Co-Intelligence: Where Human Smarts Meet AI Sparks
What is Co-Intelligence?
Co-Intelligence refers to the integration of artificial intelligence with human intelligence towards the development of ideas, insights, and tools. It's a term colloquialized by Ethan Mollick, Wharton Professor. While there have been loose terms revolving around Collective Intelligence used prior to Co-Intelligence, their use largely revolved around humans leveraging technology as a simple tool. With AI, there is a sense that the intrinsic intelligence associated with its innate intelligence which makes it unique, hence the use of the term "co", such as copilot for AI-enablement products.
Mollick wrote a book with the eponymous title, where he talks about the augmentation to human intelligence brought by AI. It is framed as a General Purpose Technology, but one which may be unique as compared to the steam engine or electricity. This is in part because prior tools accelerated human knowledge creation, whereas AI taps into it. For example, the creation of the internet through the telecommunications advancements in the second half of the 20th century enabled a digitization and explosion in the amount of collective information created and reposited by humans. Whereas the internet enabled faster communication and the cataloging of an increasing amount of human data, AI leverages that data to develop its own intelligence.
Is Co-Intelligence Troubling From a Human Agency Perspective?
A June 2024 paper by ModuleQ co-founders David Brunner and Anupriya Ankolekar outline some of the consternation and pushback towards AI as a facilitator of co-intelligence. The paper cites polling which shows that less than 20% of people in Western countries support the growing use of AI, with a large percentage that "reject the growing use of AI."
With the potential for a peer in terms of intelligence, many are worried about displacement, especially with regards to human work. It is our view that this is a mischaracterization of the intelligence of AI. Certainly as of 2024. For one, there are significant drawbacks with current forms of AI, such as hallucinations, the ability to reason, handle multi-step tasks, or be reliable or deterministic in their output.
Just taking the inability to multi-step is one of the key impediments for creating deep organizational knowledge, even if endowed with forms of creativity. And so, co-intelligence is best thought of as a positive, where the unique characteristics and abilities of an AI can complement the unique abilities of humans. The paper goes on to cite several academic works which highlight this mutually synergistic application in the workplace.
ModuleQ is committed to a developing AI that advocates for humanity; where co-intelligence drives additional human fulfillment and greater productivity. Co-intelligence when applied to the enterprise can lead to more fulfilling work, faster learning, and higher functioning organizations. It is our responsibility in the technology and business community to demonstrate these benefits to society. At ModuleQ, we are excited to step up and lead the way to this better future.
More Resources:
Ethan Mollick - Co-Intelligence (2024)
David Brunner & Anupriya Ankolekar - Why AI Hysteria Misses Humanity's True Potential (2024)
