--- title: "Sam Altman Says AGI Is “Achievable With Current Hardware”" description: "During a Reddit AMA, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman claimed that AGI is \"achievable with current hardware,\" a bold but largely meaningless claim." date: "2024-11-01" modified: "2024-11-01" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/sam-altman-agi-achievable-current-hardware" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "OpenAI" tags: - "agi" - "ai chatbots" - "chatgpt" - "OpenAI" - "sam altman" --- # Sam Altman Says AGI Is “Achievable With Current Hardware” ![During a Reddit AMA, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman claimed that AGI is "achievable with current hardware," a bold but largely meaningless claim.]() *\Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/Futurism\* OpenAI has made realizing artificial general intelligence, the point at which the capabilities of an AI surpass those of a human, [its number one priority]() — yet plenty of questions remain. For one, the point at which AGI will become a reality remains a huge point of contention, with experts' predictions ranging from [years]() to the [larger part of a decade]() to the current trajectory of machine learning being a [dead end that'll never get there](). Even the exact definition of AGI is [still heavily debated](), making it a murky milestone. Regardless, the stakes are high: the AI industry has poured untold billions of dollars into building out datacenters to train AI models, an investment that's likely [many years away from paying off](). Naturally, OpenAI CEO and hypeman Sam Altman has remained optimistic. During a [Reddit AMA]() this week, he even [claimed]() that AGI is "achievable with current hardware." His projection shouldn't come as a surprise. It's exactly what we'd expect from the person in charge of a multibillion-dollar company that has made it its mission to realize AGI. But even for Altman, who has a track record of making lofty statements about AI, it's an unusual claim, suggesting he believes the company's current investments in AI infrastructure will result in realizing AGI. However, without any further clarification of what he means by "current hardware," it's a fairly empty statement. Altman's claim is reminiscent of Tesla CEO Elon Musk's [original promise well over a decade ago]() that his carmaker's hardware at the time would allow a car to fully drive itself, a woefully inaccurate and misleading prediction. In August, Tesla [quietly pulled]() any mentions of th**o**se promises from its website. Earlier this month, Musk [admitted]() that even the latest generation of Teslas' hardware may not be sufficient to enable an "unsupervised" version of the company's so-called "Full Self-Driving" software, which currently needs to be constantly monitored by a human driver. It's of course in Altman's interest to claim that the company's current hardware investments will enable a fantastical future in which AIs can surpass the intellect of a human being: much of his company's valuation depends on such a promise and the continued enthusiasm from investors. But despite being in charge of the company, it's hard to get any degree of certainty from Altman. In a [lengthy blog post]() titled "The Intelligence Age" last month, he predicted that "superintelligence" is a mere "few thousand days" away — a [hilariously vague metric]() that could equate to many years. "It may take longer, but I’m confident we’ll get there," he added. **More on AGI:** *[OpenAI's AGI Czar Quits, Saying the Company Isn't Ready for What It's Building]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()