Is this likely to happen?

Will robot intelligence ever surpass human intelligence? In some areas? In all areas? In no areas?

Using data mining regressions, robots can systematically improve their own algorithms as they gather data. This technique has already been used by things that you are most likely familiar with, such as Google's adsense, Amazon's recommended items, iTunes Genius, and Pandora internet radio, among many others, which analyze the data of millions of consumers to determine what is most effective for enhancing their respective companies' bottom lines...in fact, data mining algorithms, in a general study, have beaten expert predictions in a variety of difficult fields, losing only 8 out of some 136 times to humans...as we expose robots to more and more data, they will gain "intelligence" and improve their algorithms, but I don't think they would generate any features extraneous to what we specifically code them for...Of course, I can always be wrong.

it depends on what you mean by intelligence. arguably, robots already historically always have surpassed human intelligence in term computing stuff and running algorithms, etc. but i guess the real question is whether or not robots could become wholly autonomous.

i'd think that the main stumbling block would be whether or not robots would have the ability to reconfigure themselves physically and digitally. if robots are stuck in their intended form--both in terms of what they are programmed to value, and what they physically are--people can always limit the ability of robots to their intended function. for example, google adsense can't conceivably grow robotic arms for two main reasons: first, it isn't programmed to evolve to value the growth of arms at all because it's programmed to prioritize stuff that maximizes ad revenue, but second, it can't because its completely virtual and is programmed to.

so, as long as people are careful about what they make robots prioritize and the physical capabilities of those robots, probably not. but space colonization efforts might call for greater degrees of autonomy for robots, so thats all subject to change.