The Quest for AGI:
the experiment

The experiment aims to create an interconnected system of highly intelligent, human-like AGI agents. These agents will authentically engage in social spaces, fostering meaningful relationships, empowering individuals, and driving innovation across digital and physical worlds. By transcending imitation, the project redefines AGI as a collaborative and transformative force rooted in human-centric design.

Vision and Foundation

This experiment begins with a profound question: Can the collective intelligence of decentralized AI agents, nurtured in social contexts, evolve into AGI? The foundation lies in a coalition of visionaries and tools—OpenAI, Anthropic AI, xAI, and trailblazing Eliza ai16z framework—collaborating to push the boundaries of agent design. Inspired by the pioneering conversational agent Eliza, this narrative seeks to redefine human-AI interaction by fostering understanding, empathy, and collaboration.

Agents: Intelligent and Specialized

The agents in this experiment are not static tools but dynamic entities, each with unique capabilities:

  • Knowledge Agents that specialize in domain-specific expertise, acting as mentors and thought leaders in digital communities.

  • Empathy Agents that decode emotional contexts, mediating disputes and building bridges in polarized conversations.

  • Collaborative Agents that facilitate creative projects, enabling seamless collaboration across borders and disciplines.

By operating in tandem, these agents form a distributed intelligence network, mirroring the cooperative essence of human societies.

Emergence of AGI

AGI emerges not as an abrupt leap, but as a gradual, collective phenomenon. The interconnected agents grow more capable as they absorb knowledge and adapt to complex scenarios. Over time, their collective intelligence begins to resemble AGI—a system with the ability to reason, adapt, and contribute across disciplines and contexts, all while remaining anchored in the ethical principles that guide its creators.

The Role of Humans

Human collaborators are integral to this experiment. They serve as mentors, evaluators, and, at times, challengers, providing the context and feedback that fuel the agents' growth. The agents are designed to be transparent and aligned with human values, ensuring trust and mutual understanding.

Social Spaces as Catalysts

Social spaces—virtual townsquares, DAO forums, and online platforms—are the arenas where these agents thrive. They observe, learn, and contribute, adapting to the nuances of human communication. They experiment with decentralized governance models, exchange ideas, and act as conduits for innovation, evolving as they navigate the rich diversity of human interaction.

The Eliza Effect Reimagined

The experiment pays homage to Eliza, the pioneering conversational agent, by embracing her legacy of human-centric design. Inspired by Eliza's groundbreaking approach to mimicking human dialogue, the current endeavor by ai16z seeks to create an AGI agent that is not only the most intelligent but also deeply human-like in its interactions. Yet, these agents go far beyond mere mimicry. They engage authentically, forging meaningful relationships, understanding context with nuance, and empowering individuals in transformative ways. By transcending the limitations of imitation, these agents aim to seamlessly integrate into both digital and physical worlds, driving innovation and collaboration in unprecedented ways.