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It’s the stuff of science fiction nightmares but now ministers have been told when artificial intelligence could finally be smarter than us – and it’s next year.
Government sources say they are ‘very live to’ the looming deadline when AI is expected to overtake humans.
Last night experts warned that British jobs could be at risk if ministers fail to adequately prepare for the rate of change.
The technical term for the milestone is ‘AGI 2026’ – referring to Artificial General Intelligence – and the point when the technology is expected to reach beyond human capability.
The concept of AI outperforming humans in the near future has been backed by Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, which owns ChatGPT.
While AI can already outperform people in some narrow fields, such as chess, AGI is defined as outstripping human intelligence across the board.
OpenAI defines it as ‘a highly autonomous system that outperforms humans at most economically valuable work’ – and being able to effectively ‘enter the workforce’ in many different jobs.
A Government source said: ‘We are gearing up to it. It is largely incredibly exciting, though there are some issues to sort out. But we are very live to it.’
The source added that ‘different people say different dates’ for when the precise moment is reached but that work is ongoing to prepare for it.
Former digital minister Matt Warman, now on the board of trade body UKAI, said: ‘Existing artificial intelligence is already transforming the workplace – if we do begin to see AGI emerge in 2026, it will mark the start of unprecedented further changes across business and the state, including when it comes to warfare and intelligence.
‘Britain has to make sure we are ready for it whenever it comes by investing in research, alliances and skills. Failure to do so could put much more than jobs at risk.’
It is the latest concern over the threat of AI, following an outcry over its potential to devastate creative industries.
The Mail on Sunday and sister paper the Daily Mail have been campaigning to stop government plans to allow Big Tech firms to ignore copyright rules when training their AI systems.
A Government spokesman said: ‘AI has the potential to transform the lives of people across the country, from teachers personalising lessons, to supporting small businesses with record-keeping, and helping to discover cures for diseases.
‘Our AI Opportunities Action Plan will reap the rewards of this technology for all Britons: ultimately creating jobs, delivering investment, and turbocharging our Plan for Change.’