OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and physicist David Deutsch proposed a groundbreaking test for artificial intelligence (AI): if an AI can solve the mystery of quantum gravity and articulate its reasoning, it may be deemed human-level intelligent. This discussion took place during Altman’s visit to Berlin on September 24, as he engaged with tech leaders and received an award at Axel Springer’s headquarters. When asked about his favorite book, Deutsch’s The Beginning of Infinity, he was unexpectedly joined by the author via live-stream from Oxford. Deutsch emphasized that true intelligence is about creating knowledge, not just processing existing data—a point he makes by referencing Einstein’s contributions. Altman then suggested a hypothetical scenario: if an AI could understand and explain quantum gravity, addressing its chosen problems and thought processes, would that qualify as real intelligence? Deutsch affirmed this as a valid criterion, marking a significant step in the evaluation of AI capabilities.
