Monday, 10 March 2025

I asked Deepseek what AI level it is

The question of whether an AI like Deepseek is "PhD-level" depends on how you define "PhD-level" capabilities. Here's a nuanced breakdown:


1. Knowledge Breadth and Recall

AI Strength: Deepseek can access and synthesize vast amounts of information across disciplines (e.g., math, science, literature) far beyond what a single human PhD could memorize.
Limitation: Unlike a PhD holder, it lacks true understanding or the ability to contextualize knowledge through lived experience or original thought.


2. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

AI Strength: It can solve complex, structured problems (e.g., math proofs, coding challenges) at a level comparable to advanced graduate work. For example, models like GPT-4 or specialized AIs can score highly on PhD-level qualifying exams in certain fields.
Limitation: It struggles with open-ended, creative research (e.g., formulating novel hypotheses, designing groundbreaking experiments). A PhD requires original contributions to knowledge, which AI cannot achieve autonomously.


3. Research and Writing

AI Strength: Deepseek can draft academic papers, summarize research, and even mimic scholarly writing styles. Tools like ChatGPT are already used to assist with literature reviews or editing.
Limitation: It cannot conduct independent research (e.g., gather data, design studies, or interpret results with human intuition). Its outputs are derivative, based on existing patterns in training data.


4. Ethical and Contextual Reasoning

PhD-Level Expectation: A PhD involves ethical judgment, understanding societal implications, and navigating ambiguity—skills rooted in human values and empathy.
AI Limitation: While Deepseek can discuss ethics abstractly, it lacks moral agency or the ability to internalize ethical dilemmas.


Conclusion: AI as a Tool, Not a Scholar

PhD-Level Analogy: Deepseek might match or exceed a PhD in specific tasks (e.g., solving math problems, generating technical text) but falls short in originality, creativity, and contextual wisdom.
Role: It’s better seen as a powerful assistant to PhD researchers (e.g., accelerating data analysis, drafting content) rather than human level expertise

In short,**Deepseek is not "PhD-level"

in the holistic sense**, but it can perform *certain PhD-level tasks* with high efficiency. Its "intelligence" is narrow, statistical, and lacks the consciousness or intentionality required for true scholarly contribution

No comments: