François Chollet: Keras and Measures of Intelligence

Intelligence

François Chollet challenges the conventional view that equates intelligence with skill, arguing that intelligence is about adaptability rather than static abilities. He explains that while skills can be hardcoded, like in the brain of a worm, intelligence involves generating appropriate behavior in novel situations, which neither personal experience nor evolutionary history has prepared one for 1. This distinction is crucial when comparing human and AI intelligence, as AI systems like GPT-3 may exhibit skill but lack true intelligence due to their reliance on pre-existing data patterns 2. Chollet emphasizes that intelligence is about learning efficiency, not just the accumulation of skills 3.

Intelligence is about the ability to adapt to new circumstances that you are not prepared for.

--- François Chollet

   

Metacognition

Metacognitive priors, according to François Chollet, play a pivotal role in intelligence by providing innate strategies for acquiring new knowledge. He argues that most of our prior knowledge is metacognitive, such as an innate understanding of causality, which aids in learning causal models 4. This knowledge is not about specific tasks but about general strategies that apply to a wide range of problems, making it more valuable for intelligence. Chollet highlights that human intelligence is not solely a product of individual brainpower but is significantly enhanced by cultural and societal knowledge, which individuals inherit and build upon 5.

Most of the prior knowledge that we are born with is not knowledge about the world. It is metacognitive knowledge.

--- François Chollet

   

Anthropocentrism

Chollet critiques the anthropocentric approach to measuring intelligence, where human-like intelligence is often the benchmark. He argues that intelligence should not be viewed as a collection of static skills but as a dynamic system involving the brain, body, and environment 6. This perspective challenges the traditional dualist view, emphasizing that intelligence is not isolated to the brain but is a complex interaction of various factors. Chollet believes that defining intelligence requires acknowledging its multifaceted nature and moving beyond simplistic comparisons to human abilities 7.

Intelligence is kind of like the engine of cognition, almost, but it's definitely not the only component.

--- François Chollet