Verizon CEO Dan Schulman says AGI could arrive within 18 months

Verizon CEO Dan Schulman thinks artificial general intelligence is closer than most people are planning for. At the Ford Pro Accelerate event in Detroit, he put the timeline at somewhere between six and 18 months. The worst models you’ll ever use Schulman made the remarks while speaking with Fortune’s Diane Brady. His core argument: AI is improving so fast that whatever you’re using right now is already obsolete in waiting. “The models that we see today are the worst models we’ll ever use in our lives,” Schulman said. “Every two months, there’s a step function change in the power of the models. I think we get to some form of AGI in the next six to 18 months. I think it’s right on us.” His forecast suggests AGI could land as early as the end of 2026. Broader estimates in the conversation around his comments stretch from 2026 to 2028, or roughly two to four years out. Verizon’s bet on becoming AI-native Schulman is steering Verizon toward what the company calls an “AI-native” model, meaning AI is built into how the business operates rather than bolted on as a side project. A few pieces of that plan stand out: Reskilling: Verizon is putting an initial $20 million toward retraining emp...