Title: Trump’s Love for IQ Could Backfire as AI Takes Over, Says Historian
Key Takeaways:
- A Canadian historian argues that the U.S. focus on AI could make traditional IQ measures irrelevant.
- Trump often uses IQ as a way to insult or praise people, especially in tech discussions.
- The push for AI dominance might change how we value intelligence.
- IQ became popular during the Industrial Revolution due to health concerns.
- The 1990s saw a surge in IQ debates, influenced by controversial ideas about intelligence being fixed.
- The future of IQ may depend on how AI reshapes our economy and education.
IQ, Trump, and the Rise of AI: What’s Really at Stake?
President Donald Trump often uses IQ as a way to judge people, calling others “low-IQ” as an insult or praising them as “high-IQ” if they agree with him, especially when talking about technology. But a Canadian historian, Quinn Slobodionn, has an interesting take on this. He believes that the U.S. push to dominate artificial intelligence (AI) could make the idea of IQ meaningless if their goals are achieved.
In a recent article, Slobodionn points out that Trump and his allies in Silicon Valley are obsessed with IQ. He says that calling someone “low-IQ” is one of Trump’s go-to insults, while praising people as “high-IQ” is a common compliment among tech fans. But here’s the twist: if the U.S. succeeds in its plan to lead the world in AI, the idea of IQ as we know it might lose its importance.
The Historical Roots of IQ
So, why does IQ matter so much in the first place? Slobodionn takes us back in history. During the Industrial Revolution, countries like the U.S. and the U.K. started worrying about the health of their populations. Recruitment for wars, like the Boer War and World War I, showed that many young men were less healthy than their parents. This raised fears that industrial work was causing people to “degenerate,” or get weaker over time. These concerns were even reflected in science fiction, like H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, where the working class evolved into monstrous creatures called the Morlocks.
To address these fears, societies turned to IQ testing. The idea was to measure intelligence and identify who might struggle in the new industrial world. But over time, IQ tests became less about health and more about ranking people.
The Rise of IQ in Modern America
Fast forward to the 1980s and 1990s, when the U.S. shifted from factories to an information-based economy. Suddenly, intelligence became a hot topic again. This was partly because of a controversial book called The Bell Curve by Charles Murray and Richard Herrnstein. The book claimed that intelligence is mostly inherited and that government programs to improve education or reduce poverty wouldn’t make much difference. It also suggested that society should accept inequality because some people are just born smarter.
Slobodionn argues that this idea—that intelligence is fixed and unchangeable—gained traction in the ’90s. It fit with the growing belief that IQ tests could predict success in school and life. But he also points out that this vision of intelligence is narrow and ignores how much the world is changing.
What’s at Stake in the AI Era?
Now, with the U.S. investing heavily in AI—like the $500 billion Stargate project and plans to teach AI in schools starting from kindergarten—the idea of IQ might lose its relevance. Why? Because AI could change how we measure intelligence. If machines can perform tasks that were once considered signs of high intelligence, what does being “smart” even mean anymore?
Slobodionn says that if AI becomes the backbone of the economy, traditional measures like IQ tests might no longer matter. Instead of ranking people by their IQ scores, society might focus on how well they can work with machines or adapt to new technologies. In this future, being “intelligent” could mean something entirely different.
The Irony of Trump’s IQ Obsession
The irony here is that Trump and his supporters are pushing for a future where AI dominates, which could make their obsession with IQ obsolete. If the U.S. succeeds in its AI ambitions, the very idea of intelligence that they value so much might disappear. This could lead to a world where traditional measures of success no longer apply, and new ways of valuing people emerge.
But Slobodionn also warns that this shift could come with its own set of problems. If intelligence is redefined by how well we use technology, it could deepen inequality. Those who have access to AI tools and education might have a huge advantage over those who don’t.
The Future of Intelligence
So, what does this mean for the rest of us? If AI changes how we measure intelligence, it could also change how we educate our children, how we hire workers, and how we view success. It could challenge old beliefs about what it means to be smart and force us to rethink our values.
But Slobodionn isn’t saying that IQ will disappear overnight. Instead, he suggests that the push for AI dominance could slowly erode the importance of traditional intelligence measures. In the end, the U.S. quest for technological supremacy might accidentally undermine the very idea of IQ that Trump and others value so much.
As we move into an AI-driven world, it’s worth thinking about what we’re losing—and gaining—in the process.