• What is General Artificial Intelligence?
According to experts from Gartner, AGI (General Artificial Intelligence) is often referred to as the "Holy Grail" of AI research because the primary goal of this technology is to create and train machines capable of exhibiting human-level intelligence.
Imagine a system that can learn, reason, adapt, and solve problems across a variety of fields, replicating the cognitive abilities that make us unique as humans.
For instance, an AGI system would excel at playing chess but would also understand the basic strategies and formulate new approaches. Moreover, this system could comprehend complex scientific concepts, perform nuanced translations, and even create artistic works that could compete with human ingenuity.
General Artificial Intelligence represents an advanced theoretical stage in AI development, where machines would not only be able to perform specific tasks but also demonstrate intelligence comparable to that of humans, learning and applying knowledge across multiple fields without requiring specialized programming for each task.
• Key Features of AGI
General Artificial Intelligence has a set of specific characteristics that enable the entire technological ensemble of artificial intelligence to develop, learn, and evolve continuously, accumulating information and data that it can later use. Some of the most important features of AGI include:
1.Generalized learning and adaptation capacity:
Unlike narrow artificial intelligence (Narrow AI), which is designed to perform a specific task (such as autonomous driving or image recognition), AGI can learn and apply knowledge in any field. This involves the ability to learn from experiences, make inferences, and adapt to new situations, just like a human.
2.Reasoning and deep understanding:
General Artificial Intelligence would have the ability to understand abstract and complex concepts, make deductive reasoning, and solve problems in a wide range of contexts. It could analyze data from various domains and formulate creative solutions to new problems, something current AI systems cannot do without human intervention.
3.Autonomy:
An AGI system would be capable of managing and prioritizing its own actions without constant human intervention. It could make decisions autonomously, based on the available data and its own learning.
4.Contextual interaction with the environment:
A crucial aspect of General Artificial Intelligence is its ability to understand and interpret the context in which it operates. This means not just understanding raw data, but also recognizing deeper meanings and the intentions behind situations, language, or other forms of interaction.
5.Generalization across multiple tasks:
Unlike specific AI, which is limited to a single task, AGI could excel in a variety of activities, from translating foreign languages and diagnosing diseases to leading complex scientific research or creating innovative art.
• Weaknesses and Risks of General Artificial Intelligence
According to Gartner, like any new technology still in its early stages of research and testing, General Artificial Intelligence comes with a series of challenges regarding its implementation, as well as risks in its usage. Developing such a system is extremely difficult for several reasons:
1.Insufficient technological progress:
Currently, AI operates based on neural networks and machine learning algorithms that are very effective at specific tasks, but these cannot generalize beyond their domain. AGI requires more advanced technologies capable of learning and adapting to new contexts.
2.Understanding natural language and reasoning:
Understanding human language in all its nuances is an extremely complex task. Additionally, AGI must be able to perform logical reasoning and understand causal relationships autonomously.
3.Safety and ethics:
If an AGI system were to achieve capacities equivalent to or even superior to human intelligence, it would raise major safety and ethical concerns. Such a system could be difficult to control and would raise questions about its impact on humanity, including security, the economy, and employment.
4.Computational resources:
Creating an AGI system requires massive computing power and data, along with highly sophisticated algorithms. Currently, these requirements exceed the available capacities in most practical scenarios.
5.Existential threats:
If such a system becomes uncontrollable, there is a risk that its decisions could become impossible to stop or correct, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences for humanity.
6.Social and economic impact:
The development and use of AGI could lead to job loss, and economic restructuring could leave many people without a means of livelihood, necessitating the implementation of extensive social safety nets.
Despite this, General Artificial Intelligence remains, for now, an ideal in AI research. Although there are enormous technological and ethical obstacles to overcome, its transformative potential is immense. Success in achieving General Artificial Intelligence could profoundly change the future of humanity, but it would also come with considerable challenges regarding control, responsibility, and its impact on society.