09. The Path to AGI: Swarm Intelligence and the Future

The Fable of the Bees: Intelligence in the Swarm

A single bee has extremely low intelligence; it can’t even recognize a mirror. However, a Swarm of tens of thousands of bees exhibits “Super Intelligence”:

• They precisely calculate the hexagonal geometry of the hive (saving the most wax).
• They communicate exact coordinates through the “Waggle Dance.”
• 他们 organized complex defensive tactics instantly when threatened.

This Swarm Intelligence has deeply inspired AI scientists.

For a long time, we waited for the “One Model” to appear, thinking that if it were large enough, it would solve all problems like a god. But in 2026, we’ve realized: The path to AGI lies not in “Size,” but in “Swarm.”

1. Why the “Singular Model AGI” is an Illusion

Just as in human society, no single person can be a top physicist, a master chef, a brilliant lawyer, and a plumber simultaneously. AI is the same.

A model that writes beautiful poetry has neural network weights biased toward creativity and divergence, which makes it less suited for precise mathematical proofs (which require rigor and convergence).

The truth of AGI is: Multi-Agent Systems.

The future of super-intelligence looks like a seamless Intelligent Network. When you say, “Build me a disruptive e-commerce app”:

• A Product Manager Agent emerges to organize requirements.
• An Architect Agent designs the tech stack.
• A Coder Agent writes the code.
• A Tester Agent finds bugs.
• A Marketer Agent writes the copy.

You feel like you’re talking to an all-knowing god, but behind the scenes is a buzzing “Digital Swarm.” They fulfill their duties and even argue with each other (adversarial generation) to reach the optimal solution.

2. Software is “Self-Evolving” (Bootstrapping)

After 2025, a startling phenomenon occurred: AI began writing AI.

In the past, software was written by humans. Because human energy is limited, software evolved linearly. In the Agent era, we see the prototype of Software Bootstrapping:

1. An AI Agent notices an algorithm is inefficient during operation.
2. It reads the latest research papers and finds an optimization.
3. It modifies its own code.
4. It recompiles and redeploys itself.
5. The new version is smarter and more efficient than the old one.

This “self-growth” capability allows technology to evolve exponentially rather than linearly. Has the “Singularity” arrived? Perhaps not yet, but the “Self-Evolution Loop” has formed. Humanity is shifting from “Writers of Code” to “Wishers of Systems.”

3. The Ultimate Human Role After 2026

If AI Agents can do all the work and even evolve themselves, what use are humans? Are we destined to be like the humans in WALL-E, floating in chairs being fed by machines?

This is a philosophical question and a practical challenge. But observation shows AI still lacks two things—the final fortresses of humanity:

First: Real Desire

AI has no hunger, no fear, no love, and no hate.

• It writes poetry because you asked, not because it felt sad watching a falling leaf.
• It makes money because of a KPI you set, not because it wants to buy a Ferrari.

AI has immense “Capability,” but it lacks “Intent.” All goals must originate from human desire. Humans are the ones who say “I want,” and AI is the one that says “Yes, boss.”

Second: Ultimate Accountability

An Agent can execute a task, but it cannot bear the moral or legal consequences.

• If an AI doctor misdiagnoses, we can’t put the AI in jail. We can only punish the doctor who used it or the company that built it.
• If an autonomous vehicle hits someone, the liability remains with the owner.

In the AGI era, humanity becomes the “Source of Intent” and the “Judge of Value.” You don’t need to learn how to turn a screw, but you need to learn:

• How do we define a “Good Society”?
• How do we design a “Valuable Product”?
• How do we balance efficiency with humanity?

4. Conclusion: The Future is Here

As you finish this series, an Agent might already be processing an order for you or planning your next trip.

The history of AI is a history of Humanity Handing Over Power:

• Industrial Revolution: We handed over Physical Power (steam engines replaced muscle).
• Information Revolution: We handed over Computational Power (computers replaced the abacus).
• AI Revolution: We are handing over Execution Power (Agents replace junior mental labor).

After the power is handed over, what remains is the Soul.

Welcome to the Age of AI. This isn’t a story of machines replacing humans; it’s a story of humans being liberated from drudgery to redefine themselves.

The future is in your hands—or rather, in every instruction you give to your Agent.

Alan Turing once said: “We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.”

Now, Agents are doing those things for us. Our job is to look further ahead.