Everyone wants to reach artificial general intelligence but why?

The race toward artificial general intelligence (AGI) is driven by its transformative potential, despite being far from reality. Companies pursuing AGI are motivated by economic dominance, scientific advancement, and geopolitical advantage, though current AI systems merely simulate intelligence through pattern recognition rather than possessing true human-like cognitive abilities. Business leaders should focus on how existing AI technologies impact their industries now, rather than worrying about a distant singularity.