Heuristics: Human and Nonhuman

The problems of artificial intelligence from the very beginning of this applied area of science in the mid-20th century have closely intersected with psychological problems, primarily with the psychology of thinking. As experience shows, not only real developments in artificial intelligence but also the discussed prospects for building its working models largely depend on technological progress in the field of computers and software. The paper discusses the changes in representations of heuristics understood as creative thinking and as techniques or rules that are useful for finding solutions to problems. The following issues are specifically considered: the psychological side of the problems of heuristic programming, the similarities and differences between human and computer heuristics, the probability and possible consequences of the singularity phenomenon (understood as the superiority of artificial intelligence over natural one), including the example of the functioning of the community of professional chess players. It is concluded that the progress of computer models and artificial intelligence systems are promising for the positive transformation of the human psyche.