Speaking June 24

Describe an intelligent person you know

Well, one of the most intelligent people I know is my friend Ray. We first met in a shared elective on data science during our undergraduate days.

Around two years ago, Ray started working as a research assistant in our university’s AI lab, and since then he’s been immersed in developing algorithms that can analyse medical images. Actually, I remember being blown away when he explained convolutional neural networks in a way that even students without a technical background could grasp.

In the lab, Ray designs and tests models, writes complex code, and then trains these systems on thousands of scans to help doctors detect early signs of disease. Believe it or not, he often stays up late debugging and tweaking parameters until the model’s accuracy improves by just a fraction of a percent—but that tiny gain can make a huge difference in real-world diagnosis.

To be honest, what makes him truly intelligent isn’t just raw technical skill, but also his curiosity and creativity. He’ll question basic assumptions—like why we use a certain loss function—and then propose entirely new approaches. Come to think of it, he’s also a brilliant communicator: when presenting his findings at conferences, he blends rigorous data with clear visuals and relatable analogies, which leaves audiences genuinely excited about AI’s potential.

All in all, Ray’s combination of deep knowledge, relentless problem-solving, and ability to share complex ideas in simple terms is exactly why I consider him exceptionally intelligent.

Well, one of the most intelligent people I know is my friend Ray.
/wɛl, wʌn əv ðə məʊst ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.dʒənt ˈpiː.pəl aɪ nəʊ ɪz maɪ frɛnd reɪ/

We first met in a shared elective on data science during our undergraduate days.
/wiː fɜːst mɛt ɪn ə ʃeəd ɪˈlɛk.tɪv ɒn ˈdeɪ.tə ˈsaɪ.əns ˈdjʊə.rɪŋ aʊə ˌʌn.dəˈɡræd.ju.ət deɪz/

Around two years ago, Ray started working as a research assistant in our university’s AI lab, and since then he’s been immersed in developing algorithms that can analyse medical images.
/əˈraʊnd tuː jɪəz əˈɡəʊ, reɪ ˈstɑː.tɪd ˈwɜː.kɪŋ əz ə rɪˈsɜːʧ əˈsɪs.tənt ɪn aʊə ˌjuː.nɪˈvɜː.sə.tiz eɪ ˈaɪ læb, ænd sɪns ðɛn hiz bɪn ɪˈmɜːst ɪn dɪˈvɛl.ə.pɪŋ ˈæl.ɡəˌrɪð.əmz ðæt kæn ˈæn.ə.laɪz ˈmɛd.ɪ.kəl ˈɪm.ɪ.dʒɪz/

Actually, I remember being blown away when he explained convolutional neural networks in a way that even students without a technical background could grasp.
/ˈæk.tʃu.ə.li, aɪ rɪˈmɛm.bə ˈbiː.ɪŋ bləʊn əˈweɪ wɛn hiː ɪksˈpleɪnd ˌkɒn.vəˈluː.ʃən.əl ˈnjʊə.rəl ˈnɛt.wɜːks ɪn ə weɪ ðæt ˈiː.vən ˈstjuː.dənts wɪˈðaʊt ə ˈtɛk.nɪ.kəl ˈbæk.ɡraʊnd kʊd ɡrɑːsp/

In the lab, Ray designs and tests models, writes complex code, and then trains these systems on thousands of scans to help doctors detect early signs of disease.
/ɪn ðə læb, reɪ dɪˈzaɪnz ænd tɛsts ˈmɒd.əlz, raɪts kəmˈplɛks kəʊd, ænd ðɛn treɪnz ðiːz ˈsɪs.təmz ɒn ˈθaʊ.zəndz ɒv skænz tuː hɛlp ˈdɒk.təz dɪˈtɛkt ˈɜː.li saɪnz ɒv dɪˈziːz/

