jobs. 'It's going to be devastating for society and world society. I think people really don't have a clue," said Mr Kak, as per the New York Post. 'Computers or robots will never be conscious, but they will be doing literally all that we do because most of what we do in our lives can be replaced,' he added. The 'Age of Artificial Intelligence' author believes that birth rates will plunge as people will be reluctant to have kids who are destined to be unemployed. Without people making babies, the global population will suffer an apocalyptic blow. 'There are demographers who are suggesting that as a consequence, the world population will collapse, and it could go down to as low as just 100 million people on the entire planet Earth in 2300 or 2380,' he warned. Mr Kak cited the example of Europe, China, Japan and South Korea where the population decline has been prominent in recent years, to back up his claim. 'Now, I'm not saying that these trends will continue, but it's very hard to reverse them because a lot of people have children for a variety of reasons," he said. AI and jobs Mr Kak's sentiment of AI taking away jobs has been echoed by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who recently claimed that 50 per cent of entry-level white-collar jobs could be eliminated within the next five years. "We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming. I don't think this is on people's radar," said Mr Amodei, adding that governments across the world were downplaying the threat. "Most of them are unaware that this is about to happen. It sounds crazy, and people just don't believe it." Mr Amodei said the US government had kept mum on the issue, fearing backlash from workers who would panic or that the country could fall behind in the AI race against China.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Science
- New York Post
AI could ‘devastate' Earth's population down to the size of the UK by 2300, expert warns: ‘People really don't have a clue'
Are we facing tech-stinction? An Oklahoma tech expert predicted that artificial intelligence will become so omnipresent on the planet that Earth — with a current estimated population of about 8 billion — will have just 100 million people left by the year 2300. 'It's going to be devastating for society and world society,' Subhash Kak, who teaches computer science at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, told the Sun. 'I think people really don't have a clue.' Advertisement However, the 'Age of Artificial Intelligence' author doesn't think this dystopian future will come about via nuclear war or other 'Terminator'-evoking scenarios, but rather through replacing our jobs. 3 This dystopian scene from 2009's 'Terminator Salvation' could have a basis in reality. 'There are demographers who are suggesting that as a consequence, the world population will collapse and it could go down to as low as just 100 million people on the entire planet Earth in 2300 or 2380,' Kak warned. Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection 'Computers or robots will never be conscious, but they will be doing literally all that we do because most of what we do in our lives can be replaced,' said Kak. Advertisement Currently, techsperts fear that AI is rendering humanity obsolete in every sector, from law to academia and even romance. As a result, they suggest, birth rates will plunge as people will be hesitant to have kids who are destined to be unemployed, especially given the exorbitant costs of rearing children. 3 The professor feared people wouldn't want to have children who are destined to be unemployed. AFP via Getty Images Without people making babies, the global population will suffer an apocalyptic blow, Kak theorized. Advertisement 'There are demographers who are suggesting that as a consequence, the world population will collapse, and it could go down to as low as just 100 million people on the entire planet Earth in 2300 or 2380,' he warned of the shocking drop. With only that many people left on the planet — which Kak noted was just over the population of the UK — great metropolises such as London and New York will quickly turn into ghost towns, according to the professor. 3 Passengers on the London Eye watch the London skyline as smoke is seen in the distance on Dec. 11, 2005. Getty Images Advertisement 'I have all the data in the book. This is not just my personal opinion,' said the computer scientist, who claims this population shrinkflation is happening before our eyes. 'People have stopped having babies. Europe, China, Japan, and the most rapid fall in population right now is taking place in Korea,' Kak declared. 'Now, I'm not saying that these trends will continue, but it's very hard to reverse them because a lot of people have children for a variety of reasons.' He added, 'One is, of course, social. In the back of your mind, you have a sense of what the future is going to be like.' Kak invoked the warnings of SpaceX's Elon Musk, who has been quite vocal about plummeting birth rates and population decline and has used it as a rationale for colonizing Mars. 'That's why Musk is saying maybe humans should go to space, maybe build colonies elsewhere, so that should such a tragedy hit Earth, then it could be reseeded,' said Kak. And while he's not sure whether humanity will go extinct, he said that 'what is absolutely certain is that there is a population collapse occurring right before our eyes.'
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
History, brick by brick at the AIWC wall
Encapsulating significant events associated with the All India Women's Conference (AIWC), established in 1927 to address issues such as women's education, health and gender equality, a newly opened Wall of History at AIWC in the capital is a trip down memory lane. With a beautifully curated corridor featuring 29 panels, the Wall arrests the viewer not just through its luminosity but the profundity of the brief write-up accompanying each photograph. Curated by AIWC general secretary Manju Kak, it was inaugurated by former ambassador TCA Raghavan this past week. The conference was started well before the call for purna swaraj was made in December, 1929 and much before Gandhiji's Dandi March, which shook the foundations of British rule with a fistful of salt. Who were these brave women of AIWC who saw tomorrow yesterday? There was Sarojini Naidu, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. Then there was Margaret Cousin, not to forget Maharani Chimnabai Gaekwad, the first president and Rajkumari Amrit Kaur who went on to join Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet, the first of independent India. It actually started in Pune's Fergusson college in 1925 when nearly 2,000 women gathered raising their voice for equality. A couple of years later AIWC came up, now just two short of a well-deserved hundred. The AIWC History Wall commemorates the remarkable innings. Says Manju Kak, 'Beginning with our emblem and the landmark first conference in 1927, this powerful visual exhibit takes you on a journey through time, highlighting AIWC's pioneering efforts in women's education, healthcare, child marriage, legal rights, and socio-economic empowerment.'AIWC general secretary, Kak recalls the efforts made to fix the minimum age for marriage of girls through the Sarda Act in 1929. 'From the Sarda Act to launching Mobile Health Vans, establishing libraries and textile units, and initiating computer training and skill development programs, each panel reflects AIWC's dedication to the upliftment of women and children across India,' Kak points out. Some of the exhibits are truly enlightening. For instance, the one which talks of the foundation of Irwin College, not too far from the AIWC precincts. The college was designed as a haven for girls to hone their skills in arts and aesthetics and home science. Or the exhibit dedicated to Sarojini Naidu, the Nightingale of India, who was its fourth president or the one about Begum Shareefah Hamid Ali, the AIWC president in 1940 who attended a Congress session in 1907. Shareefah developed the Swadeshi movement and later went on to champion the cause of the implementation of the Sarda Act. As you walk through this corridor, Kak sums up, 'You'll witness more than just the history of an organization, you will experience the story of a movement, led by visionary women, shaping a more just and equitable society.'
