Nicolas Martin
Senior Data Scientist
January 17, 2026

How AI Can Make You Superhuman
(If You Use It Right)

Understanding the great divergence between those who use AI to become sharper and those who become duller

The Ancient Wisdom of Strategic Games

"In battle, any pawn can become decisive."

Chess: Tactical Precision

Ancient Indian strategists designed chess to teach military commanders humility and tactical thinking.

Intelligence isn't about raw power—it's about seeing patterns others miss and understanding that even the smallest elements matter.

Go: Strategic Intuition

Japanese refinement: a game so complex its possible configurations exceed the atoms in the known universe.

For millennia, these games represented the pinnacle of human strategic thinking.

When Machines Started Teaching Us

AlphaGo's Move 37 (2016)

A placement so unconventional it had only a 1 in 10,000 probability of being played by any human.

The remarkable outcome: Human players who studied AlphaGo's strategies began playing better themselves, developing novel approaches and improving decision quality across thousands of games.

The AI hadn't replaced human creativity—it had expanded it.

The Great Divergence Is Already Happening

graph LR A[People Using AI] --> B[The Crutch Users] A --> C[The Training Partners] B --> D[Cognitive Atrophy
Accept without questioning
Copy verbatim
Lose critical thinking] C --> E[Cognitive Enhancement
Question responses
Test assumptions
Explore new ideas] style A fill:#fff5eb,stroke:#ff8c42,stroke-width:3px style B fill:#ffe0e0,stroke:#ff4444,stroke-width:2px style C fill:#e0ffe0,stroke:#44ff44,stroke-width:2px style D fill:#ffcccc,stroke:#ff0000,stroke-width:2px style E fill:#ccffcc,stroke:#00aa00,stroke-width:2px

The difference comes down to five core practices.

Five Core Practices (Part 1)

1. Critical Thinking

Question Everything, Including AI

  • What assumptions are embedded?
  • What alternatives exist?
  • Where might this reasoning fail?

Treat AI as a brilliant colleague who sometimes makes mistakes or misses context you possess.

2. Continuous Learning

The Incubation Process

  • Work intensely on a problem
  • Let it rest (subconscious processing)
  • Return with new questions

AI supercharges this process with immediate feedback and alternative explanations.

Five Core Practices (Part 2)

3. Teamwork: AI as Distributed Intelligence

Individual practitioners can accomplish what once required entire teams. AI extends your capabilities for rapid prototyping and iteration.

Teams can use AI to improve their communication, agency and engagement.

4. New Solutions: Standing on AI's Shoulders

Focus expertise on defining problems precisely and evaluating solutions critically, while AI handles routine implementation.

5. Domain Expertise + AI = Superpower

Domain knowledge becomes MORE valuable because it guides effective use of powerful tools.

The Superintelligence Question

AGI Timeline Predictions

Many experts predict artificial general intelligence between 2027-2030

The Critical Imperative: We must augment ourselves as rapidly as possible while we still can. Those who develop stronger reasoning now will be better positioned to collaborate with future AI systems.

Beyond Software: Physical & Neural Augmentation

Brain-Computer Interfaces

  • High-volume production devices (2026)
  • Automated surgical procedures
  • Clinical trials expanding globally

Imagine accessing information by direct neural query—not replacing thought, but expanding its range and speed.

Exoskeleton Technology

  • Up to 38kg dynamic lift support
  • AI trained on billions of motion data points
  • Transitioning to mainstream workplace equipment

From experimental prototypes to standard protective gear.

Long-Term Risks: What Skeptics Get Right

Genuine Dangers

  • Misalignment: AI systems pursuing objectives harmful to human wellbeing
  • Deployment Pressure: Moving faster than safety research can keep pace
  • Governance Gap: Inadequate frameworks for civilization-reshaping technology

Our Best Defense: Augmenting human intelligence—making millions of people smarter, more capable, better at solving complex problems. An informed population makes better collective decisions.

The Choice Before You

graph TD A[You Right Now] --> B[Path 1: Cognitive Atrophy] A --> C[Path 2: Enhanced Capability] B --> D[Dependence
Passive acceptance
Obsolescence] C --> E[Continuous growth
Critical thinking
Partnership with AI] style A fill:#fff5eb,stroke:#ff8c42,stroke-width:4px style B fill:#ffe0e0,stroke:#ff4444,stroke-width:2px style C fill:#e0ffe0,stroke:#44ff44,stroke-width:2px style D fill:#ffcccc,stroke:#cc0000,stroke-width:3px style E fill:#ccffcc,stroke:#00aa00,stroke-width:3px

This presentation has already augmented you. You've learned the practices that separate those who grow stronger with AI from those who grow weaker.

The great divergence is already underway. Which path you take is entirely up to you.

Key Takeaways

  1. Question AI outputs critically - treat it as a brilliant colleague, not an oracle
  2. Use incubation - let ideas rest and return with deeper questions
  3. Combine domain expertise with AI - the synergy creates superhuman results
  4. Prepare for superintelligence - augment yourself now while you can
  5. Stay informed about risks - collective wisdom is our best defense

"The real augmentation happens when you apply these principles."

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