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OpenAI Establishes Five-Level System To Gauge AI Progress
The ChatGPT creator revealed the new classification system to employees during a recent company-wide meeting.
OpenAI has introduced a five-tier framework to monitor its advancement toward developing artificial intelligence that can rival and even surpass human capabilities.
The initiative is the latest in the startup’s efforts to enhance public understanding of AI safety and was shared with staff during a company-wide meeting on Tuesday, July 9. OpenAI intends to present the levels to investors and other stakeholders, which span from conversational AI (Level 1) to AI that can independently operate an entire organization (Level 5).
During the meeting, OpenAI executives informed employees that the company is currently at the first level but is nearing the second level, known as Reasoners. This tier represents AI systems capable of basic problem-solving tasks comparable to a human with a doctorate-level education.
In the same session, OpenAI’s leadership demonstrated a research project featuring the GPT-4 AI model, showcasing new skills indicative of human-like reasoning. For years, the company has been working towards achieving what is often referred to as artificial general intelligence (AGI), which entails creating computers that can outperform humans in most tasks. Such systems do not yet exist, though OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously suggested that AGI might be achievable later this decade.
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Determining the criteria for AGI has been a topic of ongoing debate among AI researchers. In a paper published in November 2023, researchers at Google DeepMind proposed a framework of five ascending AI levels, including “expert” and “superhuman”, which resembles the classification system used in the automotive industry for self-driving cars.
According to OpenAI’s proposed levels, the third tier on the road to AGI is called Agents, representing AI systems that can perform tasks autonomously over several days. Level 4 describes AI that can generate new innovations, while the highest level, Organizations, refers to AI capable of managing entire enterprises.
The framework, developed by OpenAI executives and senior leaders, is considered a work in progress. The company plans to collect feedback from employees, investors, and its board, with the possibility of refining the levels over time.
News
Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments
Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.
For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.
Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.
Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.
The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.
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The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.
For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.
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