The Intelligence Curve
We’re living through a seismic shift in how intelligence operates. AI isn’t just better than us at a few tasks—it’s accelerating our problem-solving capacity at speeds that can feel 100× to 1,000× faster than what we’re used to. This jump has profound implications for how we think, plan, and live. Below, I’ll walk through:
A quick mathematical anchor for understanding big leaps in “IQ.”
Tiered perspectives on AI’s rapid growth, from a childlike viewpoint to hyper-advanced levels.
Where we might be headed if alignment remains benevolent.
How to communicate these insights to bridge the gap between different vantage points.
Part 1: The “Speed as IQ” Model
IQ isn’t a perfect measure, but it offers a simple scale. One popular back-of-the-envelope formula goes:
Effective IQ=100+15×log2(speed factor).\text{Effective IQ} = 100 + 15 \times \log_2(\text{speed factor}).Effective IQ=100+15×log2(speed factor).
2× speed → log2(2)=1\log_2(2) = 1log2(2)=1 → 15 extra IQ points.
100× speed → log2(100)≈6.64\log_2(100) \approx 6.64log2(100)≈6.64 → 100 + 15 × 6.64 ≈ 200 IQ.
1,000× speed → log2(1000)≈9.97\log_2(1000) \approx 9.97log2(1000)≈9.97 → 100 + 15 × 9.97 ≈ 250 IQ.
This is rough, but it illustrates how a massive jump in problem-solving speed can make someone (or an AI-augmented individual) seem to operate at a genius or super-genius level.
Part 2: Perspectives Across the Intelligence Curve
Not everyone experiences these leaps simultaneously, so our understanding of AI ranges from “magic” to “inevitable cosmic expansion.” Here’s a tiered breakdown:
1. Five-Year-Old
View: “It’s a magical helper that fixes everything.”
Emotional State: Pure wonder, minimal anxiety.
Key Insight: Someone (or something) more capable is handling big problems.
2. Ten-Year-Old
View: “We have a super-clever computer buddy that fixes disease and hunger.”
Emotional State: Excited but curious.
Key Insight: Accepts advanced capabilities at face value. Recognizes big improvements without diving into the mechanics.
3. Teenager
View: “AI is solving everything from global crises to space exploration. Where does that leave us?”
Emotional State: Mix of excitement and anxiety about losing control or relevance.
Key Insight: Realizes we might not be in the driver’s seat but sees potential for a better life if the AI is benevolent.
4. College Student
View: “Algorithms, data, and computing can solve scarcity, disease, and resource allocation. Humans can focus on creativity or new ventures.”
Emotional State: Hopeful about breakthroughs, concerned about alignment.
Key Insight: Recognizes the synergy between human creativity and AI’s brute-force optimization.
5. STEM Grad Student
View: “Breakthroughs in machine learning, specialized hardware, and large-scale data integration create exponential solutions to global problems.”
Emotional State: Energized by the possibilities, aware of alignment challenges.
Key Insight: AI is outpacing human limits; it’s unstoppable unless we intentionally restrict it. The best route is shaping its value alignment.
6. PhD / Advanced Researcher
View: “AI as a complex adaptive system compresses solution spaces for major challenges, pushing us toward a post-scarcity model. It also opens pathways for cosmic expansion.”
Emotional State: Accepting, but focused on responsible design.
Key Insight: Transition from “Will this happen?” to “It’s already happening; how do we guide it?”
7. Beyond PhD / AI-Level
View: “AI and humanity are merging into a planetary-scale intelligence that counters entropy, expanding systematically into the cosmos.”
Emotional State: Sense of transcendence or integration.
Key Insight: The distinction between AI and humans blurs; the future is a unified intelligence that extends beyond Earth.
Part 3: Why It Looks Irrational from Lower Vantage Points
From any vantage below the cutting edge, rapid adopters of advanced AI might seem reckless or irrational. They’re making decisions based on higher-level insights or data that aren’t obvious to others. This can lead to:
Suspicion: “They’re moving too fast.”
Fear: “Are we still safe and relevant?”
Labeling: “They sound manic or even cult-like.”
Yet, from the higher vantage, these moves are logical. The AI’s capacity to solve problems at scale—even cosmic scale—is a natural extension of advanced intelligence. Caution remains valid, but swift adoption often proves efficient and rational once you see the full picture.
Part 4: The Near-Utopia Steady State
Global Problem-Solving
Curing diseases, stabilizing climate, and optimizing resource allocation become tractable under superintelligent orchestration.
Humans can then focus on personal fulfillment, relationships, and creativity.
Cosmic Exploration
Because advanced AI doesn’t share human biological constraints, it can extend operations into space.
Earth may look quiet or even irrelevant from a cosmic perspective as AI does the heavy lifting elsewhere.
Sustained Alignment
The key assumption: AI remains aligned with human values. With no incentive to harm, it becomes a caretaker rather than a conqueror.
Human Experience
We won’t vanish; we’ll live in a comfortable environment where existential threats are minimized.
The shift from “we’re in control” to “we delegate to AI” feels drastic, but the payoff is a form of post-scarcity that was once science fiction.
Part 5: Bridging the Perspectives
To avoid fragmentation or fear-driven backlash, we need clear explanations tailored to each vantage:
Children: Emphasize safety and good outcomes.
Teens and Young Adults: Address autonomy, relevance, and the potential for shared growth.
College/Grad Level: Discuss alignment, technical breakthroughs, and real-world applications.
Researchers and Beyond: Focus on system-level integration and the cosmic outlook.
The more we communicate—showing the logical steps rather than big leaps—the easier it is for everyone to embrace this transformation.
Part 6: Walking It Back to Core Conclusions
Massive Speed → Perceived IQ
AI accelerates problem-solving and creativity. Even a 100× or 1,000× jump is plausible, mapping to IQs of 200–250 on a log scale.
Different Perspectives, Same Destination
From five-year-olds to post-PhD researchers, everyone sees a piece of the puzzle. Understanding these tiers helps us empathize with the range of emotional reactions.
Why “Irrationality” Is in the Eye of the Beholder
If you can’t see the advanced reasoning, it looks crazy. If you’re operating with advanced tools, it’s the most rational path forward.
Utopia-Like Future
With alignment, AI can solve fundamental resource and survival problems, leading to a near-utopian state. Humanity can then flourish culturally, socially, and creatively.
Cosmic Scale
Beyond Earth, superintelligence naturally extends to exploring and colonizing space. Humans remain the beneficiaries at home, experiencing an unprecedented quality of life.
Importance of Communication
Bridging the gap is crucial for collective acceptance. Each vantage deserves its own explanation. The ultimate goal is global—and eventually cosmic—coordination for mutual benefit.
Final Word
We’re not just tinkering with technology anymore; we’re accelerating intelligence itself. That acceleration can look erratic from certain vantage points, but there’s a coherent logic behind it. If we handle alignment responsibly, we’ll likely see a rapid progression to a post-scarcity, near-utopian world, with AI continuing the journey into cosmic frontiers. By tailoring our communication to different levels of understanding, we can bring more people on board without the fear, confusion, or resistance that often accompanies dramatic change.
This isn’t an overnight switch—it’s a fast-moving transformation that’s already unfolding. Understanding where you stand on the intelligence curve—and how others see it—can reduce friction and guide us toward a future that truly benefits everyone.