Softbank CEO plans to replace human jobs with AI agents

Softbank founder Masayoshi Son has declared that "the era of human programmers is coming to an end" within the company. Speaking at a customer event, Son revealed ambitious plans to deploy one billion AI agents this year, with trillions more in the future. These agents are expected to automate tasks, conduct negotiations, and make decisions without human intervention.

Key Points:

• 1,000 AI agents per employee: Son estimates that 1,000 AI agents would be needed to replace each human employee due to the complexity of human thought processes.
• Cost efficiency: Each AI agent would cost just 40 Japanese yen (≈23 euro cents) per month, totaling 230 euros monthly for 1,000 agents—far less than a human salary.
• 24/7 operation: AI agents would work non-stop, learning independently and interacting with each other.
• Beyond programming: The automation drive isn’t limited to software development; it could extend to other roles across Softbank.

Challenges and Vision

Son dismissed AI hallucinations as a "temporary and minor problem" but acknowledged the need for:

1. Software and OS: Systems to manage the AI agent workforce.
2. Infrastructure: Massive data centers and power plants to support the AI ecosystem.

Son’s vision assumes the imminent arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), as hinted in his collaboration with OpenAI.

Industry Context

This move aligns with broader trends in AI-driven automation, as highlighted by experts like Geoffrey Hinton, who advocate for AI’s potential in productivity and efficiency.

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Originally published in German.