What Google DeepMind’s CEO Said About AI — And Why It Matters Now

In Athens this week, Demis Hassabis, the CEO of Google DeepMind, delivered a speech that has sparked discussion among educators, policymakers, and technologists. Hassabis argued that with AI advancing at breakneck speed, the most valuable skill for the next generation will not be learning any single tool or coding language, but learning how to learn.

He explained that new AI models and applications are emerging almost weekly, and that people who rely on one approach or tool may find themselves left behind. Instead, Hassabis said, the ability to adapt quickly, understand new tools, and even unlearn outdated ones will be the key to thriving in a world where technology is constantly reshaping the way we work and learn.

Hassabis also stressed that this rapid progress comes with risk. If AI systems are developed without strong attention to safety, fairness, and their social impact, there is potential for unintended harm. This could include amplifying misinformation, shaping how people focus their attention, or changing how they make decisions in ways we do not fully understand.

His remarks are particularly relevant to education. Schools are already under pressure to update their curricula to include AI literacy, but Hassabis’ comments suggest the challenge goes deeper than simply teaching children how to use chatbots. What really matters, he argued, is giving them the tools to think critically, solve problems, and stay curious in the face of change.

For young people who are already experimenting with AI, this message is clear: it is not enough to know how to get an answer from a chatbot today. They will need to judge whether those answers are reliable, switch between different tools as technology evolves, and keep learning throughout their lives.

The broader question is how education systems will respond. Will schools begin to put more emphasis on adaptability and “meta-learning” skills (the ability to learn how to learn) alongside traditional subjects? Will assessments shift away from rote memorisation toward testing how students think and solve problems?

Hassabis’ speech reflects a growing consensus that the AI revolution is not just about technology, but about people’s capacity to keep pace with it. For parents and educators, the takeaway is simple: helping children build the habits of curiosity, adaptability, and critical thinking is no longer optional. In a world being reshaped by AI, these may be the most important skills of all.