Sam Altman shuts down rumours of OpenAI achieving AGI, asks users to 'cut expectations'

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has addressed growing rumours about the imminent arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), clarifying that the company is far from deploying such technology. In response to the speculation, Altman urged the public to adjust their expectations, stating that AGI is not something OpenAI is ready to release anytime soon. He emphasised that the hype on social media had gotten out of hand and assured users that while OpenAI had exciting developments underway, AGI was not in the near future.

The speculation started when Altman asked users for feedback on OpenAI’s platforms on X (formerly Twitter), which led some to assume that AGI was in the works. This assumption was further fueled by a blog post where Altman discussed OpenAI’s long-term ambition to achieve AGI. However, he quickly reassured the public that AGI was not something OpenAI had built, nor was it ready for deployment.

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twitter hype is out of control again.

we are not gonna deploy AGI next month, nor have we built it.

we have some very cool stuff for you but pls chill and cut your expectations 100x!

— Sam Altman (@sama) January 20, 2025

What is AGI and why it’s not coming soon

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) refers to AI systems capable of performing any intellectual task that a human being can. This differs from current AI technologies, like ChatGPT, which are designed for specific tasks. While AGI is a long-term goal for the AI industry, Altman explained that the path to achieving it is still uncertain and requires major breakthroughs in understanding intelligence. OpenAI is focused on improving its existing systems and tools for the time being, and AGI is not expected to be realised in the short term.

Altman acknowledged that, despite the excitement surrounding AGI, OpenAI was still a long way from making it a reality. He pointed out that while the field was progressing, the company was concentrating on refining its current AI models.

Are AI agents a step toward AGI

Although AGI is not in the immediate future, OpenAI is working on developing AI agents. These agents are sophisticated systems that can autonomously handle complex, goal-oriented tasks with minimal human input. Altman suggested that these AI agents could be deployed in 2025 and potentially transform how businesses operate, as they would be capable of making decisions and solving problems without constant supervision.

However, Altman was quick to clarify that while these AI agents represent a step forward, they are not equivalent to AGI. They are still more focused on specific tasks, whereas AGI would require a system capable of general, human-like intelligence. OpenAI is exploring this technology, but AGI itself remains a distant goal.

Managing expectations around AGI development

Given the growing excitement surrounding AGI, Altman took to social media to call for a more realistic perspective on the timeline for its development.

He encouraged users to temper their expectations and understand that while OpenAI is making significant strides in AI, AGI is not something they are close to achieving. Altman’s message was clear: while OpenAI is working on cutting-edge AI systems, AGI is still a long way off, and the public should manage their anticipation accordingly.