Though we are still primarily anticipating a more advanced Siri, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman is convinced that the company has already figured out how to create the ultimate goal of AI: artificial general intelligence (AGI).
AGI refers to an AI system capable of matching or surpassing human cognitive abilities across a diverse range of domains—essentially, AI that is on par with human intelligence.
Altman expressed this belief in a recent blog post.
We are now confident that we understand how to construct AGI as we have conventionally defined it. We anticipate that, by 2025, we might witness the first AI agents “entering the workforce,” significantly altering corporate productivity. We firmly believe that systematically providing excellent tools to individuals leads to remarkable and widely-shared results.
Our ambitions are extending further, towards superintelligence in its true essence. While we are proud of our current offerings, our focus remains on a remarkable future. With superintelligent tools, we could tremendously expedite scientific advancement and innovation beyond our current capabilities, consequently fostering greater abundance and prosperity.
Of course, knowing how to achieve this isn’t the same as executing it, and Altman does not specify when it will occur—only that we should look forward to significant breakthroughs in the coming “few years.”
This may seem like something out of science fiction at the moment, and perhaps even a bit absurd to discuss. That’s perfectly fine—we’ve encountered skepticism before and are comfortable facing it again. We’re quite confident that in the near future, everyone will come to understand our vision, and recognizing the necessity for careful actions that maximize widespread benefits and empowerment is of paramount importance.
Along with forward-looking statements, Altman also reflects on his unexpected dismissal.
A little over a year ago, on one particular Friday, the main issue that arose was my unexpected firing during a video call, shortly followed by the board publishing a blog post about it. I was in a hotel room in Las Vegas, and the experience felt, in ways too complex to articulate, akin to a surreal nightmare.
Being let go in such a public manner without any prior indication initiated a whirlwind of emotions and events. The “fog of war” was the most bewildering part. None of us could obtain satisfactory explanations regarding the circumstances or the rationale.
I view this entire episode as a significant governance failure on the part of well-intentioned individuals, myself included. In hindsight, I genuinely wish I had approached things differently, and I believe I am a more considerate and reflective leader today than I was that year ago.
While Altman may be envisioning the dawn of true AI, we continue to await a more intelligent Siri. Although some advancements have been made to enhance the assistant’s functionalities, we do not anticipate a fully conversational Siri being available until at least 2026.
Photo by Aidin Geranrekab on Unsplash
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