Why Irish Universities should have human intelligence research labs

By David Stephen

If someone uses a chatbot for research, it means that the chatbot already knows [about] what the person wants to know.

If a chatbot knows a lot of the things — of productive and social value — that individuals seek to know, it means that chatbots have begun to exceed human intelligence, just like digital memory exceeded human memory.

Investigating the value of human intelligence research labs

Simply, a hard drive can store specific memory of anything, returning it accurately, at any time. This is more than what human memory can do. But memory is not exactly too daunting to surpass, per se. There are organisms with certain kinds of memories or senses beyond humans, but memory, as is, is not enough to take over.

However, intelligence, which is the use of memory, is quite threatening. For example, everyone can hear a certain sound in an automobile, but only a technician or someone familiar with it, can say for sure if it is faulty. The same with a baby that might make a sound, and to others, including the mother, might just be crying, but a neurologist might know if something is off.

Simply, intelligence is the use of memory, for expected, advantageous or desired outcome. So, it is how memory is used that means intelligence. For many people that are not doctors or familiar, medical knowledge is memory they cannot use. The same for others, regarding math knowledge, law, or finance and so forth.

All humans are intelligent, OK, until people begin to encounter memory of things that they cannot use — with valuable and consequential outcomes.

It is not just to see or hear, or even to infer what it might be, but to be able to use it. Now, with AI, if it is in an environment, it could tell things and what to do with them, more than most people. It can maximize facilities, and even instruct on safety or survival.

Already, AI is becoming a principal operator of a quality, intelligence that makes life different for humans — more than other organisms. And humans do not just have operational intelligence, humans have varied improvement intelligence. It is based on the ability to improve things that makes it possible advance society.

Still, human intelligence is not automatic to stay at the top, forever — the proficiency of AI shows. This means that anyone, organization or a system that works on defining human intelligence [in the brain] may actually hold the future of humanity.

And defining human intelligence, is basically working on what it is in the brain, by types, by mechanisms and how to prospect it for problem-solving in the era of AI.

This is the opportunity for Irish Universities. This means that on the entire earth, any of the top Irish Universities can set up the first lab for human intelligence research in the brain. So, rather than run at the same pole, AI, that everyone is, the schools can detour, take on human intelligence, because no one is.

There is a recent [June 18, 2026] report on The Journal, Six Irish universities rise in global rankings – here’s which one ranked best in the country, stating that, “Six of Ireland’s eight universities have moved up the global rankings, but Trinity College Dublin (TCD) remains the best rated third level institution in the country.”

“Released annually and compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the World University Rankings are based on a number of factors, including academic reputation, employment outcomes, quality of faculty, international faculty and sustainability.”

“The 2027 survey evaluated over 1,500 institutions across 106 countries and territories.”

“Here’s how the country’s universities ranked: Trinity College Dublin – 75 (75 in 2026). University College Dublin – 100 (118 in 2026). University College Cork – 220 (246 in 2026). University of Galway – 275 (284 in 2026). University of Limerick – 388 (=401 in 2026). Dublin City University – 408 (=410 in 2026). National University of Ireland Maynooth – 721-730 (771-780 in 2026). Dublin Institute of Technology – 791-800 (781-790 in 2026).”

There is no need for any extra facility or to hire any new staff. Existing staff can be in charge of the theoretical lab, using existing offices.

Here is the objective of the lab, asking how electrical and chemical signals in the brain mechanize human intelligence. Then [to] develop a model, have it as a display, which can be used to explain learning, problem-solving, understanding and so forth. This product can become proprietary and commercialized.

Just to make a go at the future, striking out from the AI rush, which while it would define aspects of the future, the quiet path that the AI companies [human intelligence] have ignored can be explored by Irish Universities, making a great difference for the Republic of Ireland.

It is possible to get this stated on July 20, 2026. Move very fast, get ahead, ensure that the flag is planted, such that while also making some efforts in artificial intelligence — win exponentially at human intelligence. It possible to have a deliverable on the project by August, 2026.

The research into human intelligence will have three components, a conceptual brain science, math and data visualization. Aspects can be underscored by the postulate in Conceptual Biomarkers and Theoretical Biological Factors for Psychiatric and Intelligence Nosology.

Just to get ahead and do what no one has done. Human intelligence research lab. This is simply not an anti-AI lab, to ignore or refuse AI, but to basically work on how to define human intelligence in the brain, to make a lot of difference.

Also, even if students are cheating with AI, why does human intelligence seem susceptible to doing so, what can be understood about how to improve it, to stay ahead in the future? Human intelligence research lab, to know how the brain works intelligence.

There is a recent [June 28, 2026] report on EL PAÍS, Professor denounces mass AI fraud on an exam at Brown University: ‘Academic integrity is at risk’, stating that, “The temptation to use artificial intelligence (AI) to cheat is shaking up elite universities in the United States. Professor Roberto Serrano, who is the Harrison S. Kravis University Professor of Economics at Brown University, has detected a massive fraud in one of the classes he teaches, ECON 1170, an advanced undergraduate course in mathematical economics. He has conclusive evidence that at least 50 students cheated on the March midterm exam, making it the biggest known scandal at Brown and in the entire Ivy League, which brings together the East Coast’s eight most elite private universities, including Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth College and University of Pennsylvania.”

“Artificial intelligence is altering century-old traditions at America’s most elite universities. Princeton, for instance, has decided to end a practice that had been upheld for 133 years: from now on, professors will proctor in-person exams. This hadn’t been the case since 1893, when an Honor Code went into effect by which all students pledged not to cheat: the teacher would hand over the exam, leave the room, and walk back in to pick up the tests at the end. If anybody cheated, it would be up to other students to report it.”

David Stephen does research in conceptual brain science and served as a visiting scholar in medical entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He did computer vision research at Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona.

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