Former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt sketched an aggressive road map for artificial intelligence progress, warning that machines will match — and soon eclipse — elite human talent across most creative and technical fields.

Two Years: Self‑Improving AI

Schmidt reveals that by 2027, research labs such as OpenAI and Anthropic could see 20% of their research code written autonomously, a feedback loop Schmidt called "recursive self‑improvement." Pairing that capability with advanced reasoning, he said, lays the groundwork for broader disruption of business and government workflows.

See also: Nvidia Says It Follows US Government Instructions On What It Can Sell And Where Amid Trade War Escalation With China

Three To Five Years: Artificial General Intelligence

Schmidt subscribes to what he dubbed the "San Francisco consensus": between 2028 and 2030, a single model will rival the best mathematician, physicist, writer, or artist. That milestone — artificial general intelligence — would put a "smartest human" in every pocket, able to design homes, negotiate contracts, or draft policy with minimal oversight.

Six Years: Super‑Intelligence

Extend the scaling curves, Schmidt argued, and "artificial super‑intelligence" emerges by 2031 — machines smarter than the sum of humanity, operating largely outside human guidance. Realizing that the future will hinge on massive computing power, he cautioned, and society still lacks language, let alone policy, for managing intellect "that's largely free."

Schmidt rejected the notion that everyone will be unemployed, but stressed the window to prepare for AI's cascading impact is closing fast: "The foundation is being locked in. We're not going to stop it."

Photo Courtesy: Frederic Legrand – COMEO on Shutterstock.com

Read next: Time 100 Most Influential People Includes Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Alex Karp And More Public Company CEOs