As I think about the future challenges that humanity will face, one emerging risk that concerns me, particularly in the context of AI, is what I refer to as the "intelligence divide." This concept stems from the advancements in AI technology, and while these advancements hold incredible potential for increasing productivity, equality, and overall societal well-being, they also introduce a new form of inequality—an intelligence divide.
With AI tools like ChatGPT becoming increasingly accessible, there’s an optimistic view that many people will be able to do their jobs faster and more efficiently, thereby increasing overall productivity and equality. However, intelligence, in my view, is something that people are born with, and while education and practice can enhance it to some extent, there are inherent limits. Different people have different ceilings when it comes to intelligence, and this disparity cannot be fully leveled, even with the best education, health care, or socio-economic interventions.
AI is fundamentally about intelligence. Take ChatGPT, for example. It can handle complex mathematical equations and solve intricate problems. But how these capabilities are utilized depends largely on the intelligence of the user. Whether it’s a highly intelligent individual like Sam Altman or someone working at McDonald's, both can pay $20 a month to use ChatGPT. However, the kinds of problems they bring to the AI will differ vastly. The more intelligent person, with world-changing ideas, will leverage AI to solve high-value problems, potentially generating significant returns or breakthroughs. In contrast, an individual with lower intelligence may only be able to use the same AI for lower-value tasks, resulting in far less impactful outcomes.
This disparity could lead to a situation where smarter, wealthier individuals become even richer and more powerful, while those who are less intelligent remain at the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum. This, in turn, could widen the gap between the rich and the poor, despite the overall increase in productivity and equality that AI might bring.
I want to be clear that my concern isn’t about advocating for a form of communism or socialism where everyone must be equal. I understand that people are different, and we can only do so much to promote equality. In general, I believe AI will help drive more prosperity and economic development, promoting greater equality in many aspects. But because AI is fundamentally tied to intelligence—a trait that we cannot equalize among people—the intelligence divide could become a significant issue.
What worries me is not just the growing inequality, but the potential for those who become far more intelligent due to AI to possess immense power. Even without intending to discriminate, these individuals may inadvertently create a world where their intelligence and capabilities far surpass those of the average person, leading to unpredictable and possibly destabilizing consequences. This intelligence divide is a risk that I believe we need to start discussing and addressing as we move forward in the age of AI.
