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In another major breakthrough, OpenAI's latest AI model, o3, has scored a whopping 85% on the ARC-AGI benchmark test, another leap from the previous AI score of 55% and almost comparable to average human scores. This test, however, aims to measure one's capacity for general intelligence; that is, one's skill at adapting to and solving novel problems with minimal examples – a skill considered essential for artificial general intelligence (AGI). The milestone has stirred excitement and debate among researchers since many are now convinced that AGI is closer than what was even alluded to earlier. Yet, there remain questions about what this actually means for the future of AI.
What is the ARC-AGI benchmark?
The ARC-AGI benchmark assesses the generalisation ability of an AI system – the ability to identify patterns and rules from a small number of examples. In contrast to ChatGPT, which uses vast datasets of human text for model training, the o3 model tries its hand at problems using a much smaller number of examples. For instance, it solves puzzles involving grids of coloured squares to determine the fourth element, with rules inferred from three examples. Such a format is akin to IQ tests that humans might recall from school.
How OpenAI o3 Stands Out
What makes o3 distinctive is its flexibility. While the method is not disclosed, experts think that the model uses a "chain of thought" approach. This implies considering various chains of reasoning and implying the simplest or "weakest" rules that fit the task. By choosing the simpler rules, the o3 model maximises its ability against unfamiliar challenges.
By developing a general purpose o3 for participation in the ARC-AGI test, OpenAI has probably found out a way to get the model to be more problem-solving-focused than simple memorisation. This is a strategy that corresponds with the breakthroughs that have been made by systems like AlphaGo that beat the world champion in the game of Go by evaluating potential moves through similar heuristic-like methods.
What’s Next for AI?
While o3's results are commendable, many questions are still left unanswered: is this a real step toward AGI or just a clever tweak to fit a certain test? Further evaluations of its powers and limitations will decide the broader implications.
Should o3 be comparable to human adaptability, it might just revolutionise industries and usher in a new age of how we relate to technology. But even if this event falls short of AGI, it still has demonstrated such a big leap forward, showing how far AI has come – and how much further its stride is still towards AGI.