Information is the foundation of life itself. As a resource vital to our thinking, adaptive information fosters understanding and innovation, benefiting society. In contrast, maladaptive information, such as misinformation and disinformation, serves only a select few.

Access to written information was once the domain of the privileged few who could read marks on stone tables. Today, information takes instant flight to remote corners of the globe through social media platforms that select, shape, and transmit information.

The introduction of large language model (LLM) artificial intelligence in November 2022 revolutionized information generation. These generative and predictive models, inspired by the human brain, are approaching artificial general intelligence (AGI), a milestone once thought unattainable.

Since the 1980s, I have been following the development of AI. As an early member of the Boston Computer Society’s AI chapter, I was a curiosity—the only psychologist among a gaggle of electrical engineers. Though I struggled to keep up with their technical discussions, I’ve been a devoted follower of their evolving AI models, which increasingly resemble aspects of human intelligence.

In-form-ation literally “forms” our minds. In Puzzle IV, we will explore the complex interplay between information, intelligence, and emerging information technologies, exploring their impact on our evolving world and diverging polarities.