superintelligence

Superintelligence describes an AI system that is significantly smarter than the best human brains in practically every field, including scientific creativity, general wisdom, and social skills. The concept is central to discussions about the technological singularity, where recursive self-improvement leads to an intelligence explosion. Philosophers like Nick Bostrom distinguish between speed superintelligence, which performs human-level tasks faster; collective superintelligence, which aggregates smaller intellects; and quality superintelligence, which is as superior to humans as humans are to other animals. The potential emergence of superintelligence poses existential risks, necessitating research into AI alignment to ensure such systems act in accordance with human values.