What is artificial general intelligence (AGI)?Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is the representation of generalized human cognitive abilities in software so that, faced with an unfamiliar task, the AGI system could find a solution. The intention of an AGI system is to perform any task that a human being is capable of. Show Definitions of AGI vary because experts from different fields define human intelligence from different perspectives. Computer scientists often define human intelligence in terms of being able to achieve goals. Psychologists, on the other hand, often define general intelligence in terms of adaptability or survival. AGI is considered to be strong artificial intelligence (AI). Strong AI contrasts with weak or narrow AI, which is the application of artificial intelligence to specific tasks or problems. IBM's Watson supercomputer, expert systems and self-driving cars are examples of narrow artificial intelligence.
What can artificial general intelligence do?AGI in computer science is an intelligent system with comprehensive or complete knowledge and cognitive computing capabilities. As of right now, no true AGI systems exist; they remain the stuff of science fiction. The performance of these systems is indistinguishable from that of a human, at least in those terms. However, the broad intellectual capacities of AGI would exceed human capacities because of its ability to access and process huge data sets at incredible speeds. True AGI should be capable of executing human-level tasks and abilities that no existing computer can achieve. Today, AI can perform many tasks but not at the level of success that would categorize them as human or general intelligence. An AGI system should have the following abilities:
Practical examples of AGI capabilities include the following five:
AI researchers also anticipate that AGI systems will possess higher-level capabilities, such as being able to do the following:
AGI vs. AI: What's the difference?AGI should theoretically be able to perform any task that a human can and exhibit a range of intelligence in different areas. Its performance should be as good as or better than humans at solving problems in most areas of intelligence. In contrast, weak AI excels at completing specific tasks or types of problems. Many existing AI systems use a combination of machine learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning and natural language processing for self-improving and to solve specific types of problems. However, these technologies do not approach the cumulative ability of the human brain. AGI does not exist yet, while AI is used in a variety of contexts. Examples of AI include the following:
Examples of artificial general intelligenceTrue AGI systems are not on the market yet. However, examples exist of narrow artificial intelligence systems that approximate or even exceed human abilities in certain areas. Artificial intelligence research is focused on these systems and what might be possible with AGI in the future. Here are some examples of those systems:
If AGI were applied to some of the preceding examples, it could improve their functionality. For example, self-driving cars require a human to be present to handle decision-making in ambiguous situations. The same is true for music-making algorithms, language models and legal systems. These areas include tasks that AI can automate but also ones that require a higher level of abstraction and human intelligence. What is the future of AGI?Many experts are skeptical that AGI will ever be possible. Others question whether it is even desirable. English theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author Stephen Hawking warned of the dangers in a 2014 interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. "The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race," he said. "It would take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete and would be superseded." However, some AI experts expect the continued development of AGI. In an interview at the 2017 South by Southwest Conference, inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil predicted computers will achieve human levels of intelligence by 2029.
Kurzweil has also predicted that AI will improve at an exponential rate, leading to breakthroughs that enable them to operate at levels beyond human comprehension and control. This point of artificial superintelligence is referred to as the singularity. Artificial general intelligence is one of the types of AI that will contribute to the eventual development of artificial superintelligence.The Church-Turing thesis, developed by Alan Turing and Alonzo Church in 1936, is another perspective that supports the eventual development of AGI. It states that, given an infinite amount of time and memory, any problem can be solved using an algorithm. Which cognitive science algorithm that will be is up for debate. Some say neural networks show the most promise, while others believe in a combination of neural networks and rule-based systems. Another potential initiative comes from neuroscience: neuromorphic computing, which uses artificial neurons and synapses to replicate the biological framework and functioning of the human brain. Learn how AI is used in the enterprise in this comprehensive guide. This was last updated in April 2022 Continue Reading About artificial general intelligence (AGI)
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