LLMs are solving MCAT, the bar test, SAT etc like they’re nothing. At this point their performance is super human. However they’ll often trip on super simple common sense questions, they’ll struggle with creative thinking.
Is this literally proof that standard tests are not a good measure of intelligence?
Intelligence cannot be measured. It’s a reification fallacy. Inelegance is colloquial and subjective.
If I told you that I had an instrument that could objectively measure beauty, you’d see the problem right away.
But intelligence is the capacity to solve problems. If you can solve problems quickly, you are by definition intelligent.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intelligence
It can be measured by objective tests. It’s not subjective like beauty or humor.
The problem with AI doing these tests is that it has seen and memorized all the previous questions and answers. Many of the tests mentioned are not tests of reasoning, but recall: the bar exam, for example.
If any random person studied every previous question and answer, they would do well too. No one would be amazed that an answer key knew all the answers.
To solve any problems? Because when I run a computer simulation from a random initial state, that’s technically the computer solving a problem it’s never seen before, and it is trillions of times faster than me. Does that mean the computer is trillions of times more intelligent than me?
If we built a true super-genius AI but never let it leave a small container, is it not intelligent because WE never let it manipulate its environment? And regarding the tests in the Merriam Webster definition, I suspect it’s talking about “IQ tests”, which in practice are known to be at least partially not objective. Just as an example, it’s known that you can study for and improve your score on an IQ test. How does studying for a test increase your “ability to apply knowledge”? I can think of some potential pathways, but we’re basically back to it not being clearly defined.
In essence, what I’m trying to say is that even though we can write down some definition for “intelligence”, it’s still not a concept that even humans have a fantastic understanding of, even for other humans. When we try to think of types of non-human intelligence, our current models for intelligence fall apart even more. Not that I think current LLMs are actually “intelligent” by however you would define the term.
And in addition, is an encyclopedia intelligent because it holds many answers?
This is a semantic argument.
Have you never felt smarter or dumber depending on the situation? If so, did your ability to think abstractly, apply knowledge, or manipulate your environment change? Intelligence is subjective (and colloquial) like beauty and humor.