×
Recent AI Developments Beg the Question ‘Have We Reached Peak Human?’
Written by
Published on
Join our daily newsletter for breaking news, product launches and deals, research breakdowns, and other industry-leading AI coverage
Join Now

AI’s rapid advancement challenges human supremacy: The race to develop superintelligent AI systems is accelerating, with major players like OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI raising billions in funding to pursue this goal.

  • OpenAI’s former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever recently raised $1 billion for his new company, Safe Superintelligence (SSI), which aims to safely build AI systems surpassing human cognitive abilities.
  • Elon Musk’s xAI startup secured $6 billion in funding, with Musk predicting the achievement of superintelligence within five to six years.
  • These massive investments add to the billions already poured into companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, highlighting the intense competition in the AI field.

The concept of “Peak Human”: 2024 may mark a pivotal moment in human history, as AI systems approach and potentially surpass human cognitive abilities across various domains.

  • “Peak Human” is defined as the point when AI systems can cognitively outperform more than half of human adults.
  • After this milestone, humans are expected to steadily lose their cognitive edge until AI systems can outthink even the most brilliant individuals.
  • This shift raises concerns about the future role of human intelligence and creativity in a world dominated by AI.

AI’s performance on reasoning tasks: Recent tests have shown significant improvements in AI’s ability to handle complex reasoning tasks, bringing it closer to human-level performance.

  • OpenAI’s “o1” system scored 120 on a standardized Mensa IQ test, exceeding the median human IQ score of 100 for the first time.
  • On a custom “offline” IQ test designed to avoid training data bias, the o1 model scored 95, outperforming 37% of adults on reasoning tasks.
  • This rapid progress suggests that AI models may soon be able to beat 50% of adult humans on standard IQ tests, potentially reaching the “Peak Human” milestone in 2024.

Collective intelligence as a human advantage: While individual human intelligence may be surpassed by AI, collective human intelligence amplified by AI systems could provide a competitive edge.

  • Researchers at Unanimous AI have developed technologies like “Swarm AI” and “Conversational Swarm Intelligence” (CSI) to enhance group decision-making and problem-solving.
  • In a 2024 study, groups of 35 randomly selected people using CSI achieved an average IQ score of 128 (97th percentile) when taking IQ tests collectively.
  • This approach, termed “collective superintelligence,” could help humanity maintain its cognitive competitiveness even as individual human abilities are surpassed by AI.

AI’s progress in creativity and artistry: Beyond logical reasoning, AI systems are also making significant strides in traditionally human-centric areas such as creativity and art.

  • Generative AI is estimated to produce 15 billion images per year, with this rate accelerating rapidly.
  • A recent study suggests that AI chatbots can outperform humans on creativity tests, specifically in generating ideas for the Alternative Uses Test (AUT).
  • These advancements challenge the notion that creativity is a uniquely human trait and further blur the lines between human and artificial intelligence.

Implications for humanity’s future: The rapid progress of AI towards and potentially beyond human-level intelligence raises important questions about our species’ future role and competitive advantage.

  • The development of superintelligent AI systems may create an “evolutionary pressure point” for humanity, challenging our fitness as a species.
  • There are concerns about potential conflicts between human interests and those of superior AI intelligences.
  • The “Arrival Mind Paradox” highlights the disconnect between our fear of advanced alien intelligence and our relative complacency towards the AI systems we’re building.

Looking ahead: Balancing progress and protection: As AI continues to advance at an accelerating pace, it becomes crucial to consider the long-term implications and potential safeguards for humanity.

  • The pursuit of collective superintelligence may offer a pathway for humans to remain cognitively competitive in the face of rapidly advancing AI systems.
  • However, it remains uncertain how long humans can maintain an edge over purely digital AI systems, especially if AI development continues to accelerate.
  • As we approach and potentially surpass “Peak Human,” it becomes increasingly important to develop strategies to protect human interests and values in a world where we may no longer be the most intelligent entities.
Have we reached peak human?

Recent News

Nvidia’s new AI agents can search and summarize huge quantities of visual data

NVIDIA's new AI Blueprint combines computer vision and generative AI to enable efficient analysis of video and image content, with potential applications across industries and smart city initiatives.

How Boulder schools balance AI innovation with student data protection

Colorado school districts embrace AI in classrooms, focusing on ethical use and data privacy while preparing students for a tech-driven future.

Microsoft Copilot Vision nears launch — here’s what we know right now

Microsoft's new AI feature can analyze on-screen content, offering contextual assistance without the need for additional searches or explanations.