According to online sources, Microsoft and OpenAI have a specific internal definition of strong AI (Artificial General Intelligence, AGI), i.e. a system that is capable of solving problems on a par with a person, based on the startup’s profit indicator. By this definition, OpenAI is years away from achieving this goal.
Image source: OpenAI
The report said that last year Microsoft and OpenAI signed an agreement according to which OpenAI will only be able to create AGI if it can develop AI systems that can generate profits of at least $100 billion. This definition is far from a strict technical and philosophical definition The AGI that many expect.
According to available data, OpenAI’s loss will amount to billions of dollars by the end of this year, and the company has already told investors that it will begin making a profit no earlier than 2029. This is an important detail because Microsoft could lose access to OpenAI technologies when the startup creates AGI, a system whose exact definition varies widely. There is some speculation that OpenAI may announce the creation of AGI ahead of schedule in order to displace Microsoft. However, the agreement between the two companies means the software giant could have access to the AI startup’s technology for a decade or more.
Earlier this month, there was considerable discussion about how OpenAI’s o3 algorithm could be considered a significant step towards creating AGI. While o3 performs better than most AI models, the algorithm still requires significant computing power, which does not bode well for profit-oriented AGI determination.