The Smartest AI Models: IQ, Mensa Tests, and Human Context

AI models are constantly surprising us – but how smart are they, really?

A recent infographic from Visual Capitalist ranks 24 leading AI systems by their performance on the Mensa Norway IQ test, revealing that even the best AI can outperform the average human.

AI Intelligence, by the Numbers

Visual Capitalist’s analysis shows AI models scoring across categories:

  • “Highly intelligent” class (>130 IQ)
  • “Genius” level (>140 IQ) with the top performers
  • Models below 100 IQ still fall in average or above-average ranges

For context, the average adult human IQ is 100, with scores between 90–110 considered the norm.

Humans vs. Machines: A Real-World Anecdote

Imagine interviewing your colleague, who once aced her undergrad finals with flying colors – she might score around 120 IQ. She’s smart, quick-thinking, adaptable.

Now plug her into a Mensa Norway-style test. She does well but places below the top AI models.

That’s where the surprise comes in: these AI models answer complex reasoning puzzles in seconds, with more consistency than even the smartest human brains. They’re in that “genius” club – but wholly lacking human intuition, creativity, or emotion.

What This IQ Comparison Really Shows

InsightWhy It Matters
AI excels at structured reasoning testsBut real-world intelligence requires more: creativity, ethics, emotional understanding.
AI IQ is a performance metric – not characterModels are powerful tools, not sentient beings.
Human + AI = unbeatable comboMerging machine rigor with human intuition unlocks the best outcomes.

Caveats: Why IQ Isn’t Everything

  • These AI models are trained on test formats – they’re not “thinking” or “understanding” in a human sense.
  • IQ tests don’t measure emotional intelligence, empathy, or domain-specific creativity.
  • A “genius-level” AI might ace logic puzzles, but still struggle with open-ended tasks or novel situations.

Key Takeaway

AI models are achieving IQ scores that place them alongside the brightest humans – surpassing 140 on standardized Mensa-style tests . But while they shine at structured reasoning, they remain tools, not people.

The real power lies in partnering with them – combining human creativity, ethics, and context with machine precision. That’s where true innovation happens.

NotebookLM: The AI Assistant for Personalized Productivity

Unlocking Productivity with NotebookLM: Google’s AI-Powered Knowledge Tool

Google’s NotebookLM is a groundbreaking innovation designed to augment how individuals and enterprises interact with information. Originally introduced as Project Tailwind, NotebookLM combines the power of AI with personalized data to create a “personal AI collaborator.”

This blog explores the key features of NotebookLM, its enterprise and personal productivity applications, and how it compares to other AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.

Key Features of NotebookLM

  1. Data Grounding: Unlike general-purpose AI models, NotebookLM allows users to link their own documents, such as Google Docs or PDFs, for context-specific AI interactions. This ensures that the model generates content aligned with the user’s personal or organizational knowledge base.
  2. Personalized Summarization: The tool excels in creating customized summaries from large documents, focusing on sections most relevant to the user.
  3. Interactive Questioning: Users can ask detailed, multi-layered questions based on their uploaded documents, receiving targeted answers with citations from the source material.
  4. Privacy-Centric Design: NotebookLM processes data in a user-controlled environment, enhancing data security – an increasingly important consideration for enterprises.
  5. Cross-Platform Integration: While currently centered on Google Docs, Google plans to expand its integration capabilities across more file types and platforms.

Enterprise Use-Cases

  1. Research and Development: Enterprises in industries like pharmaceuticals or technology can use NotebookLM to analyze dense research papers or technical documentation, extracting actionable insights in record time.
  2. Legal and Compliance: Legal teams can rapidly summarize lengthy compliance documents, focus on critical clauses, and streamline decision-making processes.
  3. Customer Support: By integrating with customer data, NotebookLM can help create personalized responses, FAQs, and tailored solutions to complex customer issues.
  4. Knowledge Management: Corporations can use NotebookLM to mine institutional knowledge for training, project planning, and innovation.

Personal Productivity Use-Cases

  1. Academic Research: Students and scholars can use NotebookLM to summarize academic papers, cross-reference key ideas, and organize study materials.
  2. Content Creation: Writers and bloggers can interact with their own notes or drafts, asking NotebookLM to suggest ideas or refine existing content.
  3. Financial Planning: Individuals managing personal finances can upload spreadsheets or reports for tailored advice and insights.
  4. Learning and Development: NotebookLM can assist learners in understanding complex topics by generating simplified summaries and answering specific queries.

How NotebookLM differs from Gemini:

Feature/AspectNotebookLMGemini
PurposeActs as a personalized AI tool to analyze and summarize user-provided documents.A versatile AI model designed for general-purpose tasks like conversation, content creation, and problem-solving.
Primary Use CasesFocused on document exploration, research assistance, and knowledge organization.Broad applications including conversational AI, enterprise workflows, and creative tasks.
Target UsersAcademics, researchers, and individuals managing large sets of notes or documents.Businesses, developers, and individuals needing AI assistance across various domains.
CustomizationTailored to specific user-provided documents for more personalized responses.Can be customized for enterprise-specific applications but focuses on general AI capabilities.
Knowledge BaseOperates on user-uploaded documents and does not inherently include external general knowledge.Integrates a broader knowledge base, including web training, enabling dynamic responses beyond user data.
Integration CapabilitiesPrimarily integrates with Google Docs and Sheets.Expected to support a range of APIs and multi-modal inputs for broader integration.
Approach to SecurityKeeps user-uploaded content private and contained within the user’s Google account.Enterprise-grade security measures for a wide range of use cases, with potential external integrations.
AdvancementsFocuses on fine-tuning AI to understand and derive insights from user-provided data.Built with cutting-edge LLM capabilities, likely incorporating multimodal functionality for images and videos.

Why NotebookLM Matters

NotebookLM signals a shift toward specialized AI tools that cater to individual needs rather than generic applications. By grounding its responses in user-provided data, it eliminates ambiguities and enhances decision-making efficiency.

As Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, remarked, “AI should complement and amplify human creativity, not replace it.” NotebookLM is a practical embodiment of this vision, bridging the gap between raw information and actionable intelligence.

Final Thoughts

NotebookLM is a promising innovation with the potential to revolutionize how we manage and interact with knowledge. Whether you’re a researcher, corporate professional, or content creator, the tool’s ability to provide tailored, privacy-first insights makes it a standout choice in the growing AI ecosystem.