Bonus: Benjamin Todd on why we’re updating our career advice for the strangest time in history

Bonus: Benjamin Todd on why we’re updating our career advice for the strangest time in history

Author: 80,000 Hours June 5, 2026 Duration: 1:06:43

The average career is 80,000 hours long. With AI advancing so rapidly, the hours you have left in your career matter more than ever.

Some leading AI researchers think there’s a 10% chance that AI systems begin automating AI research itself this year — and a 60% chance by the end of 2028. This could introduce aggressive feedback loops that completely reshape every industry, institution, and career.

If these predictions are right, the window for influencing the direction of the future could be closing fast. As 80,000 Hours cofounder Benjamin Todd argues in his new book, that makes thinking carefully about your career more important than ever.

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to use your career to make the AI transition go well.

In today’s conversation with host Zershaaneh Qureshi, Ben lays out three scenarios — from AGI by 2029 to a decades-long plateau in AI progress — and explains why not everyone needs to bet on the shortest timeline. A fresh graduate and a senior government official have wildly different leverage, so timing your impact well means weighing where you are in your career against the urgency of the risks.

Ben also addresses the obvious anxieties:

  • Will AI come for all the jobs he’s recommending?
  • What’s the point in following his advice if the job market is about to collapse?
  • Which skills are actually worth building right now?

His new book, 80,000 Hours: How to Have a Fulfilling Career That Does Good, provides a surprisingly concrete framework for making career decisions in these radically uncertain times.

This episode was recorded on May 7, 2026.

Chapters:
• Cold open (00:00:00)
• Benjamin Todd on AI-era career advice (00:01:34)
• A deadline for your career plan? (00:02:22)
• Three timelines, one career (00:08:49)
• What if you’re not an ‘AI person’? (00:13:56)
• Ben’s own AI wake-up call (00:21:23)
• How to break into AI safety in 3 months (00:25:42)
• Is mass unemployment coming? (00:33:48)
• 99% automation vs 100% automation (00:40:09)
• Don’t become a plumber to dodge AI (00:52:44)
• Is it already too late? (01:01:04)

Our production team includes:
• Video editors: Josh Alward, Dominic Armstrong, Jasper Luithlen, Milo McGuire, Luke  Monsour, and Simon Monsour
• Producers: Elizabeth Cox and Nick Stockton
• Coordination and support: Katy Moore and Lou Moran
• Camera operator: Jeremy Chevillotte
• Music: CORBIT


This curated collection from the archives of The 80,000 Hours Podcast on Artificial Intelligence (September 2023) pulls together ten essential conversations that cut through the usual hype and panic. It’s a deep dive into the societal forces, ethical dilemmas, and potential trajectories of AI, framed through perspectives often concerned with the very long-term future. You’ll hear from researchers and thinkers grappling with questions that go far beyond today’s headlines, examining what it means to navigate this technology responsibly on a global scale. The discussions naturally explore themes from longtermism and existential risk to the practical insights of effective altruism, offering a structured way to understand the stakes involved. This isn't about quick takes or product announcements; it's a foundational series for anyone wanting to build a more nuanced, evidence-informed view of where AI might be taking us. Each episode in this compilation stands as a key piece of that puzzle, providing the context and depth often missing from mainstream coverage. Tune in for a challenging and perspective-shifting listen that reframes how you think about intelligence, progress, and our collective responsibility.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 15

The 80,000 Hours Podcast on Artificial Intelligence
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Bonus: China-related AI safety and governance paths (Article) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:42
Article originally published February 2022.In this episode of 80k After Hours, Perrin Walker reads our career review of China-related AI safety and governance paths.Here’s the original piece if you’d like to learn more.Y…