The natural intelligence emerging out of nature (such as swarm intelligence) has been around for eons. Human collaborative intelligence has been around for millennia. What makes the 21st century uniquely significant and complex is the addition of Enhanced Computer Intelligence. How these incredibly powerful, driving forces interact, and what “greater” intelligence might emerge, will determine the future.
As we confront realities of erratic weather patterns, world hunger, perpetual war and economic disparity, it’s interesting to keep in mind a statement from Thomas Malone, founder of the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence: “Perhaps a closing question for us to ponder is how do these new kinds of intelligence help us understand what it means to be human in the first place, and what our role as humans on the planet is.”