The obvious fact is that if you're reading this, you're using a computer to do. You know fairly well how to use the device, but you're unlikely to be using it to its fullest potential. Few of you could explain or understand all the code, let alone how firmware and middleware works and their role. Or how smartphones are a brilliant combining of multiple technologies. Nor can I explain most of the inner workings.

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is an emerging field aiming at the building of "thinking machines"; that is, general-purpose systems with intelligence comparable to that of the human mind. What is currently labeled'artificial intelligence' is largely narrow automated knowledge work, lacking the flexibility and adaptability seen in animal intelligence. The pursuit of AGI begins at a foundational level, asking fundamental questions about models of cognition, knowledge acquisition, making choices through reason, thinking and conceiving the world in adaptive and intuitive ways. You emphasize the importance and value of "artificial understanding" of human language. What are the current "natural language processing" systems (Siri, Alexa, chat-bots, etc.) doing and how does this differ from what AGI is striving for w/regards to working with language? None of the language understanding systems go beyond identifying words correctly in context; this is a major step forward, but not enough.