Google's AI Users Double to 900M, Eyes Medical Breakthroughs

Artificial intelligence just hit a massive milestone that could reshape how we solve humanity's biggest challenges.

Google announced this week that Gemini, its primary AI model, has exploded from 400 million to 900 million monthly users in just 12 months. Even more impressive: daily requests jumped sevenfold during that same period, signaling that people aren't just trying AI but relying on it regularly.

Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind and a Nobel laureate, sees this surge as the beginning of something transformative. He told ABC News that AI represents "almost a new era for humanity," comparing its potential impact to 10 times that of the industrial revolution, arriving 10 times faster.

His vision focuses squarely on solving problems that matter most. "I see it as the ultimate tool to push forward scientific discovery," Hassabis explained, pointing specifically to advances in medicine, energy solutions, and environmental challenges.

But Hassabis isn't wearing rose-colored glasses about the road ahead. He openly acknowledged that AI will disrupt jobs and create real challenges for workers and communities.

The difference? He believes massive new opportunities will emerge alongside the disruption. More importantly, he's calling for something rarely heard from tech leaders: shared decision-making about humanity's AI-powered future.

"The future's not written," Hassabis said, pushing back against the idea that a small group of tech executives should control AI's direction. He's advocating for international standards and collaboration across society, academia, and civil sectors to chart the path forward together.

The Ripple Effect

Google and other tech giants are already taking concrete steps to address concerns about AI's energy demands. As electricity costs rise partly due to AI data centers, companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft are building their own energy infrastructures to keep those costs from hitting consumers.

Hassabis predicts AI will actually become a net positive for energy use. "In the next 10 years, [AI is] going to save far more energy than it uses in the long run," he said.

The real excitement lies in what 900 million people exploring AI might discover. From accelerating drug development to optimizing renewable energy systems, the tools are now in more hands than ever before.

This isn't about technology replacing human ingenuity but amplifying it to tackle challenges once thought insurmountable.