The term artificial intelligence can have anthropomorphic connotations. In some contexts, it might be useful to speak of a really powerful optimization process rather than a superintelligence. An AI that was nonanthropomorphic and nonsentient could theoretically still be a very powerful device that could drastically affect the future in precise ways.

Blog posts

External links

Creature or Technology by Steven Kaas
The Stamp Collecting Device by Nick Hay

See also

Optimization process, configuration space
Artificial general intelligence, singleton
Friendly Artificial Intelligence
Anthropomorphism, alien values
Evolution as alien god
Complexity of value