AGI — Definitions and Strategy
What AGI actually means, why it matters, and how it shapes the AI industry
What it is
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) has no consensus definition, but is commonly described as AI capable of performing any cognitive task that a human can. OpenAI's formal definition is "a highly autonomous system that outperforms humans at most economically valuable work."
No current system meets any reasonable AGI definition. Current LLMs are highly capable in specific domains but fail on tasks requiring robust physical reasoning, reliable common sense, or self-directed long-term planning.
Despite this, the belief that AGI is achievable in the near future drives massive investment, the first organization to achieve AGI at a controllable level would have an extraordinary competitive and geopolitical advantage.