On January 6, 2025, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman published a New Year’s message on his personal blog, revealing that the company will begin shifting its focus from Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) to "superintelligence." In the article, he expressed confidence that OpenAI can build intelligence systems that surpass human capabilities in the future, hoping these systems will greatly advance scientific discovery and societal development.
Altman mentioned that despite the current significant limitations of AI technology, including high training costs and potential errors, he believes these issues can be overcome in the near future. He emphasized that OpenAI's mission is for the long-term benefit of humanity and that they aim to advance technology while maintaining adequate caution. He stated, "We are very confident that in the coming years, everyone will see the technological advancements we see."
Regarding the goal of developing Artificial General Intelligence, OpenAI has been actively exploring this area. Altman pointed out that the definition of AGI remains vague in the industry, and OpenAI has its own perspective: to develop intelligent systems that outperform humans in the most economically valuable tasks. According to the agreement between OpenAI and its partner Microsoft, once AGI is achieved, Microsoft will no longer have access to its technology.
Altman specifically mentioned that the goal of superintelligence means we can accelerate science and innovation beyond our current capabilities. He noted, "With superintelligence, we can achieve everything." In previous articles, he also mentioned that superintelligence could mature within the next decade, bringing unprecedented wealth and prosperity to humanity.
However, Altman also expressed concerns about the safety of superintelligence. He pointed out that humanity may not be able to effectively regulate superintelligent systems, which creates uncertainty about the future of technological development. He warned that current technological means cannot ensure reliable control over superintelligence.
Overall, Altman's New Year message not only showcases OpenAI's ambitious goals in the field of artificial intelligence but also raises deep reflections on the safety of future technologies.
