Parmy Olson | The $800 Million Deal That Changed AI Forever

Want your own Brand or Business Podcast? Try out our NEW Podcast Calculator: https://www.boxlight.io/ The AI race isn’t just about technology — it’s about power, ethics, and vision. In this episode of Jimmy's Jobs of the Future, Jimmy sits down with Parmy Olson, a leading tech journalist and author of the Financial Times Business Book of the Year, to unpack the true rivalry between Sam Altman (OpenAI) and Demis Hassabis (DeepMind). From billion-dollar acquisition offers to clashing philosophies about artificial intelligence, Parmy gives us an insider’s look at: The founding myths of DeepMind Why Demis rejected Facebook’s $800M offer The real difference between Altman’s “move fast” approach and Hassabis’ careful caution The future of AI jobs and what it means for the next generation Why journalists (and humans!) are still essential in an AI-powered world This is the episode if you want to understand who is shaping the future — and what they aren’t telling you. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Facebook’s $800M Bid for DeepMind — And Why It Was Rejected 00:28 Gen Z vs Gen X: How AI Is Used at Work 01:14 Parmy Wins FT Business Book of the Year 02:31 What It Takes to Write the Definitive Book on AI 05:12 Demis Hassabis: AI Prodigy or Cautious Genius? 08:11 Google Buys DeepMind: Ethics, Control & Data 13:13 Altman vs Hassabis: The Showdown That’s Shaping AI 34:45 AI and the Future of Work: Hope or Hype? 39:03 What University Grads Need to Know About AI 40:33 AI in Finance and Decision-Making 42:50 The Danger of Relying Too Much on AI Tools 45:59 Jobs AI Might Kill — And Ones It Could Create 49:24 Why Experts Will Still Matter in the AI Age 55:42 Parmy’s Advice for Aspiring Journalists 01:03:30 Why the Business Model Behind AI Matters 01:12:04 Personal Reflections and What Comes Next ********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? hello@jobsofthefuture.co Sponsor the show or Partner with us: sunny@jobsofthefuture.co Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Sunny Winter https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnywinter/ Junior Producer: Thuy Dong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices