Billions of Dollars Down the Drain? 76% of AI Researchers Consider AGI ‘Unrealistic Goal’

Despite massive investments in pursuit of AGI, a new survey reveals that most AI researchers are skeptical that current approaches will ever lead to it. They suggest that simply scaling up AI systems is unlikely to achieve human-level reasoning, potentially squandering billions on a goal that lacks a clear path forward.

A survey by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) found that 76% of AI researchers dismiss artificial general intelligence (AGI) as an unrealistic goal with the existing transformer-based AI technologies. Citing stagnant progress and fundamental limitations, experts argue that recent AI advancements have hit a plateau and that the road to AGI remains murky at best. Without a concrete definition or reliable way to measure AGI, they warn that continued investment risks becoming a financial black hole.

Researchers’ blunt assessment of AGI’s future

The AAAI study reveals that many AI researchers believe AGI remains out of reach with today’s AI models. According to respondents, while current artificial intelligence can generate text, solve equations, and recognize images, it falls short in reasoning through complex problems, adapting to new situations, or understanding cause and effect. Without these abilities, they argue, AGI remains more fiction than an impending breakthrough.

AI researchers also call out serious flaws in how AGI is defined and tested. There is no universal benchmark, and numerous evaluations favor pattern recognition over genuine intelligence. Without a clear scientific standard, AI scientists insist that progress cannot be measured accurately, casting doubt on the value of ongoing investments.

If AGI is a bad bet, what are possible repercussions for AI investors?

Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are ramping up their AI investments, with spending expected to outpace previous projections. Bloomberg Intelligence reports that these AI giants will invest $371 billion into data centers and computing resources in 2025, with annual spending projected to surge past $525 billion by 2032.

If AGI proves to be an unrealistic goal as the AI researchers claim, these investments could trigger wasted resources and market instability. Companies pouring billions into AI infrastructure may struggle to recoup their investments if reasoning models fail to meet expectations, forcing them to rethink strategies or scale back AI spending.

The repercussions could ripple across industries and economies. Businesses banking on AGI may be forced to pull the plug on AI projects, triggering layoffs for AI workers. The financial fallout could also erode trust in AI advancements, making future funding scarcer and stifling innovation across the entire tech sector.
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