Since Norvig is one of the speakers of the next Singularity Summit – http://sss.stanford.edu/ – one might have expected him to have a more practical approach towards artificial general intelligence. However, taking everything that is public about Google's attitude towards AGI into consideration, I conclude that:

- Google will need AGI in the long term (see Larry's comments).
- Google believes that the amount of time and technology that is necessary to achieve AGI is substantially larger than people like Ben Goertzel think.
- If an AGI startup like a2i2, Novamente or Shane Legg's startup can present actual results, Google will immediately buy it and Google's attitude towards AGI will change.
- If no startup achieves significant results, Google will continue its narrow AI approach.

AI would be awesome and would be the one reason why I should graduate with a great GPA and a CS degree just so that I can get into Google. =)

On an irrelevant note, I've noticed the strangeness of the new way Google Image works. When you select "Showing: small images" you get primarily square images (whereas before I distinctly remember getting pictures of different sizes)... strange, hm?

On another irrelevant note, I just wanted to point out that the fourth annual International Weblogger's Day takes place June 14th, which is very soon, so please make sure to participate by visiting http://www.inweday.org.

Thanks Phillipp!