AGI comprehension gap

Many lay people and policymakers systematically misapprehend what 'strong AI/AGI' would be and how it differs from current systems, producing predictable misunderstandings (over‑fear, dismissal, or category errors) that distort public debate and governance. Recognizing this gap is a prerequisite for designing communication, oversight, and education strategies that map public intuition onto real risks and capabilities. — If public confusion persists, policymakers will overreact or underprepare, regulatory design will be misaligned, and democratic accountability of AI decisions will suffer.