AI thinks it’s smart; chimps may beg to differ | F.D. Flam Nov 20, 2025 Nov 20, 2025 Updated Feb 12, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save For something so admired and synonymous with merit, the concept of intelligence is remarkably poorly understood. F.D. Flam kAm~FC D@4:6EJ @A6C2E6D @? E96 2DDF>AE:@? E92E A6@A=6 H:E9 8C62E6C :?E6==:86?46 56D6CG6 2446DD E@ 36EE6C D49@@=D 2?5 36EE6C ;@3D] |2?J A6@A=6 36=:6G6 E92E 2?:>2=D H:E9 9:896C :?E6==:86?46 56D6CG6 E@ 36 EC62E65 >@C6 9F>2?6=J[ @C 2E =62DE ?@E FD65 7@C 7@@5]k^AmkAm~FC E649 =6256CD @3D6DD @G6C 4@>A2C:?8 9F>2? :?E6==:86?46 H:E9 E96 =2E6DE 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 DJDE6>D] |2?J 4=2:> E92E @?46 E96D6 px DJDE6>D DFCA2DD FD :? :?E6==:86?46[ E96J H:== BF:4<=J 6?D=2G6 FD[ 56DEC@J FD @C D@=G6 2== @FC AC@3=6>D]k^Am kAmw@H 42? H6 4@>A2C6 9F>2? 2?5 >249:?6 :?E6==:86?46 H96? 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E@ 6BF2E6 9:896C C2?< H:E9 5@>:?2?46[ 2?5 D@ :E 766=D ?2EFC2= E@ 2DDF>6 E92E :7 :?E6==:86?46 56E6C>:?6D C2?<[ 2?5 px 4=:>3D 23@G6 FD[ :E H:== 5@>:?2E6 — @C 6G6? 5C:G6 FD E@ 6IE:?4E:@?] %92E’D H92E H6’G6 4@>6 4=@D6 E@ 5@:?8 E@ 49:>A2?K66D] qFE E96?[ 56DEC@J:?8 @C 4C@H5:?8 @FE 2?:>2=D E92E 92G6 D@ >F49 E@ E6249 FD 23@FE @FCD6=G6D :D?’E G6CJ :?E6==:86?E]k^Am Flam is a Bloomberg columnist and host of the “Follow the Science” podcast. 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Why do Americans see each other as morally broken? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Compared with other nations, public opinion here skews more negative. 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