대학신문방송국

Smarter Together:

The Power of Collective Intelligence

 Park Sang-hee,

Assistant Professor of English Language and Literature

Imagine yourself in twenty years. What kind of person do you see? Close your eyes and visualize. Are you surrounded by people who admire your ingenuity? Or do you see yourself collaborating with others to achieve something greater than yourself? “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This proverb, of uncertain origin, encapsulates the essence of collective intelligence: we can surpass our individual capacities when we collaborate, far more effectively than when we compete against each other.

Collective intelligence has become a buzzword since the advent of the digital and AI age. However, its origins are as ancient as human history itself. Throughout the centuries, every society has relied on collective efforts to share knowledge, wisdom, and tools, enabling us to better manage crops and livestock, combat diseases, and create and innovate businesses and organizations, among much more. As J. Heinrich writes in The Secret of Our Success, it is not individual intelligence that has set the human brain apart, but rather the accumulation of knowledge over time. The collective resources passed down through generations have strengthened our cognitive abilities and helped us solve complex problems. Undoubtedly, these resources will continue to propel us beyond our individual limitations.

As the world evolves, the problems we face become increasingly complex and ever-changing. The impacts of climate change, for instance, exceed the capabilities of any local government. No organization can thrive solely on the efforts of a handful of individuals, no matter how intelligent they may be. Did you know that Lego relies on thousands of fan designers to develop its product ideas? Even scientists at NASA encourage people to join “NASA Solve” to innovate computer codes and space suits. Groundbreaking technologies like Google Maps crucially relied on data from its one billion users worldwide for their development.

With the recent rise of augmented intelligence, facilitated by AIs like ChatGPT, we now have more opportunities than ever in human history to participate in large-scale communication and collaboration. And you are already a part of it, even if you did not realize it. Connect yourself with the world. Become the most intelligent version of yourself.