UN Highlights "Unprecedented Risks" as AGI Nears Within Decade

A recent social media post from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, stating simply "> agi is calling." on August 28, 2025, has reignited discussions within the artificial intelligence community regarding the imminent arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). This comes as a United Nations report, released in June 2025, underscores the potential for AGI to emerge within the current decade, warning of both transformative benefits and significant global risks.

Altman, known for his frequent cryptic remarks on AI advancements, often uses phrases like "feel the AGI" to signal perceived breakthroughs in his company's models. While such statements generate considerable public interest, they also draw scrutiny from observers who view them as marketing efforts, highlighting the ongoing debate about what truly constitutes AGI and the pace of its development.

The UN Council of Presidents of the General Assembly (UNCPGA) report emphasizes AGI's capacity to "accelerate scientific discoveries related to public health" and "transform industries." However, it concurrently outlines six major risks, including the loss of human control over advanced AI systems, the potential for AGI-enabled weapons of mass destruction, and threats to cybersecurity and economic stability. The report calls for immediate and coordinated international action to mitigate these dangers.

Major technology companies, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Meta, are making substantial financial investments and R&D efforts towards achieving AGI. Despite these efforts, experts remain divided on whether current large language models (LLMs) truly represent AGI or are merely highly advanced forms of narrow AI, capable of specific tasks but lacking true general intelligence and autonomous real-world agency. The UN report suggests that without proactive global management, competition could accelerate risky AGI development.