Databricks co-founder wins prestigious ACM award, says ‘AGI is here already’

Matei Zaharia, the co-founder and CTO of Databricks, recently received the prestigious ACM Prize in Computing for 2026. Surprised by the honor, Zaharia recalled almost missing the notification about the award. He first gained recognition in 2009 for his groundbreaking work at UC Berkeley, where he developed the open-source project Spark, which revolutionized big data processing. Under Zaharia's leadership, Databricks has transformed into a major player in the cloud storage sector, facilitating advancements in AI and data processing. The company has achieved significant financial milestones, raising over $20 billion and reaching a valuation of $134 billion, alongside impressive revenues of $5.4 billion. The Association for Computing Machinery honored Zaharia for his extensive contributions to the field, which includes a monetary prize of $250,000 that he plans to donate to an as-yet-unnamed charity. Balancing his roles as CTO and an associate professor at UC Berkeley, Zaharia is looking ahead at the future of AI. He expressed his belief that artificial general intelligence (AGI) is already present, albeit in forms that are not widely recognized. Zaharia cautioned against applying human standards to AI, stating that while AIs can process vast amounts of information efficiently, their capabilities should not be mistaken for human-like comprehension. He highlighted the dual nature of AI tools, using the example of OpenClaw, an AI assistant that can perform many tasks but also poses security risks by mimicking human behavior. This raises concerns about the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive information. Zaharia is particularly optimistic about the role of AI in automating research across various fields, from biology to data analysis. He envisions a future where AI can enhance understanding rather than just application development. He anticipates that advancements in AI will enable deeper insights, such as interpreting complex signals beyond text and images, aiding in molecular simulations, and improving research methodologies overall. As he continues to contribute to the tech landscape, Zaharia's vision emphasizes leveraging AI's unique strengths to enhance human knowledge and capabilities.