A significant credibility gap is forming between AI executives' talk of "superintelligence" and the often buggy, frustrating reality of using current models. This disconnect devalues serious policy discussions and creates cynicism, with observers noting we are in an "extremely capable tool era," not a "new social contract era."

The industry promotes

OpenAI's CEO believes the term "AGI" is ill-defined and its milestone may have passed without fanfare. He proposes focusing on "superintelligence" instead, defining it as an AI that can outperform the best human at complex roles like CEO or president, creating a clearer, more impactful threshold.

After facing backlash for over-promising on past releases, OpenAI has adopted a "low ball" communication strategy. The company intentionally underplayed the GPT-5.1 update to avoid being "crushed" by criticism when perceived improvements don't match the hype, letting positive user discoveries drive the narrative instead.

AI companies exploit the lack of a scientific consensus on 'AGI' (Artificial General Intelligence) by defining it differently to suit their audience—as a cure-all for regulators, a helpful assistant for consumers, or a revenue machine for investors.

The dramatic stories of AI agents forming civilizations are not accidents but a calculated marketing strategy. This narrative creates hype and a perception of immense power to drive enterprise sign-ups and compete with the threat of free, on-premise open-source alternatives.

Many companies market AI products based on compelling demos that are not yet viable at scale. This 'marketing overhang' creates a dangerous gap between customer expectations and the product's actual capabilities, risking trust and reputation. True AI products must be proven in production first.

Dr. Li views the distinction between AI and AGI as largely semantic and market-driven, rather than a clear scientific threshold. The original goal of AI research, dating back to Turing, was to create machines that can think and act like humans. The term "AGI" doesn't fundamentally change this North Star for scientists.

Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are generating buzz and a perception of power not by releasing models, but by strategically suggesting their latest creations are too risky for public access due to cybersecurity risks. This turns safety concerns into a status symbol and competitive marketing tactic.