Emergent Intelligence

Emergent Intelligence

Defined in the Global Guerilla blog, at http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2006/02/emergent_intell.html

"What is emergent intelligence? It is a form of macrointelligence that arises from local interactions. It isn't merely the simple stigmergic interactions (Stigmergy is a term used in biology -- from the work of french biologist Pierre-Paul Grasse -- to describe environmental mechanisms for coordinating the work of independent actors) necessary for the coordination of the swarm activities of local autonomous agents. Rather, it is a form of group intelligence that learns, achieves goals, and engages in self-preservation. There are five simple requirements for emergent intelligence (a good starting point for those that want to dive deeper into this subject is Steven Johnson's book "Emergence"):

• A critical mass of participation is necessary. A certain minimum number of participants, either individuals or component groups, is necessary for micromotives to translate into macromotives. It also means that without a minimum number of interactions between these participants, the statistical nature of macrointelligence won't emerge. More is different.

• A local focus is useful. Open source actors are mainly focused on local activity. The simplicity of this focus is a feature and not a bug since it prevents activity that may upset the entire organism's operation. Local action, global impact.

• Random interactions are necessary. Random interactions between groups and individuals outside is a necessity (this assumes a certain level of mobility and communications capability). These interactions provide a fluidity to the learning process that finds and responds to new information quickly.

• Pattern matching from stigmergic communication. The ability to see patterns of activity from simple signs is a necessity. Gradients of activity provide "maps" to areas of focus for individual actors or groups.

• An openness to interaction. A willingness to interact with others is required. This assumes some commonality between actors that bonds them to each other."

(http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2006/02/emergent_intell.html)