Is it possible for creatures with intelligence more advanced than humans to evolve naturally in the universe?

Then we can wonder about the evolutionary selection pressure for intelligence.

They may also not have the same limitations for the size of a birth canal. If they are similar to marsupials, the baby would be born very small and then develop in the pouch, without head restrictions of the birth canal.

Sexual selection. Intelligence is sexy. If you could tell a better story, make a better plan, make a better tool or weapon, you would be popular and get laid.

Why don't the EU leaders who want even more war instead of peace send their sons (and daughters) to fight in Ukraine? Zelensky accepts volunteers this very moment. 3,000 dollars a month, all expenses paid.

Possibly, for us, it was a combination of different things after it reached a certain level:

So let's say that the aliens have fewer restrictions on brain size, and have more efficient brain wetware, and are subject to sexual selection for intelligence, then they will likely be much more intelligent than us.

Human intelligence is limited by how the brain works, and how big the head on a baby can be.

Origami structures unfold into seamless surfaces for deployable applications - Phys.org

Right here on Earth, birds have at least twice as dense brains as humans. That means that they cram at least twice the computing capacity in the same space as primates. If we had bird brains we might have been much more intelligent.

Social groups, and theory of mind. You needed to keep tabs on everyone in the group and understand their drives. Being able to negotiate. It takes intelligence to succeed with this.

Aliens may have more efficient brains than humans, like birds, or even more efficient than any animal on Earth.

What measures do celebrities take to protect their images from being used for commercial purposes without permission? How much does this typically cost them?

And since the universe is so enormously big, it would be strange if we were the most intelligent creatures. Though, we will probably never find out.