What is AGI, and do we already have it?
AGI means artificial general intelligence, but there is no single, universally accepted and measurable definition of it.
What is it?
AGI (artificial general intelligence) means a system able to do most intellectual tasks at least as well as a person. There is no single, measurable definition, so companies and researchers mean different things by it.
An everyday example
One company announces that AGI is “close”, another claims it has already been reached on some tasks, and a third says the term is misleading.
Why does it matter?
Predictions about AGI influence investment, regulation and public fears. It matters to know exactly what someone claims and how it could be checked.
A common misconception
That AGI is a clear milestone we will recognise unambiguously. Big words do not replace a clear definition and criteria.
In more detail
What is AGI supposed to mean?
As a rule, a system that can handle a wide range of intellectual tasks and adapt across fields. The details are disputed.
Are today’s models already AGI?
The answer depends on the definition. Capabilities are advancing, but there is no single agreed threshold that everyone could accept.
What is superintelligence?
A hypothetical AI that would surpass human abilities in many important intellectual tasks.
Can we predict the year it will arrive?
Not reliably. Individual predictions rest on different assumptions.
Remember: Big words are no substitute for a clear definition and clear criteria.
Reliable sources
Last reviewed 1 November 2026. An explainer, not professional, legal or medical advice. For rules and figures that change, check the official version.