What Separates Human Intelligence From AI? Scientists Say the Answer May Be Chemistry

What Separates Human Intelligence From AI? Scientists Say the Answer May Be Chemistry

A new paper from researchers with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Department of Chemistry suggests that understanding memory may require looking beyond neurons and electrical signals to the brain’s chemical makeup and environment. The study proposes the Tripartite Mechanism of Memory, which posits that memory develops through interactions involving brain cells, the molecular environment surrounding those cells, and chemical substances such as metal ions, neurotransmitters, and gliotransmitters. The researchers argue that biological memory involves more than just data; it includes emotional and physiological states, and that chemical interactions may play a crucial role in how information is physically written and read.

The study highlights that while AI systems can process information, recognize patterns, and imitate aspects of human reasoning, biological intelligence appears to involve something more: “living tissue, chemical signaling, memory, emotion, and bodily states.” The researchers suggest that if memory is not only electrical or computational, but also biochemical and emotive, then biological intelligence may be fundamentally different from machine intelligence. They propose a biochemical mechanism for memory, which suggests that memory depends on interactions among neurons, astrocytes, the extracellular matrix, and chemical “dopants.” This distinction becomes particularly important when comparing biological intelligence with AI, as it raises questions about whether AI systems can truly experience information or the world in the way humans do.

The study also addresses the question of whether memory is more than information. The researchers argue that any comprehensive explanation must also account for its emotional dimensions. They suggest that the same pathways that help the brain store and retrieve information may also contribute to thought, intelligence, and consciousness. However, the researchers do not claim to have solved the consciousness enigma. Instead, they propose a biochemical framework for investigating how physical processes in the brain might connect memory with emotion, cognition, and thought. The discussion comes amid broader concerns about the future development of increasingly capable AI systems, with former Anthropic AI researcher Jacob Coxon warning that advanced AI could pose an existential threat to humanity by 2030. Ngonzi argues that biological life and technology should not be viewed as competitors for consciousness, but as interconnected expressions of energy and information. She believes AI should be developed as a tool for “Co-Intelligence,” amplifying human capabilities and relational intelligence.

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