If we ever want artificial general intelligence, governments need to invest in it

Pretty much every tech startup that boasts its use of artificial intelligence is actually focused on an ultra-specific problem. Visual effects company Digital Domain has an AI algorithm that automates and enhances video editing; healthcare startup Babylon developed an AI chatbot to answer the constant barrage of patient questions. They do what they're supposed to. But they'll never lead to something more, something bigger. No matter how great these AI systems sound, no startup will ever stumble upon artificial general intelligence (AGI), which is essentially a complete, human-like AI system that has become truly intelligent.