Neurophysiological foundations of what we call artificial intelligence (AI)

Abstract

The question of what intelligence truly is remains fundamental. Numerous definitions exist; however, the most reliable one defines intelligence as the ability to arrive at a correct answer to a given question. This definition implies a gradation of intelligence, dependent on the complexity of the question and the accuracy of the response. Importantly, intelligence is not exclusive to humans but is also inherent to the animal kingdom.

At the core of intelligence lies the nervous system, with the brain as its central paradigm. Humans have developed computers capable of providing correct answers to posed questions. Depending on whether correct answers predominantly originate from the brain or from computers, intelligence is divided into natural intelligence and artificial intelligence.

When intelligence is defined through the framework of questions and answers, it essentially operates on the level of information and data. In natural intelligence, data are represented by the transmission of electrical impulses through ensembles of neurons and their connections, the synapses. In artificial systems, electrical impulses likewise induce changes in specific particles, which can be modified and reorganized into new configurations.

The question then arises: which of these two foundations offers greater potential for intelligence? The answer is unequivocal—natural intelligence, with the brain as its paradigm. This holds true not only at the current level of understanding but also in the foreseeable future, even when considering advancements such as nanotechnology or the presumed promise of quantum computing.

This conclusion is based on the properties of the synapse, which serves as the fundamental medium for electrical transmission within the nervous system. Its capacity to engage from a minimal to an extraordinarily large number of units, its extensive collateral influences generating immeasurable possibilities, and its ability to dynamically form and dissolve connections make it an incomparably superior substrate for the creation, disappearance, and manipulation of information than any machine.