David Krakauer on "Life, Intelligence, and the Many Worlds of Problem-Solving Matter"

Date: 03/16/26 Abstract: What is life and what is its relationship to intelligence? I will explore the idea that these are not only inseparable concepts, but that they exist as a duality: life implies intelligence and perhaps the reverse is also true. The key feature of intelligent systems is that they recruit different forms of matter to extend inference, representational capacity, and strategy. I will briefly explore intelligence in molecular, cellular, and social systems. And then focus on cognitive artifacts (puzzles and tools) that extend intelligence through material constraints supporting collective algorithms. I end by asking if artificial intelligence is intelligent and whether it is alive. Biography: David Krakauer is the President and William H. Miller Professor of Complex Systems at the Santa Fe Institute. His research explores the evolution of intelligence and stupidity on Earth, which includes studying the evolution of genetic, neural, linguistic, social, and cultural mechanisms supporting memory and information processing, and exploring their shared properties. Previously he served as Founding Director of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, Co-Director of the Center for Complexity and Collective Computation, and Professor of Mathematical Genetics all at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He was included in Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2016 list of visionary leaders advancing global research and business.