AI can learn anything humans can, says Google DeepMind CEO
23 Dec 2025

Recent comments by Demis Hassabis, the CEO of Google DeepMind, and Yann LeCun (former AI chief at Meta), have sparked a debate on artificial intelligence (AI).

Hassabis has argued that AI systems can achieve "general intelligence" like humans. This means they could solve new problems as humans do by learning on the go.

The discussion has drawn in other AI experts such as Yann LeCun and Elon Musk, who have differing views on the concept of general intelligence in machines.

LeCun's skepticism about AI's general intelligence
Divergent views

LeCun has been skeptical about the idea of machines achieving human-like intelligence.

He believes that human intelligence is highly specialized and evolved biologically to solve human problems.

He also argues that different humans excel in different areas due to this specialized nature of intelligence.

To illustrate his point, LeCun uses chess as an example where even top players can't calculate as many possibilities as machines can within seconds.

Hassabis counters LeCun's argument
Counterpoint

Hassabis, however, countered LeCun's argument by saying he was "confusing general intelligence with universal intelligence."

He claimed that human brains are among the most complex and general learning systems in the universe.

While no finite system can escape fundamental biological limits, Hassabis argued humans do have general intelligence which can also be replicated by AI systems.

He compared human brains to a Turing Machine—a theoretical computer that could be infinitely intelligent with infinite memory and resources.

Musk supports Hassabis's stance on AI
Musk's endorsement

Elon Musk, the owner of X, has backed Hassabis's response to LeCun. He simply said, "Demis is right."

This isn't the first time Musk has warned about advanced AI. He has often talked about the risks and potential of superintelligent systems, predicting their emergence is a matter of when not if.

LeCun clarifies his stance on AI terminology
Clarification

In a follow-up response, LeCun clarified that his objection was mainly about the language used to describe AI systems.

He said, "I object to the use of 'general' to designate 'human level' because humans are extremely specialized."

This clarification shows that while he may disagree with Hassabis's argument, it is more about how we define and understand these concepts in relation to artificial intelligence.