The artificial intelligence industry is reaching an exciting new frontier, and Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman has proposed a fascinating way to measure progress. His challenge is both simple and profound: can an AI agent take $100,000 and legally turn it into $1 million?

Suleyman calls this benchmark "Artificial Capable Intelligence" (ACI), describing it as a modern version of the famous Turing Test. Rather than simply mimicking human conversation, this test would demonstrate an AI's ability to plan strategically, reason through complex scenarios, make sound decisions, and navigate real-world rules and regulations—all crucial skills for meaningful collaboration with humans.

"Can an agent take $100k and legally turn it into $1M? To me that's the modern Turing Test," Suleyman shared on social media, sparking an energizing conversation about the future of AI capabilities.

This proposal comes at a thrilling time for the AI industry. Technology leaders across major companies are investing heavily in AI agents—autonomous systems designed to handle tasks with minimal human supervision. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, and others are pioneering this next generation of enterprise software that promises to revolutionize how we work.

The progress has been remarkable. Salesforce reports that their AI systems have reached approximately 93% accuracy, with AI now handling up to 50% of certain workflows at the company. Benioff enthusiastically describes this transformation as a "digital labor revolution," highlighting how these technologies are augmenting human capabilities rather than simply replacing them.

Sam Altman has shared his optimistic vision that AI could automate up to 40% of routine tasks currently performed by humans, freeing people to focus on more creative, strategic, and meaningful work. He's even suggested that artificial general intelligence (AGI) could arrive before 2030—a timeline that reflects the rapid pace of innovation in the field.

Of course, healthy debate is part of any technological revolution. OpenAI co-founder and AI researcher Andrej Karpathy offers a more measured perspective, suggesting that current autonomous AI systems still have room for improvement. His candid assessment reminds us that we're in an "intermediate stage"—a natural part of the development process as researchers work to refine these powerful tools.

This diversity of viewpoints is actually a positive sign. It shows that the AI community is engaged in thoughtful, rigorous evaluation of progress rather than rushing forward recklessly. The conversations between optimists and pragmatists help ensure that AI development remains grounded, ethical, and focused on creating genuine value.

Suleyman's proposed test is particularly encouraging because it emphasizes legal and ethical operation within real-world constraints. This isn't about AI doing anything to make money—it's about demonstrating sophisticated judgment, risk assessment, strategic planning, and compliance with human rules and values.

As we move toward this exciting future, the focus remains on building AI systems that enhance human potential, create new opportunities, and solve meaningful problems. Whether Suleyman's million-dollar challenge becomes the standard benchmark or simply sparks new ideas, it represents the kind of ambitious, principled thinking that will guide AI toward becoming a truly beneficial partner in human progress.