Chinese scientists have made a groundbreaking achievement in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) by introducing the world’s first AI child. Meet Tong Tong, the virtual AI avatar created by the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence (BIGAI). Tong Tong was recently unveiled to the public in Beijing, marking a significant milestone in the development of general artificial intelligence (AGI).
Under the leadership of Zhu Songchun, a renowned AI expert, BIGAI envisions Tong Tong as a major step towards creating an AGI agent that can think and reason like a human being. Unlike traditional AI systems that excel in specific tasks, an AGI agent possesses the ability to perform a wide range of tasks, similar to the versatility of a human mind.
Tong Tong demonstrated abilities comparable to those of a three- or four-year-old child during her public debut. She showcased skills such as cleaning up, fixing things, and responding to human commands, like fetching a towel to clean up a spill. What sets Tong Tong apart is her capacity to assign tasks to herself without explicit instructions, exhibiting a level of independence never before seen in virtual entities. Her creators have also endowed her with emotions and intellect, making her a truly unique AI creation.
As part of their research, the team at BIGAI has also devised a novel method to evaluate AGI called the Tong test. This comprehensive test assesses an AI’s intelligence across various domains, including vision, language, thinking, movement, and learning. Moreover, it takes into account different values such as survival and emotions. The Tong test plays a crucial role in ensuring that AGI can seamlessly integrate into human environments, possessing practical skills and values.