Helen Toner Argues 'AGI' is Now a Useless Term, Calls for Specific Milestones
ajeya_cotra · x · 2026-08-12
In a recent essay, Helen Toner argues that the term "AGI" has become practically useless as AI capabilities develop in a highly "jagged" manner.
Toner points out that people historically treated AGI as a clear, "know-it-when-you-see-it" milestone. However, the reality of uneven capability progress means there are massive gaps between when different definitions of AGI are met. With serious figures simultaneously claiming AGI has been achieved and others saying it's a decade away, Toner urges the industry to abandon the fuzzy concept in favor of more specific, ambitious, and quantifiable milestones.
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