The Debate Over Defining Superintelligence
binarybits · x · 2026-07-12
This post discusses a common logical fallacy: conflating two different meanings of "superintelligence".
- Big-S Superintelligence: Defined as nearly omnipotent or all-powerful.
- small-s superintelligence: Refers to a high-level intelligent state achievable via current AI research trajectories.
The author argues that the AI safety community often equates the two without distinction, making inferences about "what superintelligence will bring" feel overly taken for granted. The post also notes a clear cognitive divide regarding narratives like 2040 / superintelligence: one camp believes superintelligence implies omnipotence, while the other completely disagrees.
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