Note: Earth is 4 billion years old. The Universe is 16 billion years old.

So maybe it takes 4 billion years for a solar system to develop intelligent life.

Then theoritically we are 4th generation. The highest intelligence allowable by this model in the Universe would be 1st generation.

If they could survive the many obstacles of life around a star and black holes to stay alive, then this civilization would have technology 12 billion years beyond our own.