The IQ test has long been dismissed as an inaccurate way to discern how intelligent a person really is - but now scientists may have found a better way. Researchers say MRI scans can measure human intelligence, and define exactly what it is. This could lead to radical leaps in AI with machines programmed to think in the same way we do. Researchers say MRI scans can measure human intelligence - and define what it is. This could lead to radical leaps in AI with machines programmed to think in the same way we do.

The aim of the research was to discover how intellect works in the human brain and thereby inform how Artificial Intelligence (AI) works in the future. The study used MRI scans to observe thousands of brains and was only possible due to recent developments in brain imaging techniques. They conclusively found that the more variable a person's brain is - how frequently you can change neural connections with the other parts of the brain over minutes or seconds - and the more frequently these parts connect with each other, the higher a person's IQ and creativity. The discovery of these dynamic functions inside the brain could be applied to building artificial networks that mimic the brain, with the ability to learn and adapt – a current obstacle in the effectiveness of AI. Not only does this study have implications for technology, it is important in understanding mental health.