Believe it or not, he often stays up late debugging and tweaking parameters until the model’s accuracy improves by just a fraction of a percent—but that tiny gain can make a huge difference in real-world diagnosis.
/bɪˈliːv ɪt ɔː nɒt, hiː ˈɒf.ən steɪz ʌp leɪt dɪˈbʌɡ.ɪŋ ænd ˈtwiː.kɪŋ pəˈræm.ɪ.təz ənˈtɪl ðə ˈmɒd.əlz ˈæk.jʊ.rə.si ɪmˈpruːvz baɪ ʤʌst ə ˈfræk.ʃən ɒv ə pəˈsɛnt — bət ðæt ˈtaɪ.ni ɡeɪn kæn meɪk ə hjuːʤ ˈdɪf.ər.əns ɪn ˌrɪəlˈwɜːld ˌdaɪ.əɡˈnəʊ.sɪs/

To be honest, what makes him truly intelligent isn’t just raw technical skill, but also his curiosity and creativity.
/tuː biː ˈɒn.ɪst, wɒt meɪks hɪm ˈtruː.li ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.dʒənt ˈɪz.ənt ʤʌst rɔː ˈtɛk.nɪ.kəl skɪl, bət ˈɔːl.səʊ hɪz ˌkjʊə.riˈɒs.ə.ti ænd ˌkriː.eɪˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/

He’ll question basic assumptions—like why we use a certain loss function—and then propose entirely new approaches.
/hiːl ˈkwɛs.tʃən ˈbeɪ.sɪk əˈsʌmp.ʃənz — laɪk waɪ wiː juːz ə ˈsɜː.tən lɒs ˈfʌŋk.ʃən — ænd ðɛn prəˈpəʊz ɪnˈtaɪə.li njuː əˈprəʊ.ʧɪz/

Come to think of it, he’s also a brilliant communicator: when presenting his findings at conferences, he blends rigorous data with clear visuals and relatable analogies, which leaves audiences genuinely excited about AI’s potential.
/kʌm tuː θɪŋk əv ɪt, hiz ˈɔːl.səʊ ə ˈbrɪl.jənt kəˈmjuː.nɪ.keɪ.tə(r): wɛn prɪˈzɛn.tɪŋ hɪz ˈfaɪn.dɪŋz æt ˈkɒn.fər.ən.sɪz, hiː blɛndz ˈrɪɡ.ər.əs ˈdeɪ.tə wɪð klɪə ˈvɪʒ.u.əlz ænd rɪˈleɪ.tə.bəl əˈnæl.ə.dʒiz, wɪʧ liːvz ˈɔː.di.ən.sɪz ˈʤɛn.ju.ɪn.li ɪkˈsaɪ.tɪd əˈbaʊt eɪ ˈaɪz pəˈtɛn.ʃəl/

All in all, Ray’s combination of deep knowledge, relentless problem-solving, and ability to share complex ideas in simple terms is exactly why I consider him exceptionally intelligent.
/ɔːl ɪn ɔːl, reɪz ˌkɒm.bɪˈneɪ.ʃən ɒv diːp ˈnɒl.ɪdʒ, rɪˈlɛnt.ləs ˈprɒb.ləmˌsɒlv.ɪŋ, ænd əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti tuː ʃeə kəmˈplɛks aɪˈdɪəz ɪn ˈsɪm.pəl tɜːmz ɪz ɪɡˈzækt.li waɪ aɪ kənˈsɪd.ər hɪm ɪkˈsɛp.ʃən.əl.i ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.dʒənt/

part 3

Why are some children more intelligent than others?

I mean, growing up in a language-rich home or having parents who read aloud daily can dramatically boost verbal skills and critical thinking. Believe it or not, children exposed to diverse vocabulary and complex conversations from a young age often develop stronger reasoning abilities. If I’m not mistaken, parental involvement—like discussing current events or exploring science kits together—nurtures curiosity and problem-solving. Frankly speaking, access to educational resources and emotional support can make a huge difference in intellectual growth.

