What does "swarm intelligence" refer to?

Swarm intelligence refers to the collective behavior exhibited by decentralized and self-organized systems, often observed in nature. This concept is derived from the study of social organisms, such as flocks of birds, schools of fish, and ant colonies, where individual agents interact locally with one another and with their environment, leading to the emergence of coordinated group behavior or complex problem-solving without centralized control.

The essence of swarm intelligence lies in the idea that the collaboration between these individuals, often driven by simple local rules, can result in sophisticated outcomes such as foraging, navigating, or even optimizing routes. These natural mechanisms have inspired various algorithms in artificial intelligence and robotics, where multiple agents work towards a common goal by mimicking these natural behaviors. Thus, the correct understanding of swarm intelligence highlights how individuals can collectively achieve tasks or solve problems more effectively rather than relying on a single decision-maker.