Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Advertisement View all journals Saved research Search Log in Content Explore content About the journal Publish with us Subscribe Sign up for alerts RSS feed Perspective Published: 17 November 2023 # A social path to human-like artificial intelligence Edgar A. Duéñez-Guzmán ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6212-9104 1 , Suzanne Sadedin ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0007-9698-0865 2 , Jane X. Wang 1 , Kevin R. McKee ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4412-1686 1 & … Joel Z. Leibo ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3153-916X 1 Nature Machine Intelligence volume 5 , pages 1181–1188 ( 2023 ) Cite this article 6680 Accesses 47 Citations 99 Altmetric Metrics details ## Abstract Traditionally, cognitive and computer scientists have viewed intelligence solipsistically, as a property of unitary agents devoid of social context. Given the success of contemporary learning algorithms, we argue that the bottleneck in artificial intelligence (AI) advancement is shifting from data assimilation to novel data generation. We bring together evidence showing that natural intelligence emerges at multiple scales in networks of interacting agents via collective living, social relationships and major evolutionary transitions, which contribute to novel data generation through mechanisms such as population pressures, arms races, Machiavellian selection, social learning and cumulative culture. Many breakthroughs in AI exploit some of these processes, from multi-agent structures enabling algorithms to master complex games such as Capture-The-Flag and StarCraft II, to strategic communication in the game Diplomacy and the shaping of AI data streams by other AIs. Moving beyond a solipsistic view of agency to integrate these mechanisms could provide a path to human-like compounding innovation through ongoing novel data generation. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ## Access options Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $32.99 / 30 days cancel any time Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles $119.00 per year only $9.92 per issue Buy this article Purchase on SpringerLink Instant access to the full article PDF. USD 39.95 Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ### Similar content being viewed by others ### A collective AI via lifelong learning and sharing at the edge ### Committing to the wrong artificial delegate in a collective-risk dilemma is better than directly committing mistakes ### Social and emotional learning in artificial agents ### Explore related subjects Complex networks Computer science Cultural evolution Software