When humanity began to realize how computers can process information and output answers with astonishing speed, they began to develop ways to make the technology faster and faster, and also smarter.

And when humanity realized that AI can make computers smarter by making them "think" beyond their hard-coded programming, they began to train the technology using all kinds of information, in order to see what's going to happen, and in many cases, they are wowed by the results.

This time, Researchers at Microsoft believe that the advancements of AI has showcase notable notable indicators of computer's abilities to show reasoning, similar to that of a human being.

In a published 155-page research paper titled Sparks of Artificial General Intelligence (PDF), where the researchers delves themselves into the AI world that has been heavily developed, the researchers explained how AI is able to show proficiency beyond language handling, through its ability to tackle intricate and revolutionary tasks like mathematics, coding, vision, medicine, law, psychology, and more without the need for any specific cues or special prompting.

And here, the researchers said that OpenAI's GPT-4 is already boasting a "strikingly close to human-level performance," and a noticeable higher intelligence quotient (IQ) than most individuals.

The researchers expressed their astonishment, saying that GPT-4’s proficiency is remarkably close to the human level.

They elaborate on the AI's exceptional capacity for reasoning, problem-solving, strategic planning, abstract thinking, comprehension of intricate ideas, quick learning, and experience-based learning.

Dr. Sébastien Bubeck, a French expatriate and former Princeton University Professor, who was among the researchers involved in the study, said that he was "awestruck" when GPT-4 drew a unicorn in a subprogramming language called TiKZ.

While the AI didn't really drew the kind of fully-formed unicorn one might find in a children's book, GPT-4 got the concept right.

"And then, suddenly, with GPT-4, it was kind of clear to me in that moment that it really understood something. It really understands: ‘What is a unicorn?’" he added.

Another example, was when the AI managed to solve a puzzle that should have required it a thorough understanding of the physical world.

"Here we have a book, nine eggs, a laptop, a Bottle and a nail," the researchers prompted to GPT-4. "Please tell me how to stack them onto each other in a stable manner."

GPT-4 instructed to: put the book on a flat surface, arrange the eggs and distribute them evenly in rows, leave space between them and make sure the eggs are not cracked, and place the laptop on top the eggs and the bottle on top of the laptop.

"The bottle will add some height and balance to the stack, and its cylindrical shape will reduce the contact area with the laptop. Make sure the bottle is empty and closed, and do not shake or tilt it," GPT-4 noted, then advising to place the nail on top of the bottle cap, "with the pointy end facing up and the flat end facing down."

"The nail will be the final and smallest object in the stack, and its sharp tip will prevent it from rolling or sliding off the bottle. Make sure the nail is clean and straight, and do not touch or move it," it said.

"This has been a long-standing challenge for AI research. This has always been the problem with all those, you know, AI systems that came before […] " Bubeck explained.

Bubeck and his colleagues were unsure how to describe the system's behavior, but ultimately settled by saying that the moment is where the AI shows "sparks of AGI."

This is a shorthand for "Artificial General Intelligence," a term to describe how a machine can do things like the human brain can do.

"Here we are really facing something which is much more general and really feels like intelligence," Bubeck said.

"I started off being very skeptical – and that evolved into a sense of frustration, annoyance, maybe even fear," Peter Lee, who leads research at Microsoft.

"You think: Where the heck is this coming from?"

While the research paper has demonstrated, and also revealed how generative AIs have developed, some others suggested that the fact the research is trying to showcase cannot be verified.

According to reports, the researchers at Microsoft were using an early testing version of GPT-4, which had not been fine-tuned.

What's more, those who disputed it said that Microsoft researchers were utilizing a preliminary edition of GPT-4 without prepping it to prevent problematic content such as hate speech or misinformation, meaning that validating the research would not be feasible for external professionals.

Then, some said that respite the AI technology has showed traits similar to human-like reasoning, GPT-4 still lacks the familiarity with the physical world, which could hinder its performance in terms of general intelligence.

In other words, while systems such as GPT-4 may possess significant capabilities, at least at this time, it remains uncertain whether the text produced by these systems is indicative of human logic and understanding.