Google's schmidt warns of ai's underutilized potential, cautions against unchecked growth

Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, has sounded the alarm on the underdeveloped potential of artificial intelligence (AI), warning that humanity is only seeing around 10-15% of its true capabilities.

Schmidt: ai has barely scratched the surface

Speaking at the Abundance Summit 2026, Schmidt emphasized that the rapid pace of AI advancements belies the vast untapped potential waiting to be unleashed. He compared the current state to other major technological breakthroughs, noting that early progress often seems slow before accelerating exponentially.

However, Schmidt cautioned that this accelerated growth is now occurring primarily in the realm of software, computing power, and data, rather than hardware. As a result, AI systems are evolving significantly faster than physical robots, which remain constrained by the pace of mechanical and battery advancements.

Schmidt: ai could surpass human capabilities

While Schmidt acknowledged that true artificial general intelligence (AGI) – capable of human-like reasoning and self-improvement – remains an elusive goal, he warned that the eventual achievement of AGI could have profound and potentially destabilizing consequences.

He cited the concept of