Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

Definition

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is the hypothetical intelligence of a machine that has the capacity to understand or learn any intellectual task that a human being can. It is a primary goal of some artificial intelligence research and a common topic in science fiction and futures studies.

Why It Matters

AGI represents the ultimate goal of AI research for some: creating a machine with human-level cognitive abilities. The potential impact of AGI, both positive and negative, is a subject of intense debate.

Contextual Example

A single AGI system would be able to learn to do anything from translating languages to writing a novel to proving mathematical theorems, all without being explicitly programmed for each task.

Common Misunderstandings

  • All current AI systems are "Narrow AI" (ANI), designed for specific tasks. We have not yet created AGI, and it is unclear how far away we are from achieving it.
  • AGI is also known as "strong AI" or "full AI."

Related Terms

Last Updated: December 17, 2025