--- title: Why Leaders Should Ignore Predictions About AI description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. canonical: https://time.com/partner-content/charter/why-leaders-should-ignore-predictions-about-ai/ author: Michelle Peng article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-08-16T10:30:00.277Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-14T23:14:41.396Z article:section: Charter og:title: Why Leaders Should Ignore Predictions About AI og:description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription.  by [Michelle Peng](https://time.com/author/michelle-peng/) Aug 16, 2026 10:30 AM UTC  Art: Charter | Photo: Oxford Martin School  by [Michelle Peng](https://time.com/author/michelle-peng/) Aug 16, 2026 10:30 AM UTC If you open the social network formerly known as Twitter, you’ll be bombarded with endless predictions about how our AI future will play out: AI will wipe out knowledge work, or maybe all paid work in the economy. No, only entry level jobs will disappear. Or: those jobs will be safe. It’s only middle managers who have to worry. What all of these predictions have in common, argues philosopher [Carissa Véliz](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/carissa-v%C3%A9liz-a5781555), is that none of them are really true statements about the world. “Predictions are not facts,” she writes in [_Prophecy_](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&pf=1&ai=DChsSEwi09quS0ZuWAxWvGq0GHSq4GacYACICCAEQABoCcHY&co=1&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAjws%5FDTBhB%5FEiwAXZknGXw-oUUNu-yHrmDMGVHMm1MBqD7oWNoRLPjJShPOohhQ6aISyeT4pRoC1QUQAvD%5FBwE&cid=CAAS0gHkaP-JrP-jHIcNgCARAbGZwZCxENOfWjgpmXIUvoL7dXCFUu7JXpi4oFq5s4IrQxnf3pTpQkUllxla0cUnpq2RkaDFN%5FUqUTUqJY4jo6HIPSawuned0gYYFJPgfTA1naOqhOSN8nkJGEUFepEhDc2RRUJXBDFTnnZQA9hFRaLXDB4PIC7ZjBbdS8nAleiixd64-UUCY%5FpnAwvj195wLCdvYwFUX6eUry0eA%5F86GEOgHHb3r94gOqK6NKFM95mRTa49cgxB6ua9LCWx64QnpQ7XuK8&cce=2&category=acrcp%5Fv1%5F32&sig=AOD64%5F2G1I5IW7KzAHzg3BPp8lgwmmG0qw&q&nis=4&adurl=https://bookshop.org/p/books/prophecy-prediction-power-and-the-fight-for-the-future-from-ancient-oracles-to-ai-carissa-v-liz/905a842b0a20441e?ean%3D9780385550970%26utm%5Fsource%3Dgoogle%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dcpc%26utm%5Fcampaign%3Ddsa%5Fnonbrand%26utm%5Fcontent%3D%7Badgroupname%7D%26utm%5Fterm%3Daud-2151538068632:dsa-19959388920%26gad%5Fsource%3D1%26gad%5Fcampaignid%3D12440232635%26gbraid%3D0AAAAACfld425vRtci3%5FfoN-CPafw7zX9g%26gclid%3DCjwKCAjws%5FDTBhB%5FEiwAXZknGXw-oUUNu-yHrmDMGVHMm1MBqD7oWNoRLPjJShPOohhQ6aISyeT4pRoC1QUQAvD%5FBwE&ved=2ahUKEwiVuqWS0ZuWAxX%5FMzQIHbiCFfgQ0Qx6BAgXEAE)_._ “An assertion about the future can be many things—an estimate, a desire, a warning—but never a fact.” A soothsayer may be expressing certainty, sharing their wish for the future, or manipulating listeners to buy what they sell. But they aren’t saying anything that can be proven true or false. Véliz, a professor of philosophy and AI ethics at Oxford University, argues that from ancient times to the present day, prophecy has been a powerful balm against uncertainty, allowing prognosticators to accrue status, wealth, and power while those who receive their predictions face unintended consequences. Sign up for Charter's newsletter to get the handbook for the future of work delivered to your inbox. Email Address You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our [Terms of Service](https://www.charterworks.com/terms-of-service/) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.charterworks.com/privacy-policy/). Artificial intelligence, she writes, “is the new Oracle of Delphi.” Not only do algorithms predict everything from crime to a job candidate’s future performance, AI CEOs are themselves becoming prophets, making predictions about the technology’s effect on jobs, work, and society that have their own ripple effects across the economy. At a time when philosophers and ethicists are having a moment, getting [hired by AI companies](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/06/ai-companies-hiring-philosophers/687417/) with heady paydays, we reached out to Véliz to understand more about our current age of AI, how workers and leaders alike can break their reliance on predictions, and the role of philosophy in navigating today’s business challenges. Here are excerpts from our conversation, edited for length and clarity: **What is the danger of putting too much stock in any of these predictions about how AI will shape the economy?