Behind The Godfather Of AI’s Terrifying Comments Lies A Valid Point About The Future Of Work

A few weeks ago, Geoffrey Hinton, known as the godfather of AI, went on a podcast and said some mildly terrifying things. Among his more hair-raising points: Intelligent machines could one day decide humans are no longer needed and, um, that’d be that.

“If you want to know what life’s like when you’re not the apex intelligence,” Hinton deadpans, “ask a chicken.”

Aside from the scare—Hinton’s larger point is that we must put as much effort into preventing bad AI possibilities as we do developing good ones—he offered some interesting thoughts on the future of work, and they’re applicable to our world of manufacturing.

A World Of Plumbers… And Manufacturers

Hinton was particularly gloomy on the future of desk jobs. He believes that a role like that of the paralegal, for instance, won’t be needed for very long. “For mundane intellectual labor, AI is just going to replace everybody,” Hinton says.

There’s one area, however, where he thinks humans are safe. “It’s going to be a long time before it’s as good at physical manipulation as us,” Hinton says. “So, a good bet will be to be a plumber.”

That insight is especially resonant for manufacturing. While he uses plumbing as his go-to example, the larger point stands for a variety of roles across the trades, and many in manufacturing. A few to throw in the mix: manufacturing engineer, machinist, quality control technician, process technician, supply chain coordinator. It can’t be overstated the level of demand for these roles right now—there are currently a half a million unfilled manufacturing jobs across the country, and by 2033, we could be short nearly 2 million, according to The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte. And the demand is even greater for young people, a point of emphasis in an industry that is seeing loads of baby boomers—and the institutional knowledge they carry with them—reach retirement age.

In many cases, employees start with a good salary and can quickly move up. As one data point, hourly wages for entry-level, mid-skill manufacturing jobs in Northeast Ohio were up 21% in 2023, to $21.10 an hour.

The Importance Of Creativity

To be sure, American manufacturing must become more technologically advanced. That’s how we compete with global powers like China and, if tariffs wind up bringing home more manufacturing operations, stand up the necessary capacity. If they haven’t already, American manufacturers must start investing in technology today—full stop.

That includes technologies like collaborative robots (cobots) that work safely alongside humans, AI-driven quality inspection systems, predictive maintenance software, and digital twins that simulate factory processes in real time.

Hinton’s comments may zero in on the future of “physical manipulation” jobs, but in truth, a lot of careers in manufacturing’s future will require creativity and problem-solving skills, with or without the physical component. We need smart and well-trained humans figuring out how to incorporate new lines, shift things around inside the plant, prioritize orders and shipments, calculate risk associated with equipment purchasing, assess next steps with regard to aging or broken machinery, and otherwise deploy human judgment and experience to maximize the business.

These opportunities will only increase in the coming years. Truth be told: manufacturing jobs in America hit rock bottom years ago, as companies implemented enormous amounts of automation in the form of computer-controlled machines (I.e., CNCs) and outsourced high-labor content jobs to China. We may still see a few roles here lost to robotics and automation, but if we’re doing it right, those jobs will be replaced—and then some—by a new age of the high-skill, manufacturing problem-solver.

Manufacturing’s Challenge: Smartly Mixing Humans And Machines

Technology alone isn’t the answer. In this industry, the most desirable roles will be around for a long time. “The human role will be focused on high-level decision-making,” Kevin Johnson, managing partner at NextGen Interactive, told me during a recent conversation. “But we need to ensure people remain an essential part of the process.”

Manufacturers will have to engage in the work of retraining their workers and hiring the right people for the future. That includes partnering with local technical colleges, developing internal upskilling programs, and creating pathways for nontraditional candidates to enter the field.

As they implement technology, they’ll get more out of their employment dollars and thus be able to pay workers better. And when employees are trained to use advanced tools, their jobs become not just safer and more efficient—but more meaningful. In other words, mixing technology advancement with the right kind of hiring and training programs will produce a future where we all win

The Opportunity Awaiting Manufacturers In The Age Of AI

Hinton’s comments offer food for thought. People who are smarter on AI than myself should heed his warning and establish the appropriate guardrails. But I’m not so sure humanity will succumb any time soon.

For manufacturers, his most useful insight isn’t about existential threats—it’s about opportunity. As AI reshapes the white-collar world, the blue-collar future looks more essential than ever. Manufacturers have a chance to lead this moment—not just by adopting smarter technologies, but by building the workforce that can use them.

Manufacturers have struggled to fill their open roles for years. Young people willing to engage with the idea of alternative career paths will find a career in manufacturing awaiting that is financially rewarding, conducive to work-life balance, and favorable to personal and professional growth. For those willing to get their hands on the tools of tomorrow—both digital and physical—manufacturing offers a future that’s not just safe from AI, but powered by it.