Mathematical Intelligence: What We Have that Machines Don’t

There’s so much talk about the threat posed by intelligent machines that it sometimes seems as though we should surrender to our robot overlords. But Junaid Mubeen isn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet.

As far as he is concerned, we have the creative edge over machines, because of a remarkable system of thought that humans have developed over the millennia. It’s familiar to us all, but often badly taught in schools and misrepresented in popular discourse - maths.

Computers are, of course, brilliant at totting up sums, pattern-seeking and performing mindless tasks of, well, computation. For all things calculation, machines reign supreme. But Junaid identifies seven areas of intelligence where humans can retain a crucial edge. And in exploring these areas, he opens up a fascinating world where we can develop our uniquely human mathematical superpowers.