From Memory Power to Processing Power: The New Intelligence

 From Memory Power to Processing Power: The New Intelligence

In the past, intelligence was confined to a lucky few who had access to information. Today? Not a big deal. A kid with a smartphone and a knack for prompting AI can get answers in seconds. Go further—summarise, simplify, create—with just one more prompt and that brings us to the million-dollar question: What happens to human intelligence? What happens to our ability to think and create? Will we ever use our brains for what they’re truly meant for? Will neural connections fade from neglect? Let’s leave the bucket list of brain-related worries to the experts—for now.

But let’s not forget we are a species that evolved over millennia—from caves to boardrooms. Survival was our only objective, and it drove invention after invention. We no longer hunt to eat; we order to eat. The brain that once sharpened our survival instincts may seem less active now, but it hasn’t disappeared. It’s still there—ready to spring into action the moment survival is on the line.

In the past, a kid who could name state capitals, country currencies, and national presidents was called intelligent. Today, a teenager who knows how to earn crypto gets that label. Memory is no longer the benchmark of intelligence. What matters now is how we use memory—to improve our own lives and the lives of others.

I’m not dismissing memorisation. I’m simply reinforcing that the brain is not just a storage device.

Once upon a time, storage was big business in IT. People wanted 1TB laptops to carry all their files. Now? All they need is a fast processor and a few dollars for cloud storage. Similarly, we should train our brains to function like processors—far more powerful than any computer ever built.

The time has come to shift from memory power to processing power. Especially in a world of deepfakes, our brains must be sharp enough to tell real from fake, not used for what Alexa or Siri can do.

I meet people who brood over AI. But the same brooding happened when desktop computers arrived. Then we happily welcomed them onto our laps. We can’t stop technology from entering our lives. We must learn to swim with the tide.

There’s a feeling that reading is dying. Yes, in the form of books. But now we consume bite-sized reads, audiobooks, and infographics. Yesterday, we tuned into World This Week with Pronoy Roy (a famous Indian TV show). Today, if you lose sleep, you can watch a live war on your phone. And when someone says, “X nation was attacked at 1 PM,” you might smirk and reply, “Buddy, that’s old news.”Just imagine how far we’ve come. We’re learning. We’re evolving. And we will keep changing.

 

Technology is not the enemy of humanity. The real enemies are those who misuse it. (Of course, defining “misuse” is another debate.) But let’s at least stay vigilant. While we sleep, our phones quietly upgrade. Our WhatsApp messages get stored on distant drives.

Everything has pros and cons. But unless we learn how to use technology, we’ll never enjoy its benefits—and we’ll remain blind to its drawbacks. By the time we realise that our bank accounts might already be hacked.

I didn’t have the ability to write. Fear of mistakes and grammar kept me from writing and restricted me to reading and talking—but not writing. Today, I write daily because I read in small chunks on my mobile or my laptop. Thanks to technology. I can use techniques Aristotle used to mentor Alexander, along with other persuasive tools, in my writings. The article you’re reading was typed in my notes right after I woke up with an idea. An AI app corrected and polished it. With a few more clicks, I could turn this into slides, infographics, a podcast, or even lyrics.

I discovered the writer, lyricist, and video maker inside me. And above all, a humble human. Because the world of technology is an ocean, and we can only swim with a life jacket called humbleness.

Let me leave you with a famous Tamil saying:

கற்றது கை மண் அளவு, கல்லாதது உலகளவு.

“What has been learned is a handful of sand; what remains unlearned is the size of the world.”

Whether it’s technology, other subjects, people, or ourselves, we must keep learning and upgrading. That’s the only way to stay relevant in these times.

M.L. Narendra Kumar