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A lively debate originating on Hacker News and amplified by a popular AI newsletter is raising critical questions about the current direction of the artificial intelligence field. The discussion centers on whether the intense focus on achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is overshadowing the more pressing need for robust AI engineering practices and a thorough understanding of AI’s implications for privacy. Participants expressed fears that the pursuit of AGI distracts from addressing tangible challenges in data handling, algorithmic bias, and the potential for AI to exacerbate surveillance, data scraping, and user profiling. Several real-world examples of AI systems with questionable data practices were cited, further fueling the debate. The original discussion thread can be found on Reddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/artificial/comments/1p292pn/agi_fantasy_is_a_blocker_to_actual_engineering_ai/