--- title: "Rumors Swirl That OpenAI Is About to Reveal a “PhD-Level” Human-Tier Intelligence" description: "According to Axios, OpenAI is poised to \"announce a next-level breakthrough that unleashes PhD-level super-agents to do complex human tasks.\"" date: "2025-01-21" modified: "2025-01-21" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/rumors-openai-phd-human-intelligence" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Future Society" - "OpenAI" tags: - "OpenAI" - "the digest" --- # Rumors Swirl That OpenAI Is About to Reveal a “PhD-Level” Human-Tier Intelligence ![According to Axios, OpenAI is poised to "announce a next-level breakthrough that unleashes PhD-level super-agents to do complex human tasks."]() *robot that can write \Image: Getty Images\* ## PhD Candidate Tech execs, [including Mark Zuckerberg](), are excited to start replacing "midlevel engineers" with AI. And if a [recent column]() by *Axios* cofounder Mike Allen and CEO Jim VandeHei is to be believed, it sounds an awful lot like OpenAI is ready to take a big step toward such a future in a matter of "weeks." According to the column, someone in the industry — they heavily hint that it's OpenAI, which is scheduled to deliver a closed-door briefing to US officials later this month — is poised to "announce a next-level breakthrough that unleashes PhD-level super-agents to do complex human tasks." Such a breakthrough "could push generative AI from a fun, cool, aspirational tool to a true replacement for human workers," Allen and VandeHei suggested. But whether the reality will catch up with hype remains to be seen. Despite many years of AI research — and many [noticeably similar announcements]() in the past — the tech is still struggling with the basics. Perhaps most notably, the current crop of AI models is still [introducing sloppy "hallucinations]()" into its text and [code](), mistakes that human PhD students either never make or quickly catch. And all AI we've seen still struggles to complete complex multi-step problems without getting stuck. It's worth pointing out that Allen and VandeHei are hardly neutral observers: just last week, OpenAI [announced a partnership with *Axios*]() as part of an effort to bring "local news to communities across the country." ## Agent Orange According to Allen and VandeHei, these so-called "super-agents" are "designed to tackle messy, multilayered, real-world problems that human minds struggle to organize and conquer." The two cofounders used an eyebrow-raising example to illustrate their point. "Imagine telling your agent, 'Build me new payment software,'" the column reads. "The agent could design, test and deliver a functioning product." Considering current AI models would likely stumble right out of the gate if they were tasked with this kind of query, it's a big claim. Could upcoming "super-agents" really represent such a big leap in capability — or is this yet another example of rampant AI hype? Allen and VandeHei admit in their column that "reliability and hallucinations**"** remain "generative AI's Achilles heel." Even the company's own top researcher, Noam Brown — who would be in a position to know if the company was about to launch something huge — [tweeted]() last week that there's "lots of vague AI hype on social media these days." "There are good reasons to be optimistic about further progress, but plenty of unsolved research problems remain," he added. In short, is OpenAI or one of its competitors *really* on the verge of a "next-level breakthrough" with its allegedly "PhD-level super-agents" — or is it more hot air designed to drum up excitement for the industry? The stakes are certainly high this month. Following president Donald Trump's inauguration, tech leaders [including Sam Altman]() and [Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg]() are stumbling over each other to swear fealty, [donating millions of dollars]() to Trump's inaugural committee. In other words, the timing of Allen and VandeHei's column should give anybody pause. **More on OpenAI:** *[Large Publisher Lays Off More Than 100 Employees After Striking Deal With OpenAI]()* ## 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]()