In a recent interview with Bloomberg News, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed concern about the term “AGI” (artificial general intelligence), labeling it “a very sloppy term” that lacks precision. Altman, whose company has been at the forefront of AI development, shared insights into OpenAI’s journey and its structured approach to defining progress toward AI systems capable of thinking and reasoning at or above human levels.
Altman highlighted the ambiguity in how people define AGI, often using it inconsistently across various milestones in AI development. “If you look at our levels, our five levels, you can find people that would call each of those AGI,” he noted. This underscores the challenge in grounding conversations about AGI in measurable and shared benchmarks.
OpenAI’s introduction of a “five-level” framework aims to bring clarity to discussions about AI advancements. By creating a structured way to assess progress, OpenAI hopes to move beyond the binary debate of whether something qualifies as AGI. Instead, the focus shifts to understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI systems at different stages of their development.
The interview reflects Altman’s broader vision for OpenAI: to build systems that are not only groundbreaking but also comprehensible and measurable in their progress. It also raises important questions about how the AI community and the public conceptualize the future of AI.
As the conversation around AGI evolves, Altman’s remarks are a reminder of the importance of precision, collaboration, and transparency in defining the goals and metrics of artificial intelligence.
