Intelligence is the ability of a system to adapt to its environment and achieve goals through efficient information processing, learning, and decision-making.
per GPT: Intelligence is closely tied to the environment. In simple, predictable settings, optimal intelligence can be basic and energy-efficient. In complex, ever-changing environments, intelligence needs to be more flexible but uses more energy. To create a superintelligence—something far smarter than humans—we'd need an environment that's complex, rich in information, and stable over the development cycle, with plenty of resources and quick feedback on actions. This environment would challenge the entity to continuously adapt and learn, setting the stage for the development of advanced intelligence.
More notes on nearby ideas
Reply · Mar 8, 2026yes, what's intelligent given one set of environmental priors != what's intelligent given a different setTweet · May 7, 2024you can only be as intelligent as your environment allows- how much of what went before is together predictive of what comes next?Reply · Mar 19, 2023@mondoshawani Do you think we will create a superintelligence without understanding the nature of intelligence?Quote tweet · Jan 15, 2024intelligence is contextual to environment, not just somewhat but like, strongly