What is Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)? A Closer Look at Human-Like Intelligence
- Zack Arnold
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is evolving at a rapid pace, and new advancements are emerging consistently that lead to transformations in various industries across the globe. AI is even able to operate autonomously, as we have seen with agentic AI, and complete specific tasks independently without need for continuous human oversight.
A step further from agentic AI, which is limited to specific tasks it can perform autonomously, is a concept of AI that can take on a more human-like intelligence. This is known as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), and while it has not fully emerged yet, it could certainly do so soon. Surveys conducted have found that AI researchers believe AGI will come to fruition around the year 2040.
In this article we will delve more into what AGI is capable of and how close tech giant Google has come to achieving it.
What is Artificial General Intelligence?
Artificial General Intelligence, referred to as AGI, is a hypothetical form of AI that is more human-like than any form we have seen before. This technology would be able to think like a human in terms of processing changing factors in its environment and making intellectual decisions, even when different subjects are involved. Sometimes, AGI might be able to go beyond human capabilities to bring further efficiency to different operations through its fast data processing speeds.
Some of AGI’s potential abilities include:
Using its compendium of knowledge about the world and social norms to make decisions based on common sense, similarly to the human mind
Shifting and applying skills and knowledge between different areas to adapt to new situations with ease
Abstract thinking not limited to a particular area of knowledge
An understanding of cause and effect to allow for decision-making based on intelligent reasoning
With AGI, systems will be able to think with cognitive abilities similar to humans, acting autonomously to perform a variety of tasks and make intelligent decisions. Unlike agentic AI, which can act autonomously but is limited to specific tasks or fields, AGI can comprise knowledge and skills that do not necessarily need to be relevant to one another. However, as of now, this is still a hypothetical concept that is only in the beginning stages of becoming something that we see in a widespread manner.
Is AGI Actually Possible?
Artificial General Intelligence is hypothetical for now, but is certainly predicted to be possible in the future. We are already seeing use cases of AI with human-like capabilities, signaling the evolution of these systems to eventually reach AGI. Some include self-driving cars, which can recognize factors in the surrounding environment and obey traffic laws, and language models like ChatGPT that can mimic human communication patterns. However, these forms of AI still require humans present to make decisions, and systems like ChatGPT cannot truly replicate human emotion.
Google, however, is on track to achieving AGI through its Genie 3 world model. This is a simulation that creates realistic environments which could be potentially used to train robots and autonomous vehicles to assess their surroundings and act on their own. While it is not yet available to the public, Genie 3 will be able to assist humans with training and exploring in a variety of environments. This type of technology, according to Google, is critical when it comes to training AI to act autonomously and make human-like decisions based on its surroundings and cognitive reasoning. With this advancement, we could see future developments in building AGI systems that could transform the realm of AI even further.
While AGI remains a hypothetical form of AI for now, it does not mean it is not possible to be achieved. When used in a fair and responsible manner, AGI has potential to transform industries around the world, increasing productivity and efficiency across the board. This can allow humans more time to focus on tasks that require creative thinking and enhance fields such as healthcare, with advancements in diagnosis and drug discovery, and transportation, with safer self-driving vehicles that reduce accidents.
Contact us at info@sednacg.com to talk to one of our AI experts and learn more about how Sedna can implement responsible AI for your business.
“Artificial intelligence can open doors we don’t even know exist.”
– Tara Chklovski, Founder & CEO, Technovation
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