The Quest for Machines That Truly Think
The concept of artificial intelligence (AI) has captivated human imagination for decades, from science fiction to cutting-edge research labs. While narrow AI systems have achieved remarkable feats in specific domains, from beating world champions at chess to generating human-like text, the holy grail of AI research remains elusive: Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). AGI refers to highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically valuable work, possessing the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of tasks at a level comparable to human intelligence. This article explores the quest for AGI, its potential implications, current approaches, challenges, and the profound questions it raises about the nature of intelligence and consciousness.
Defining AGI
Artificial General Intelligence, sometimes referred to as “strong AI” or “full AI,” is a type of artificial intelligence that matches or exceeds human cognitive abilities across a wide range of domains. Unlike narrow AI, which is designed for specific tasks, AGI would possess:
