Jim Rutt, a prominent thinker on the dynamics of complex systems, would define 'collective intelligence' as the emergent capability of a group to perform complex tasks, solve problems, or create knowledge that surpasses the abilities of individual members working in isolation. He emphasizes that this phenomenon arises from the interplay of diverse perspectives and skills within a networked group, where effective communication, shared goals, and adaptive learning processes enable the collective to leverage its distributed cognitive resources. Rutt notes that fostering collective intelligence requires not just the aggregation of individual contributions, but also the alignment of incentives and the cultivation of an environment conducive to collaboration and innovation. This holistic coordination results in a synergistic effect, where the group displays an intelligent behavior that cannot be attributed to any single participant alone.

See also: emergence, evolutionary computing, game theory, self-organization