What distinguishes General AI from Narrow AI?

The distinction between General AI and Narrow AI is primarily based on the capabilities of the systems. General AI refers to a type of artificial intelligence that possesses the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a broad range of tasks in a way that is comparable to human intelligence. This means it can perform any intellectual task that a human can do, showcasing flexibility and adaptability in various contexts and situations.

In contrast, Narrow AI is designed to handle specific tasks or functions. While it may be very effective at executing particular jobs—like language translation, facial recognition, or playing chess—it lacks the ability to understand or perform tasks outside its specialized area. It does not exhibit human-like intelligence across diverse tasks.

This fundamental difference highlights why the characteristic of exhibiting human-like intelligence across a variety of tasks distinctly defines General AI.