Distinct Neurocognitive Strategies for Comprehensions of Human and Artificial Intelligence

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 3; no. 7; p. e2797
• Main Authors: Ge, Jianqiao, Han, Shihui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 30.07.2008; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Agents (artificial intelligence); Algorithms; Artificial Intelligence; Autism; Brain; Brain Mapping; Brain research; Cognition; Cognition & reasoning; Color; Comprehension; Computers; Cortex (parietal); Decision making; Female; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Homology; Humans; Information technology; Learning; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Models, Biological; Models, Neurological; Neural networks; Neurons - metabolism; Neuroscience/Cognitive Neuroscience; Neuroscience/Experimental Psychology; Neuroscience/Psychology; Neurosciences; Prefrontal cortex; Reasoning; Science; Studies; Thinking; Trends; Beijing China; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002797

Although humans have inevitably interacted with both human and artificial intelligence in real life situations, it is unknown whether the human brain engages homologous neurocognitive strategies to cope with both forms of intelligence. To investigate this, we scanned subjects, using functional MRI, while they inferred the reasoning processes conducted by human agents or by computers. We found that the inference of reasoning processes conducted by human agents but not by computers induced increased activity in the precuneus but decreased activity in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and enhanced functional connectivity between the two brain areas. The findings provide evidence for distinct neurocognitive strategies of taking others' perspective and inhibiting the process referenced to the self that are specific to the comprehension of human intelligence.