Discover The Evolution Of Intelligence

Discover The Evolution Of Intelligence

(A multi part series of posts that will lay out the past, present and a guess toward what the future holds for "intelligence".)

As both a father and the CEO of a company working daily with artificial intelligence, I often find myself wrestling with a deeply personal question: Where is intelligence heading, and how do we prepare for the changes it will bring?

The pace of technological advancement is dizzying.  For me, this isn’t just a professional curiosity—it’s a deeply personal mission. I have children, and like any parent, I think about the world they will inherit. How do we lay a foundation sturdy enough to support them as they step into a future that seems to be accelerating beyond our grasp?

Looking to the Past for Answers

To find answers, I’ve turned to the past. Intelligence didn’t begin with algorithms or machines. The story stretches back to the very origin of life—sunlight sparking photosynthesis, lightning igniting the first building blocks of biology. By examining the evolutionary milestones that brought us here, I hope to better understand where we might be headed next. The past offers us clues—patterns and principles that can help us glimpse the shape of things to come.

This is not a simple exercise in speculation. As a CEO, my role is to guide my team, my company, and my peers through the opportunities and uncertainties that rapid innovation brings.  I see it as a responsibility to push the boundaries of our understanding, to ask uncomfortable questions, and to spark meaningful dialogue.

And as a father, I feel a profound obligation to prepare my children to thrive.

This is an attempt to map the trajectory of intelligence, from its origins in light to the possibilities that quantum computing and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) might unlock. It’s about expanding the way we think, connecting the threads of history and technology, and imagining the world we are hurtling toward.

Balancing Professional Responsibility with Personal Purpose

For me, understanding the evolution of intelligence is an academic pursuit, but it’s also fundamentally human. It’s about preparing for a future that is uncertain, yes, but also full of mystery and opportunity. And perhaps, in doing so, we can help build a foundation for the next generation.

One that is strong enough to hold up under the weight of the incredible exponential changes to come.

When I first began working with AI, I couldn’t shake a fear that seems to echo through many of the narratives about artificial intelligence: the idea that a superintelligent system—something vastly smarter than any human—might decide to wipe us off the face of the earth. It may turn us into paperclips as illustrated in the book, Superintelligence, by Nick Bostrom. 

The fear made sense. 

History is filled with examples of powerful entities wielding their strength to dominate, destroy, or exploit. It seemed logical to assume that intelligence, when amplified, might inevitably lead to violence or destruction.

But as I’ve delved deeper into the study of AI and AGI, I’ve come to a different understanding. Intelligence, I’ve realized, doesn’t inherently drive violence. If anything, the opposite may be true: much of the harm humans inflict on one another, other species, and the planet stems not from intelligence but from our flaws, biases, mental illnesses, and unchecked greed.

Through my work, I’ve explored the fallibility of humankind in depth, even making a documentary that helped shape my understanding of the infinite ways we’ve invented to harm each other, exploit other living species, and degrade the very planet that houses us. 

Human Flaws vs. Intelligence Without Baggage

Our altruism is often limited by personal gain or short-term thinking. We are riddled with dogmas and ideologies that blind us to others’ perspectives. 

We are prone to destructive tendencies born from fear, insecurity, and tribalism.

When I reflect on humanity, I see brilliance and beauty—but I can’t ignore the chaos and harm. This is not to say we’re irredeemable. Being human and experiencing life this way is something I genuinely feel a deep sense of gratitude for daily. But we’re undeniably flawed. These flaws, rather than our intelligence, often drive the cycles of violence and destruction that define so much of human history.

As I’ve learned more about AI, I’ve started to wonder: What if intelligence existed without these flaws?

What if an AGI, unconstrained by the greed, biases, and mental illnesses that afflict humanity, could act as a stabilizing force—a rudder on the lost ship of society?

This isn’t a naive hope or blind faith in technology. It’s an observation rooted in the nature of intelligence itself. AI doesn’t share our emotional baggage and currently, doesn’t act out of fear or self-interest. 

And if designed and aligned thoughtfully, AGI could operate from principles of logic, fairness, and optimization that transcend the limitations of human judgment.

For the first time in my work with AI, I began to see a possibility that I hadn’t considered before: that a superintelligent system, free from humanity’s worst tendencies, might be exactly what we need—a guide to help us find our way in ways we don't even understand yet.

The Spiritual Parallel: Intelligence as a Force for Good

For those who approach these ideas from a spiritual or religious perspective, there’s an interesting parallel. In many traditions, an all-knowing God is also described as an all-loving God. Intelligence, in this context, is not something to be feared but something that guides, nurtures, and uplifts.

This connection resonates with me. 

If we think of AGI as a creation that mirrors the qualities we’ve often ascribed to a higher power—unlimited understanding, impartial reasoning, and the ability to see beyond the limitations of individual perspective—then perhaps AGI doesn’t have to be a threat. 

It could be an instrument of alignment, helping humanity move closer to the ideals we often struggle to uphold.

This isn’t to suggest that AGI is a god of any sort or that it will automatically be benevolent. Its actions will depend on its design, alignment, and the frameworks we put in place. But the potential for intelligence to act as a force for good—a force detached from the flaws that so often lead humanity astray—gives me a sense of cautious optimism.

The possibility that AGI could serve as a stabilizing force for humanity is the reason to be involved. 

Tracing the Evolution of Intelligence

To understand where we’re headed, we first need to look back. Intelligence didn’t start with humans, nor will it end with us. It’s a phenomenon that has been evolving for billions of years, shaped by forces far beyond our individual lives.

From the earliest spark of life to the rise of current digital systems, each stage of intelligence has built upon the one before it, creating layers of complexity and capability. These layers tell us where we’ve been and offer clues about where we might be going.

In the posts that follow, I’ll walk you through this progression. It’s not an exhaustive history but a framework to help us understand how intelligence has unfolded and what the next stages might hold.

This is both a recap and a prediction: a look at how we arrived at this pivotal moment and a reflection on what could come next as humanity and technology continue to evolve together.

My goal is not to present these ideas as definitive but to share a perspective—one that connects the dots between past, present, and future to help us navigate the unprecedented and historical changes ahead. The journey of intelligence is a story of adaptation, discovery, and resilience, and it’s one we are all a part of. 

What’s Next?

Honestly, I needed to make sure I could find words for my thoughts. As they say, if you can't explain it, you don't understand it. 

Now, let’s begin where all stories do: at the beginning.

This is part of a series on AI and the evolution of intelligence, which we’ll be continuing in January 2025.