How far we are to achieving AGI( Artificial General Intelligence)

Donobek
4 min readNov 20, 2023

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What actually is AGI?

AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence, refers to highly autonomous systems that have the capacity to outperform humans at most economically valuable work. Unlike narrow or specialized AI systems designed for specific tasks, AGI possesses the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of domains, similar to human intelligence.

How different is AGI compared to narrow AI?

AGI and Narrow AI represent two distinct levels of artificial intelligence. Narrow AI is designed for specific tasks, excelling in applications like voice recognition or image classification. In contrast, AGI aims to replicate human-like general intelligence, possessing the ability to learn, adapt, and perform any intellectual task that a human can.

While Narrow AI operates within predefined contexts and lacks adaptability beyond its intended use, AGI showcases autonomy and flexibility. AGI’s learning capacity enables it to acquire knowledge in one domain and apply it to diverse tasks, exhibiting a level of understanding and common sense reasoning akin to human intelligence.

What are the challenges and concerns associated with AGI?

Yes… As you might know, despite providing tons of benefits for humans, AGI also comes with a number of potential risks and concerns.

One major concern revolves around control and safety, necessitating the establishment of robust mechanisms to govern AGI systems and mitigate potential risks. As AGI systems become more autonomous and capable of independent decision-making, there is a growing apprehension about ensuring that these systems operate predictably and safely. The challenge is to design mechanisms that allow humans to maintain control over AGI, preventing unintended behaviors or outcomes that could pose risks.

Apart from this, there are also some worries about the undesirable impact of AGI in our society; The worry is that the widespread adoption of AGI, with its capacity to perform a wide range of tasks, could lead to job displacement as certain tasks traditionally done by humans become automated. This displacement could have ripple effects on economies and communities, potentially causing shifts in employment structures and economic dynamics. The challenge is to anticipate and mitigate any negative consequences through thoughtful planning and implementation of policies and strategies.

“ If it is so concerning, why humans are increasingly developing AGI”, you might wonder, right?

Should we stop learning and improving AGI?

In my opinion, no; People should not necessarily give up on improving AGI. As you know, the evolution of people always involves in getting better at something groundbreaking or creating a technology that can revolutionize the world. AGI holds immense potential for positive impacts, from solving complex problems to advancing various fields. However, developers must prioritize safety, ethics, and transparency to avoid unintended consequences. Implementing international collaboration and regulations can ensure a balanced and responsible approach to AGI development, maximizing its benefits while minimizing risks.

So, when AGI can be fully achieved and implemented?

When we talk about when we might get super-smart Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), experts don’t agree, and here’s why. It’s like predicting when we’ll have super-smart computers that can learn and understand things like humans do. The speed of getting there depends on things like new tech breakthroughs, better computer power, and unexpected discoveries in AI and other sciences. How we handle ethics and safety in developing AGI also matters — it might take longer if we’re extra careful. More money, skilled people, and better computers can speed things up, but rules and regulations might slow them down. All these factors together make it tricky to pin down when AGI will actually happen, leading to a range of expert opinions.

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