Artificial intelligence has rapidly become a tool used by hundreds of millions of people, but tech leaders are sounding alarms against the rapid advancement of AI that is being seen as a threat to humanity.
AI systems can now generate text and images, write computer code, and perform complex analyses that once required a significant amount of time and human input.
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Supporters argue these tools could raise productivity and create new kinds of work.
However, their rapid development has also raised concerns about job losses, the spread of misinformation, and the resources needed to power AI infrastructure. Researchers have also warned that regulation and safeguards are struggling to keep pace with the technology.
“We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, whose company created AI tool Claude, said on Saturday. “Progress will still seem fast, and we must make wise use of the time we gain.”
So, what are the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, and where is this rapidly growing technology headed?
Boosts productivity and makes tasks easier
One of the obvious benefits of AI is its ability to help people complete some tasks more quickly.
AI tools are already being used for education, writing and editing text, gathering information, and computer programming.
Almost one billion people use AI for a wide range of tasks, according to the 2026 International AI Safety Report published by the United Kingdom’s government.
The report found that the most frequent queries by users on AI giant OpenAI’s ChatGPT platform involved practical guidance on editing or generating text, researching medical health, and searching for information.
There is also evidence of significant productivity gains in particular tasks. In September 2025, the Bank for International Settlements found generative AI had “productivity gains of between 10 and 65 percent, and efficiency gains of roughly 20 to 50 percent in time savings”.
Gains were particularly evident in industries such as “coding, consulting tasks and professional writing”, it added.
Indian technology company Wipro, for example, said its use of AI had freed up capacity equivalent to 20,000 employees, who were reassigned to other roles.
Creates new opportunities and skills
While AI is certainly bound to eliminate or transform some jobs, it is also spurring the creation of others.
Demand is increasing for skills that include machine-learning programming and chatbot development. Software developers are also increasingly using AI to produce code before checking and debugging the results.
The changes mean workers may increasingly need to learn how to use AI alongside traditional professional skills.
Wipro Chief Technology Officer Sandhya Arun said the company was training more than 100,000 employees in advanced AI skills as it shifts towards what it calls a “human-AI operating model”.
Threatens jobs
AI’s groundbreaking ability to automate work is also one of the biggest risks to society, experts say.
While no concrete data exists, some 60 percent of jobs in advanced economies and 40 percent in emerging economies could be vulnerable to AI, depending on how employers and workers adopt the technology, the 2026 International AI Safety Report warned.
Earlier this year, a slew of tech giants announced cuts amid growing reliance on and shifts towards AI.
Amazon slashed 16,000 jobs in a second wave of layoffs at the e-commerce giant in three months, while social media site Pinterest announced it would cut 780 jobs as the company reallocated resources amid increased investment in AI.
There are also concerns about people starting their careers.
Stephen Clare, lead writer of the 2026 International AI Safety Report, said there is “suggestive evidence” that early-career workers in occupations highly exposed to AI may be finding it harder to get jobs.
Can be misused and spread harmful content
Generative AI – which creates content based on existing data – can create convincing text, voices, images and videos, capabilities that can also be exploited.
AI-generated deepfakes have been used to scam people, and AI systems have also been used in cyberattacks.
Deepfake technology has been used to impersonate senior US officials and corporate executives.
Criminals can use synthetic voices and videos to make people reveal sensitive information, providing access to computer systems, and transferring money.
Uses significant energy and resources
AI technology depends on physical data centres filled with powerful computer chips, which require large amounts of electricity and cooling.
The expansion of data centres is raising questions about electricity supply and whether governments have enough infrastructure to support large AI projects.
For example, a proposed data centre in the US state of Utah would use more electricity than the entire state.
Beyond electricity, environmental activists in the United States are ringing the alarm over the enormous amounts of water needed to cool down servers at data centres at a time when parts of the country are experiencing droughts.
Some residents living near US data centres have also complained of the constant hum they emit. A Gallup poll conducted in March suggested that 71 percent of Americans oppose establishing AI data centres in their areas.
The concerns around data centres extend beyond just the US and the developed world.
In Kenya, a proposed $1bn data centre involving Microsoft and Emirati technology company G42 has drawn considerable attention.
Kenyan President William Ruto highlighted the scale of the centre’s energy demands, warning that the infrastructure of that size would require substantial additional power generation.
