Tech Giants Ditch AGI: What's in a Name?

Big tech companies are stepping away from the term AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence. They once saw it as the ultimate goal for AI. Now, they're using new terms instead. Why the change? AGI was supposed to mean AI that matches or beats human intelligence. But the definition was always vague. Different people had different ideas about what it meant. Now, companies are creating their own terms. Meta talks about "personal superintelligence. " Microsoft prefers "humanist superintelligence. " Amazon uses "useful general intelligence. " And Anthropic calls it "powerful AI. " This shift isn't just about semantics. It's also about avoiding the negative baggage that comes with AGI. Tech companies have spent years warning about the dangers of super-smart AI. But the public is tired of these doomsday scenarios. So, companies are trying to make their AI sound less scary and more useful. The change is also about business. Companies have invested billions in AI. But they don't want to be held to a vague standard like AGI. So, they're creating their own definitions. This way, they can control the narrative and avoid any potential backlash.But this isn't the first time tech companies have changed their tune. In 2019, Microsoft and OpenAI signed a deal with an "AGI clause. " It gave Microsoft rights to OpenAI's tech until AGI was achieved. But the deal didn't define what AGI meant. So, when they renewed the deal, they added an independent panel to verify AGI. This way, they can avoid any disputes about what AGI really is. The shift away from AGI is also about timing. Companies like Anthropic predict "powerful AI" by 2026. OpenAI thinks AGI is coming soon. But no one knows for sure. So, companies are trying to stay ahead of the curve. They're rebranding their AI efforts to sound more practical and less scary. But with all these new terms, it's getting confusing. We've got PSI, HSI, UGI, and PI. It's a lot to keep track of. And it's not clear if these new terms are any better than AGI. They're still vague and open to interpretation. In the end, the shift away from AGI is about more than just a name. It's about controlling the narrative, avoiding negative baggage, and staying ahead of the curve. But it's also about making AI sound more practical and less scary. Whether these new terms will stick remains to be seen.