I mean, growing up in a language-rich home or having parents who read aloud daily can dramatically boost verbal skills and critical thinking.
/aɪ miːn, ˈɡrəʊ.ɪŋ ʌp ɪn ə ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪdʒ rɪʧ həʊm ɔː ˈhæv.ɪŋ ˈpeə.rənts huː riːd əˈlaʊd ˈdeɪ.li kæn drəˈmæt.ɪ.kəl.i buːst ˈvɜː.bəl skɪlz ænd ˈkrɪt.ɪ.kəl ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/

Believe it or not, children exposed to diverse vocabulary and complex conversations from a young age often develop stronger reasoning abilities.
/bɪˈliːv ɪt ɔː nɒt, ˈtʃɪl.drən ɪkˈspəʊzd tuː daɪˈvɜːs vəˈkæbjələri; ænd ˈkɒm.pleks ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃənz frɒm ə jʌŋ eɪdʒ ˈɒf.ən dɪˈvɛl.əp ˈstrɒŋ.ɡər ˈriː.zən.ɪŋ əˈbɪl.ɪ.tiz/

If I’m not mistaken, parental involvement—like discussing current events or exploring science kits together—nurtures curiosity and problem-solving.
/ɪf aɪm nɒt mɪˈsteɪ.kən, pəˈrɛn.təl ɪnˈvɒlv.mənt — laɪk dɪˈskʌs.ɪŋ ˈkʌr.ənt ɪˈvɛnts ɔː ɪkˈsplɔː.rɪŋ ˈsaɪ.əns kɪts təˈɡɛð.ər — ˈnɜː.tʃəz ˌkjʊə.riˈɒs.ə.ti ænd ˈprɒb.ləm ˌsɒlv.ɪŋ/

Frankly speaking, access to educational resources and emotional support can make a huge difference in intellectual growth.
/ˈfræŋk.li ˈspiː.kɪŋ, ˈæk.ses tuː ˌedʒ.ʊˈkeɪ.ʃən.əl rɪˈzɔː.sɪz ænd ɪˈməʊ.ʃən.əl səˈpɔːt kæn meɪk ə hjuːʤ ˈdɪf.ər.əns ɪn ˌɪn.təlˈek.tʃu.əl ɡrəʊθ/

Who do you think plays a more important role in a child's development, teachers or parents?

Believe it or not, it rarely comes down to either-or—both parents and teachers are essential, but in different ways and at different stages. Parents provide emotional grounding and core values at home, while teachers offer specialised knowledge and peer-learning contexts at school. In a way, the strongest development happens when these two forces communicate and reinforce each other, creating a consistent support network for the child.

Believe it or not, it rarely comes down to either-or—both parents and teachers are essential, but in different ways and at different stages.
/bɪˈliːv ɪt ɔː nɒt, ɪt ˈreəli kʌmz daʊn tuː ˈaɪðə ɔː; bəʊθ ˈpeərənts ænd ˈtiːtʃəz ɑː ɪˈsɛnʃəl, bət ɪn ˈdɪfərənt weɪz ænd æt ˈdɪfrənt steɪdʒɪz/

Parents provide emotional grounding and core values at home, while teachers offer specialised knowledge and peer-learning contexts at school.
/ˈpeərənts prəˈvaɪd ɪˈməʊʃənəl ˈgraʊndɪŋ ænd kɔːˈvæljuːz æt həʊm, waɪl ˈtiːtʃəz ˈɒfə ˈspɛʃəlaɪzd ˈnɒlɪdʒ ænd ˈpɪəˌlɜːnɪŋ ˈkɒntɛksts æt skuːl/

In a way, the strongest development happens when these two forces communicate and reinforce each other, creating a consistent support network for the child.
/ɪn ə weɪ, ðə ˈstrɒŋɡəst dɪˈvɛləpmənt ˈhæpənz wɛn ðiːz tuː ˈfɔːsɪz kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt ænd ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs iːtʃ ˈʌðə, kriːˈeɪtɪŋ ə kənˈsɪstənt səˈpɔːt ˈnɛtwɜːk fə ðə tʃaɪld/

Do you think smart people tend to be selfish?

