DeepMind AI takes IQ tests to probe its ability for abstract thought

A person attempting an IQ test

AI struggles with IQ tests

Panther Media GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo

Will artificial intelligences ever be able to match humans in abstract thought, or are they just very fancy number crunchers? Researchers at Google DeepMind are trying to find out by challenging AIs to solve abstract reasoning puzzles similar to those found in IQ tests.

If you have ever taken an IQ test, you’ll know that one kind of question involves looking at sets of abstract shapes and choosing which should come next in a given the sequence. These puzzles are known as Raven’s progressive …