superintelligence

noun

su·​per·​in·​tel·​li·​gence ˌsü-pər-in-ˈte-lə-jən(t)s 

plural superintelligences

1

: an entity that surpasses humans in overall intelligence or in some particular measure of intelligence

A speed superintelligence could do everything a human mind could do, but much faster.

—Nick Bostrom

also : the intelligence displayed by such an entity

the development of machine superintelligence

2

: an extremely or extraordinarily high degree of intelligence

displayed superintelligence in mathematics

… the first of a planned trilogy about teens whose empathic abilities give them an emotional superintelligence.

—Terry Hong

Examples of superintelligence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Casar has been on a media blitz pitching progressives’ AI proposals, which have ranged from a ban on AI superintelligence to a tax on the technology to pay for a jobs program that offsets related layoffs. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 12 Aug. 2026

The rise of superintelligence—technology capable of surpassing human cognitive abilities—has fueled fears ranging from an elimination of human labor to more dystopian, Terminator-like visions of what happens when technology goes rogue. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026

The quest for machine superintelligence is not merely a gold rush, motivated by money. — Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026

This simultaneous, contrasting discourse highlights a deep bifurcation in the AI industry regarding safety, regulation, and the future trajectory of superintelligence, with competitive interests underlying the philosophical debate. — Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for superintelligence

• counterintelligence
• intelligence