I mean, being smart doesn’t automatically make you selfish—often it’s quite the opposite. Believe it or not, many talented people use their skills to help others: mentoring, volunteering or innovating solutions for social problems. If I’m not mistaken, empathy and moral values play a much bigger role than IQ. Frankly speaking, intelligence paired with compassion can lead to generous leadership that benefits entire communities rather than just the individual.

I mean, being smart doesn’t automatically make you selfish—often it’s quite the opposite.
/aɪ miːn, ˈbiː.ɪŋ smɑːt ˈdʌz.ənt ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ɪ.kli meɪk juː ˈsɛl.fɪʃ — ˈɒf.ən ɪts kwaɪt ðə ˈɒp.ə.zɪt/

Believe it or not, many talented people use their skills to help others: mentoring, volunteering or innovating solutions for social problems.
/bɪˈliːv ɪt ɔː nɒt, ˈmɛ.ni ˈtæl.ən.tɪd ˈpiː.pəl juːz ðeər skɪlz tuː hɛlp ˈʌð.əz: ˈmɛn.tər.ɪŋ, ˌvɒl.ənˈtɪə.rɪŋ ɔː ˈɪn.ə.veɪ.tɪŋ səˈluː.ʃənz fə ˈsəʊ.ʃəl ˈprɒb.ləmz/

If I’m not mistaken, empathy and moral values play a much bigger role than IQ.
/ɪf aɪm nɒt mɪˈsteɪ.kən, ˈɛm.pə.θi ænd ˈmɒr.əl ˈvæl.juːz pleɪ ə mʌʧ ˈbɪɡ.ə rəʊl ðæn ˌaɪˈkjuː/

Frankly speaking, intelligence paired with compassion can lead to generous leadership that benefits entire communities rather than just the individual.
/ˈfræŋ.kli ˈspiː.kɪŋ, ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.dʒəns peəd wɪð kəmˈpæʃ.ən kæn liːd tuː ˈdʒɛn.ər.əs ˈliː.də.ʃɪp ðæt ˈbɛn.ɪ.fɪts ɪnˈtaɪə kəˈmjuː.nə.tiz ˈrɑː.ðər ðæn dʒʌst ðə ˌɪn.dɪˈvɪdʒ.u.əl/

Are smart people happier than others?

Actually, I’ve noticed that some very bright people tend to overthink, which can backfire on their mood. If I’m not mistaken, constant rumination about the future or flaws in their work leads to stress rather than contentment. Frankly, too much intellectual self-critique can undermine the simple pleasures in life, so higher IQ sometimes comes with a lower baseline of happiness.

Actually, I’ve noticed that some very bright people tend to overthink, which can backfire on their mood.
/ˈæk.tʃu.ə.li aɪv ˈnəʊ.tɪst ðæt sʌm ˈvɛr.i braɪt ˈpiː.pəl tɛnd tuː ˌəʊ.vəˈθɪŋk, wɪtʃ kæn ˌbækˈfaɪə ɒn ðeə muːd/

If I’m not mistaken, constant rumination about the future or flaws in their work leads to stress rather than contentment.
/ɪf aɪm nɒt mɪˈsteɪ.kən, ˈkɒn.stənt ˌruː.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən əˈbaʊt ðə ˈfjuː.tʃə ɔː flɔːz ɪn ðeə wɜːk liːdz tuː strɛs ˈrɑː.ðə ðæn kənˈtɛnt.mənt/

Frankly, too much intellectual self-critique can undermine the simple pleasures in life, so higher IQ sometimes comes with a lower baseline of happiness.
/ˈfræŋk.li tuː mʌʧ ˌɪn.təˈlɛk.tʃu.əl ˌsɛlf.krɪˈtiːk kæn ˌʌn.dəˈmaɪn ðə ˈsɪm.pəl ˈplɛʒ.əz ɪn laɪf, səʊ ˈhaɪə ˌaɪˈkjuː ˈsʌm.taɪmz kʌmz wɪð ə ˈləʊ.ər ˈbeɪs.laɪn ɒv ˈhæp.i.nəs/