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Synthetic Intelligence: Reframing AI as Human-Created Cognitive Systems - A Paradigm Shift for the Digital Age
Abstract
The terminology "Artificial Intelligence" (AI), coined at the 1956 Dartmouth Conference, has dominated discourse in computer science for over six decades. However, its linguistic implications increasingly conflict with the reality of these human-engineered cognitive systems. This comprehensive review argues for a fundamental rebranding to "Synthetic Intelligence" (SI) and "Synthetic General Intelligence" (SGI), grounded in philosophical accuracy, scientific precision, and practical necessity. Through an interdisciplinary analysis encompassing linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science, and industry practice, we demonstrate that modern AI systems are synthetic constructs of human intelligence, not "artificial" phenomena. The term "artificial" perpetuates problematic dualisms and public misunderstanding, particularly in discussions of general intelligence. This paper puts forth a series of powerful, testable hypotheses regarding the potential for SI/SGI terminology to significantly enhance scientific discourse, public trust, regulatory efficacy, and investment landscapes. This reframing represents not merely a semantic adjustment but a fundamental realignment of how we conceptualize, develop, and communicate about human-engineered cognitive systems, and we conclude by proposing a research agenda to empirically validate its transformative impact.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v52.1.7421
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