AGI and the Future of Humanity

Artificial intelligence technology is advancing rapidly, and one of its ultimate goals is to achieve AGI (Artificial General Intelligence).

In this lesson, we will explore what AGI is, how it differs from current AI, and how it might impact human society.

AGI refers to artificial intelligence capable of learning and carrying out a wide variety of tasks autonomously, much like a human.

Up to now, most AI has been specialized in performing specific tasks — known as Narrow AI.

For example, GPT is excellent in language generation but cannot control a robot or drive a car.

AGI, in contrast, would be able to flexibly perform all intellectual activities that humans can, including problem-solving, learning, creativity, and emotional understanding.

While AGI has not yet been developed, numerous research labs worldwide are actively researching it, and large language models like GPT are considered a stepping stone toward AGI.

AGI represents more than just an advancement in technology; it is a transformative technology that could have a significant impact on human society.

Some of the potential changes that AGI could bring to society include:

AGI has the potential to fundamentally reshape the labor market in ways far beyond today’s automation technologies.

Whereas Narrow AI has focused on automating repetitive, rule-based tasks — like chatbots handling customer queries or software automating invoice processing — AGI introduces a new era of flexible, adaptive intelligence. It can learn continuously, reason in complex environments, and operate across diverse fields.

This means AGI could impact not only manual jobs but also highly skilled professions: doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, and researchers may all find their roles transformed.

When paired with robotics, AGI could handle both cognitive and physical tasks, redefining what work looks like across virtually all industries.

While this could liberate people from tedious or dangerous labor, it also brings serious challenges:

• Mass unemployment
• Job displacement
• Widening inequalities

At the same time, new industries and roles are likely to emerge, driven by the need to manage, guide, and collaborate with AGI.

For example:

• AI ethicists to oversee AGI decisions
• Creative collaborators who design with AGI
• Data curators who refine AGI’s training inputs

In short, AGI won’t just take jobs — it will redefine them. The question is not whether work will change, but how ready we are to adapt.

As AGI begins to perform the majority of tasks currently handled by humans, traditional notions of "work" may lose their meaning.

This shift could lead to a dramatic increase in surplus labor, resulting in:

• Widespread unemployment
• Reduced job availability across sectors
• Growing need for social safety nets

In response to this transformation, one idea gaining global traction is Basic Income — a policy where every citizen receives a regular, unconditional payment, ensuring a baseline standard of living and economic dignity, regardless of employment status.

If AGI can maximize productivity, resource distribution without mandatory labor could become a viable societal model.

However, this vision is not without its challenges. Achieving it will require:

• Restructuring existing economic systems
• Forging political consensus across diverse stakeholders
• Redefining values around work, contribution, and purpose

Ultimately, AGI may force humanity to reconsider the role of labor in life, and whether societal worth must be tied to employment at all.

The rise of AGI introduces more than just technical hurdles — it demands a deep and ongoing ethical and philosophical reckoning.

One of the central dilemmas is whether AGI should be granted moral responsibility or rights. If an AGI system can make autonomous decisions, then pressing questions arise:
Who is accountable for its actions?
Is it the developer, the operator, or the AGI itself?

As AGI approaches emotional intelligence or even self-awareness, society may be forced to confront whether it should be treated not merely as a tool, but as a digital entity with personhood.

This leads to complex legal debates around the notion of digital personhood, a framework still in its infancy.

To ensure a responsible path forward, we must define clear ethical boundaries, including:

• What decision-making authority AGI is allowed to hold
• Which domains must remain exclusively human
• How we safeguard human values and autonomy in an AGI-integrated world

Eventually, coexistence with AGI hinges on societal consensus about its rights, responsibilities, and limits.

AGI is a remarkable technology that can significantly extend human intellectual capabilities, yet it also poses substantial risks to humanity.

If an uncontrollable AGI were to be misused, it could result in humanity losing control over AI.

Thus, many researchers emphasize the importance of ensuring reliability and safety and establishing ethical guidelines before advancing AGI development.