Cognitive Kardashev Scale Quantifies Civilizational AI Computation

A new study published on arXiv has introduced something called the Cognitive Kardashev Scale, which measures the computational power of civilizations, kind of like the original Kardashev scale that looks at energy consumption. This new framework breaks down AI-level computation into three categories: planetary (Type I, around 10^16 W), stellar (Type II, about 10^26 W), and galactic (Type III). It takes into account total power P, how much of that power f is used for cognitive tasks, efficiency η (in operations per joule), and a benchmark based on brain processing rates. Using tech from 2024-2026, η is pegged at 10^12 FLOP/J. Currently, humanity scores around K ≈ 0.73, approaching Type I, which could mean one personal AI per person. Type II, however, is beyond imagination.