“Superintelligent AI systems that can out-think humans will take three centuries to create — not the few years many AI experts believe. "I did not expect my latter life would be spent assuaging people's fears of things that don't exist. I thought we were done with witches."”
Roboticist; MIT Panasonic Professor of Robotics (emeritus); co-founder of iRobot and Rethink Robotics; co-founder and CTO of Robust.AI
Said Feb 24, 2026Deadline Jan 1, 2326The Boston Globe, "'Check back in 15 years': Robotics legend Rodney Brooks rejects AI hype but won't call it a bubble," February 24, 2026
The three-century figure is Brooks' estimate as reported by the Globe; Max Tegmark, who expects superintelligence soon, responded that Brooks is 'quite out of touch.'