Microsoft Invests $1 Billion in OpenAI’s Mission to Build Artificial General Intelligence

Since its inception in 2015, OpenAI has been chasing the lofty goal of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of all. But it turns out that doesn’t come cheap, so now Microsoft will pump $1 billion into OpenAI’s effort.

As smart as today’s best AI is, it still doesn’t have the kind of general intelligence humans are blessed with. Machines have reached superhuman performance in some specific tasks, but unlike us they’re not great at mastering multiple challenges or transferring their knowledge between different jobs.

Many in Silicon Valley believe that creating AGI will lead to a step-change in the capabilities of machines and potentially even usher in a technological singularity. When it was launched in 2015 by Elon Musk and Y Combinator chairman Sam Altman, OpenAI’s goal was to ensure such AGI was ushered into the world in a safe and responsible way without the…
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