OpenAI, which recorded a loss of $5 billion on a revenue of $3.7 billion last year, is betting on a massive vision: the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). According to CEO Sam Altman, the path to AGI—machine intelligence that surpasses humans in most cognitive areas—is now clearly defined. This statement surprised many, as AGI is still considered a theoretical concept and the ultimate goal of the AI industry.

Altman explained that AGI is more a process on the way to superintelligence than a defined endpoint. Critics like AI researcher Gary Marcus vehemently disagree, emphasizing that current technologies lack sufficient logical capabilities and reliable results. Despite such concerns, OpenAI was valued at $150 billion in October – a sign of investors' confidence in the potential profits AGI could generate.

A breakthrough in AGI development could accelerate scientific discoveries and greatly increase productivity. However, the prospect of a superintelligence also raises questions about power concentration and existential risks. While these discussions remain largely theoretical, narrower AI applications, such as so-called agentic AI, are becoming increasingly important. These systems, which autonomously perform specific tasks like booking travel or coordinating appointments, are attracting billions in investments.

According to the CB Insights State of Venture 2024 Report, 37 percent of global venture capital investments – around $275 billion – went to AI startups. Agentic AI and customer support are the fastest-growing sectors. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang recently emphasized that such systems can "perceive, plan, and act," making them crucial tools for the future.

However, the use of autonomous AI agents requires trust in the technology, which remains a challenge in light of security risks such as so-called hallucinations or prompt injections. Building a secure and scalable infrastructure will be crucial to fully unleash the economic potential of these systems.

Investments in AI are enormous – but whether investors will have the patience until they pay off remains uncertain.