** One danger is that you might get it wrong. If you got it wrong thinking you were very sure that you’d get it right, then you might be setting yourself up for failure. Another risk is that we are predicting based on assumptions and visions that have been designed by people who have a financial stake in the matter, so we're just following them. The illusion we have is that they have a glimpse of the future, but actually they're building this future. If we were to approach the future with more agency, thinking not about the future as if it were already written—but more about how we want the future to be—then we would stand a better chance of building and inhabiting a better future. **If I’m a worker concerned about AI’s affect on my career, how might I act with more agency in my job search?** Rather than listening to a prediction about this or that job being the future job—the most profitable job, the most likely job, the most promising job—and then getting it wrong or hating your job or just being part of a cog in a system that is building something \[you don’t\] want to build, you could think, ‘What do I love doing? What am I good at? What does the world need?’ Then do it. One of the things we don't appreciate enough is that if you are very good at what you do, you'll have a job. The job prospects of being a mime probably are not that good, but if you're Marcel Marceau, you're going to nail it. So be Marcel Marceau. Uncertainty is good news. It means that the future is not written, that you can intercede. It would be quite a tragedy in your life if you didn't have uncertainty. There’s value in exposing yourself to serendipity, whether it's reading widely, meeting different people...or just having an open mind. Avoid being too instrumental and too targeted about what you do because then you'll miss out on the richness of serendipity. **How do you recommend CEOs and other business leaders treat predictions about AI?** If they're basing their decisions on prediction, they are \[taking\] an approach of a follower instead of a leader, because you're trying to figure out where people are going instead of leading them \[there\]. It suggests that you are not using enough creativity to think about what you can bring to the table in terms of excellence, good products and services, or things that people want that will improve the world. You're trying to take a shortcut. **What might companies run by philosophers look like?** There have been a [few articles](https://www.forbes.com/sites/teddymcdarrah/2021/05/27/five-business-leaders-who-have-philosophy-to-thank-for-their-success/) in the [past few years](https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/philosophy-majors-out-earn-other-humanities/626783/) about how many CEOs of important companies have studied philosophy. \[It\] does give people tools to think critically and to identify errors in reasoning. However, I'm not sure I would recommend philosophers running companies. I'm not sure the philosophers found in universities are particularly well-suited for that. **In the book, you recommend hiring philosophers to identify bad arguments and uncover the underlying values in seemingly neutral ‘data-driven’ predictions. What do you think about AI companies like Google DeepMind and Anthropic having a** [**philosopher on staff**](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/05/business/philosophy-majors-ai-jobs.html)**?** It's a very tricky question. If I were the CEO of a company, I would definitely hire a team of philosophers \[to challenge bad arguments\]. However, the way these companies are doing it is quite problematic. A colleague said, ‘I'm not sure that you can call them philosophers anymore.’ One of the marks of a philosopher in the traditional sense—Socrates, say—is speaking truth to power. These philosophers are very much at the service of power. They cannot say anything without the company giving a green light. **Order** **_Prophecy_** **on** [**Amazon**](https://www.amazon.com/Prophecy-Prediction-Future-Ancient-Oracles/dp/0385550979) **or** [**Bookshop**](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&pf=1&ai=DChsSEwi09quS0ZuWAxWvGq0GHSq4GacYACICCAEQABoCcHY&co=1&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAjws%5FDTBhB%5FEiwAXZknGXw-oUUNu-yHrmDMGVHMm1MBqD7oWNoRLPjJShPOohhQ6aISyeT4pRoC1QUQAvD%5FBwE&cid=CAAS0gHkaP-JrP-jHIcNgCARAbGZwZCxENOfWjgpmXIUvoL7dXCFUu7JXpi4oFq5s4IrQxnf3pTpQkUllxla0cUnpq2RkaDFN%5FUqUTUqJY4jo6HIPSawuned0gYYFJPgfTA1naOqhOSN8nkJGEUFepEhDc2RRUJXBDFTnnZQA9hFRaLXDB4PIC7ZjBbdS8nAleiixd64-UUCY%5FpnAwvj195wLCdvYwFUX6eUry0eA%5F86GEOgHHb3r94gOqK6NKFM95mRTa49cgxB6ua9LCWx64QnpQ7XuK8&cce=2&category=acrcp%5Fv1%5F32&sig=AOD64%5F2G1I5IW7KzAHzg3BPp8lgwmmG0qw&q&nis=4&adurl=https://bookshop.org/p/books/prophecy-prediction-power-and-the-fight-for-the-future-from-ancient-oracles-to-ai-carissa-v-liz/905a842b0a20441e?ean%3D9780385550970%26utm%5Fsource%3Dgoogle%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dcpc%26utm%5Fcampaign%3Ddsa%5Fnonbrand%26utm%5Fcontent%3D%7Badgroupname%7D%26utm%5Fterm%3Daud-2151538068632:dsa-19959388920%26gad%5Fsource%3D1%26gad%5Fcampaignid%3D12440232635%26gbraid%3D0AAAAACfld425vRtci3%5FfoN-CPafw7zX9g%26gclid%3DCjwKCAjws%5FDTBhB%5FEiwAXZknGXw-oUUNu-yHrmDMGVHMm1MBqD7oWNoRLPjJShPOohhQ6aISyeT4pRoC1QUQAvD%5FBwE&ved=2ahUKEwiVuqWS0ZuWAxX%5FMzQIHbiCFfgQ0Qx6BAgXEAE)**.** --- ## Read more from Charter [READ MORE](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/) [Open article: 11 predictions for work and leadership in 2025](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/7203661/2025-predictions/)  ### 11 predictions for work and leadership in 2025 [READ MORE](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/7203661/2025-predictions/) [Open article: What's in the New Leadership Playbook](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/7026101/whats-in-the-new-leadership-playbook/)  ### What's in the New Leadership Playbook [READ MORE](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/7026101/whats-in-the-new-leadership-playbook/) [Open article: Expert Predictions for the Second Half of 2024](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6987204/expert-predictions-for-the-second-half-of-2024/)  ### Expert Predictions for the Second Half of 2024 [READ MORE](https://time.com/partner-content/charter/6987204/expert-predictions-for-the-second-half-of-2024/) --- ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/partner-content/charter/why-leaders-should-ignore-predictions-about-ai/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/partner-content/charter/why-leaders-should-ignore-predictions-about-ai/"},"headline":"Why Leaders Should Ignore Predictions About AI","datePublished":"2026-08-16T10:30:00.277Z","dateModified":"2026-08-14T23:14:41.396Z","description":"The case against prediction—and for uncertainty from 'Prophecy' author Carissa Véliz.","url":"https://time.com/partner-content/charter/why-leaders-should-ignore-predictions-about-ai/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d5ffb61a0270b51/6a7fa10a6afff54ec5eef0f4/charter-ve%CC%81ilz.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Peng","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/michelle-peng/"}],"articleSection":"Charter","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d5ffb61a0270b51/6a7fa10a6afff54ec5eef0f4/charter-ve%CC%81ilz.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"charter-véilz.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Art: Charter | Photo: Oxford Martin School","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/partner-content/charter/why-leaders-should-ignore-predictions-about-ai/","name":"Why Leaders Should Ignore Predictions About AI"}}]}] ```