2 min readNew DelhiFeb 19, 2026 09:34 PM IST
Google DeepMind CEO, and one of the world’s foremost AI scientists, Demis Hassabis told delegates at the India-AI Impact Summit that artificial general intelligence (AGI) could be achieved within the next five years, marking what he described as a “threshold moment” for AI and human progress.
“..in 2026, we’re at another threshold moment where AGI, artificial general intelligence, is on the horizon, maybe within the next five years,” Hassabis said.
AGI is a theoretical form of AI that possesses the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide variety of tasks at a level equal to or exceeding human capabilities. Unlike current Narrow AI designed for specific tasks, AGI is pegged to generalise knowledge across domains, exhibit common sense, and solve novel problems autonomously.
Hassabis said advances in foundational models and autonomous AI systems are progressing rapidly. He said these technologies could reach a level of general capability comparable to human intelligence much sooner than many expect.
He placed AGI in the context of major historic shifts, comparing its potential impact to foundational breakthroughs like fire and electricity. He said AGI might deliver roughly 10 times the impact of the Industrial Revolution, but unfolding on a much shorter timescale.
While largely optimistic about the benefits, he highlighted risks such as misuse by malicious actors and the growing autonomy of AI systems, urging global cooperation on safety standards, biosecurity and cybersecurity before powerful general-purpose AI systems become widespread.
Hassabis also praised India’s growing role in the global AI landscape, citing strong talent, energy and research momentum in the country’s technology hubs. He reiterated DeepMind’s plans to expand partnerships with Indian institutions, industry, and government agencies, including collaborations on research, education, and deployment of AI tools.
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On Wednesday, Google FeepMind said it will partner with various Indian government institutions to offer them its frontier AI models.
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