What is AGI? General intelligence and the future of work
Intelligence across many kinds of tasks
AGI stands for artificial general intelligence. It describes AI that can handle a broad range of cognitive tasks rather than only one specific activity. Researchers and organizations differ on which abilities, and which performance levels, should qualify as AGI.
Look at breadth as well as scores
Google DeepMind’s Levels of AGI framework separates performance from the breadth of capabilities and considers autonomy separately. A high test score and the ability to handle a task whose conditions change are different things to assess.
When could AGI arrive?
This guide does not assign a definite arrival year. When comparing forecasts, check how each speaker defines AGI and what evidence supports the prediction. ASI refers to a further idea: intelligence far beyond human capabilities.
What to check in the news
- Which tasks and which human performance level were used for comparison?
- Can it handle unfamiliar problems?
- How much human help or tool use did the result require?
An imagined future starts here
If one AI could carry work across research, design and preparation for negotiations, fewer handoffs might be needed. An individual could work more like a laboratory or company, building services around their own interests. What someone wants to accomplish could matter more than the size of their organization.
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Altman backs pacing AI development and bringing in independent evaluators
His X post drew over 60,000 likes, backing ongoing access for independent experts to evaluate AI development.