OpenAI has defined a framework to describe the progression towards artificial general intelligence (AGI). This framework consists of five levels that help to operationalize and measure progress towards AGI. Here is an overview of the five levels:
- Level 1: Narrow AI
- This level includes AI systems designed to perform specific tasks and are unable to generalize beyond their defined areas. Examples include language models like GPT-3 and GPT-4, which, despite their advanced features, are still limited to text-based tasks.
- Level 2: Flexible Narrow AI
- At this level, AI systems begin to show some degree of flexibility within their specialized areas. They can handle different types of tasks within a specific domain but cannot generalize to entirely new areas. This might include advanced language models that can understand and generate text in various contexts, but still within limited frameworks.
- Level 3: Limited General AI
- AI systems at this level can perform a broad range of tasks across multiple domains, but their ability to generalize is still limited. For example, they can understand and process information from different sources and perform complex multi-step tasks, but their understanding and flexibility are not on par with human intelligence.
- Level 4: Advanced General AI
- Here, AI systems begin to approach human intelligence in terms of flexibility and generalization capabilities. They can learn new tasks and adapt to new situations without needing reprogramming. This level requires AI systems to perform complex, multi-step tasks across various domains with a high degree of reliability and accuracy.
- Level 5: Full General AI (AGI)
- At this level, AI systems have reached or surpassed human intelligence in all respects. They can understand, learn, and perform all types of tasks that a human can, with the same flexibility and resourcefulness. AGI systems would be able to think critically, solve problems, and adapt to new situations in a way that is equivalent to or better than humans.
OpenAI is continuously working on developing models that move up these levels. Their latest advancements with GPT-4 and upcoming models aim to enhance both capability and generalization to move closer to AGI. Beyond technical development, OpenAI also emphasizes the importance of safety, responsible use, and fair distribution of the benefits of AI technology (OpenAI) (ar5iv) (ar5iv) (ITPro) (ar5iv).
Illustration representing the five levels towards AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) as described by OpenAI. Each step shows a different level of AI progress, from Narrow AI to Full General AI (AGI), with icons representing the capabilities at each level.
Levels:
- Narrow AI: A robot performing a single task.
- Flexible Narrow AI: A robot performing multiple tasks within the same domain.
- Limited General AI: A robot interacting with multiple domains.
- Advanced General AI: A humanoid robot learning new tasks.
- Full General AI (AGI): A humanoid robot demonstrating human-like thinking and adaptability.
This image visually depicts the progression and increasing complexity of AI capabilities as we move towards AGI.
The journey towards AGI is not just a technological advancement, but a profound leap in human capability and potential.
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