Flashcards for A Brief History of Intelligence

Bennett's five evolutionary breakthroughs (steering, reinforcing, simulating, mentalizing, speaking) and what they imply for AI.

Clément Thiriet May 8, 2026

Foundations

Breakthrough 1 — Steering

Breakthrough 2 — Reinforcing

Breakthrough 3 — Simulating

Breakthrough 4 — Mentalizing

Breakthrough 5 — Speaking

Breakthroughs and AI