Rise of the Centaurs: The Internet of Things Intelligence Augmentation

Abstract

Intelligence augmentation (IA) will be one of the most impactful technological developments of the coming decades, particularly given its coupling with the Internet of Things (IoT). In the wake of vast increases in data streams and computing power, an Internet of Things Intelligence Augmentation (IoTIA) will fundamentally transform economic, social, and political life. So-called centaur relationships of smart, networked machines working in tandem with human agents will become pervasive, prolific, and predominant. But for billions of humans, the IoTIA may represent an amputation rather than an amplification of intelligence. A crisis of cognitive deskilling is in store. Cultivating the human capacities for creativity and practical judgment is crucial to a promising future in an IoTIA world.