Google DeepMind's Lila Ibrahim, world's top AI 'readiness' officer, on preparing for what's to come

CNBC is now accepting nominations for the 2027 Changemakers List.Google DeepMind Chief AI Readiness Officer Lila Ibrahim may be the only person in the world with that title, and she says she would not have accepted it if she didn't believe that the AI scales will ultimately tip to the positive."I don't think I could do this job if I didn't believe that the benefits will outweigh the risks," she told CNBC's Julia Boorstin in the latest episode of the "CNBC Changemakers" podcast.Ibrahim has spent almost a decade helping Google DeepMind build artificial intelligence and stay ahead of the thorny ethical, and downright existential, questions that surround the rapidly advancing technology. Now, she is focused on whether workers, schools and communities are prepared for what comes next. Ibrahim was named to the 2025 CNBC Changemakers list.Earlier this year, Ibrahim shifted into her new role from being Google DeepMind's chief operating officer. The job, she says, is not about DeepMind's own readiness for AI, but about helping the rest of the world understand and adapt as changes accelerate and as AI moves beyond the lab and into more parts of everyday life, from scientific research and wea...