Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis has made a bold prediction that advanced AI models could one day lead to the eradication of all diseases. In a recent 60 Minutes interview, he highlighted how AI could drastically shorten the time and cost of drug development—from years and billions of dollars to potentially just weeks—marking a transformative shift in healthcare. Hassabis emphasized that such breakthroughs once seemed impossible, much like early work on protein structures.
At the heart of Demis Hassabis’ vision is the revolutionary impact AI could have on healthcare, particularly in accelerating drug discovery. He explained that developing a single drug typically takes around a decade and billions of dollars, but AI could reduce that timeline to mere months or even weeks.
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Citing DeepMind’s AlphaFold model, which mapped over 200 million protein structures in just a year—a task that would have taken a billion years of PhD effort—Hassabis emphasized how such breakthroughs enable a deeper understanding of disease mechanisms. By identifying how proteins function and what malfunctions in disease, AI can help design precise drugs that target the right molecular sites, potentially transforming how treatments are developed.
Thanks Aravind!
— Demis Hassabis (@demishassabis) April 22, 2025
Hassabis further expressed strong belief that AI could potentially eradicate all diseases within the next decade, calling the goal “within reach.” His bold claim garnered widespread attention, including praise from Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas, who called Hassabis a “genius” and urged full support for his vision. He wrote on X, “Demis is a genius and he should be given all resources in the world to make this happen.”
While optimistic about AI’s potential to transform healthcare and human understanding, Hassabis also warned of the risks posed by rapidly advancing AI systems, emphasizing the need for alignment with human values and safety guardrails. Despite the caution, his long-term vision remains ambitious: an AI-driven future that cures humanity’s most persistent illnesses.
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