Will human minds still be special in an age of AI?

May 4, 2026

1:07

Will human minds still be special in an age of AI?

Imagine standing in a room where AI just solved a complex chess match in seconds — pretty impressive, right? But here’s the thing — our idea of intelligence as a single, measurable scale is actually misleading. Tom Griffiths points out that humans have always seen themselves as the top of the pyramid, but AI’s rapid progress challenges that view. According to him, it’s not about being overtaken; it’s about understanding that intelligence isn’t just height on a ladder. Instead, it’s a mix of skills, creativity, and adaptability — things AI still struggles with. Griffiths suggests that rather than worrying about AI replacing us, we should think about how human minds are uniquely flexible and context-aware, qualities AI can’t replicate easily. So, the question isn’t whether AI will someday surpass human intelligence — it's how we redefine what makes us truly ‘special’ in an age where machines can do more and more. That shift is subtle now, but it’s exactly the kind of signal that usually sparks the next big change.

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We tend to think of intelligence like height – and imagine ourselves being overtaken. That misses the point

Until recently, we humans have been able to be smug about our abilities. No other animals play boardgames, write essays or prove mathematical theorems. But lately, progress in AI seems as though it might challenge our self-image as the smartest entities around. AI systems not only beat us at the most complicated games, but can also write polished prose and win medals in maths. Tech CEOs promise us that superhuman AI is just round the corner. So, in an age of AI, are human minds still special, or merely also-rans?

Talking about superhuman AI assumes that intelligence is a single scale. My parents used to mark the heights of my younger brother and me on the doorframe of our laundry. Each year he would get a little closer to me, until one year the unthinkable happened and he outgrew me (he’s now 6ft 3in). The current moment feels a bit like that, as we look at these new younger siblings with concern that they might overtake us.

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We tend to think of intelligence like height – and imagine ourselves being overtaken. That misses the point

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