AI is Intelligent, But Not Like Us - Here’s Why
Artificial intelligence
Let me emphasize this crucial point: AI is intelligent. Writing this may seem redundant since intelligence is literally in the name “artificial intelligence.” Of course, it’s intelligent, right? But the reality is that even the people developing AI do not fully grasp what intelligence as a technology truly means - especially because it evolves over months and not millions of years. Even though we don’t fully grasp what unfolds within AI’s neural networks (just like we don’t understand how any other intelligence on the planet function), I believe we have reached an evolutionary point where we must acknowledge—if not embrace—AI as a fellow intelligence, if we want to work with it effectively.
To harness AI, we must learn to communicate with it—not as a human counterpart, but as a new type of intelligence that can augment our decision-making and operations. In many ways, it is like having an intern who can process information tirelessly, but unlike a human intern, AI lacks intuition, independent reasoning, and self-awareness. Key shortcomings that become crystal clear for anyone who has worked with AI professionally. Understanding these distinctions is essential for integrating AI into businesses in a way that maximizes its strengths.
From Rules to Learning
Machine learning is comparable to ant or bee-level intelligence. Just as a colony of ants can exhibit complex behaviours through simple rules and collaboration, machine learning models can perform intricate tasks through pattern recognition and optimization. However, much like an ant, these models remain limited outside their core functions—they do not generalize well beyond their training data, nor do they possess an intrinsic understanding of the world.
On the other hand, generative AI (or Machine Intelligence) represents a step closer to human-like intelligence. Unlike traditional machine learning models, generative AI can create novel content, adapt to various contexts, and even exhibit creativity. It can engage in a wider range of activities, from composing music to generating human-like conversations. While this flexibility makes generative AI seem more human-like, it is crucial to recognize that AI intelligence remains fundamentally different from human intelligence.
The evolution of AI from its early days of rigid, rule-based systems to today’s dynamic, learning models has been nothing short of extraordinary. Initially, AI followed strict, predefined instructions—systems that could execute tasks but lacked adaptability. The advent of machine learning and deep learning ushered in a new era, where algorithms could learn from vast amounts of data, improving over time without direct human intervention. This progression has not only broadened AI's applications—from image recognition to natural language processing—but has also underscored its growing potential to reshape industries.
Yet, each stage of AI development builds upon the next. As we witness these advancements, it is mindboggling to think that we are at the beginning of AI’s journey. The rapid pace of innovation suggests that the sophisticated systems we see today are just a prelude to what’s possible tomorrow. As AI continues to evolve and integrate more seamlessly into our lives, the future holds opportunities and challenges that promise to redefine our relationship with technology in ways we can only begin to imagine.
The Future of AI: Beyond Our Imagination
“The potential of artificial intelligence is so great that we cannot even fathom the extent of it. It’s a bit like a Swiss Army knife that just keeps getting new types of tools.”
— Thomas Bolander, Professor at DTU
AI’s rapid evolution continually redefines possibilities. As Bolander suggests, it’s an ever-expanding toolkit, offering opportunities we can barely predict. Each breakthrough enhances our capabilities, reshaping how we interact with the concept of intelligence as a technology.
“We have reached a development level where we can build AI models that are incredibly large and can do a lot of things, but we have by no means reached the limit.”
— Thomas Bolander, Professor at DTU
The journey ahead holds transformative breakthroughs. AI is only beginning to redefine possibilities. Though we don’t fully understand its nature, recognizing AI as an intelligence is critical to understanding it as a collaborator. To integrate it effectively, we must learn to interact with AI. As we refine this technology, one key question remains: How will we shape AI, and how will AI shape us?
