Frontiers

Sir Geoff Mulgan CBE is Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at University College London (UCL). Prior to that he was Chief Executive of Nesta, the UK’s innovation foundation. Between 1997 and 2004, Geoff had roles in the UK government, including director of the Government’s Strategy Unit and head of policy in the Prime Minister’s office. From 2004 to 2011, he was the first Chief Executive of The Young Foundation. He was the first director of the think-tank Demos and has been a reporter on BBC TV and radio.

Summary

Professor Sir Geoff Mulgan discusses the concept of collective intelligence and its importance in solving complex problems. He shares his diverse career journey and emphasises the value of being useful and working with intelligent pioneers. The definition of intelligence is explored, highlighting the capacity to make choices and the various functions and capacities that contribute to intelligence. The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in collective intelligence is discussed, with AI being effective in certain tasks but lacking creativity, judgment, and wisdom. It also delves into the discussion around education and work, highlighting the importance of preparing individuals for the future job market and the shortcomings of current education systems. The conversation emphasises the need for education systems to become more collectively intelligent and adaptive to the changing needs of the workforce. It concludes with advice for young people to cultivate deep knowledge in a specific field while also developing a wide range of skills and engaging with the arts.

Takeaways

• Collective intelligence is intelligence at a large scale and is crucial for solving complex problems.
• Intelligence is the capacity to make choices and encompasses functions such as memory, observation, creativity, judgment, and wisdom.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) is effective in tasks like observation, prediction, and memory, but lacks creativity, judgment, and wisdom.
• The combination of human and machine intelligence is often more effective than relying solely on AI.
• Replicating human wisdom in AI is challenging due to the ability to understand context and relate knowledge to specific situations. Incorporating wisdom into AI systems is a challenge that requires engaging with the lessons of wisdom and considering ethics, long-term perspectives, and the ability to make judgments.
• Education systems need to adapt to the changing needs of the future job market and focus on developing both technical and generic skills such as communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity.
• Education systems should aim to become more collectively intelligent by using data, evidence, and experimentation to improve teaching methods and navigate the complexities of the future.
• Individuals should cultivate deep knowledge in a specific field while also developing a wide range of skills and engaging with the arts to stay relevant and adaptable in a rapidly changing world.
• Optimism and positive imagination are important for envisioning and working towards a better future, despite the challenges and pessimism that exist.

Key Moments

08:20 Exploring the Definition of Intelligence

16:16 The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Collective Intelligence

30:07 Adapting Education Systems for the Future Job Market

36:20 Cultivating Deep Knowledge and Wide Skills for Success

52:02 Embracing Optimism and Positive Imagination for the Future

Music credit: David Cutter Music / @dcuttermusic