@Everyone | Text | UN: Skateboard Sniper

[duel_wielding]

So it has sorta come to my attention that not everyone might be familiar with the concept of an AI. Apparently some time line differences and stuff. So Theta's asked me to do what he says used to be called an 'AMA'

He says it stands for 'Ask Me Anything.'

So basically does anyone have questions for or about Artificial Intelligences? I'll probably let Theta be in charge of answering, he's better at understanding this particular part of the stuff than I am.

Oh, right. I'm North Dakota, and the little guy in my head, his name is Theta.

Comments

[whipshots]

Ours might not be as smart data-wise, then. They were built less for analytics, more just... weapons?

[ Walking tanks, mobile gun platforms, behemoths the size of skyscrapers. Not... exactly like Theta, it seems. ]

[duel_wielding]

AIs in my world tend to function very differently from how Theta does. They are needed for higher level reasoning, like managing slip-space jumps, intel networks, things like that. In the process they...

It's called rampancy. We're created through a basis on the human brain, but Humanity hasn't really been able to make a good imitation of the human brain yet. It's why I can interface with North, because at my core I'm based on the human mind. Over time our memory maps become too interconnected and develop feedback loops. Over time we begin to use more and more of our computing power 'thinking' about things. It's like... It's like thinking so hard that you forget to breathe. Some AI start to think they're better than humans, which I guess in some ways we are but it's still totally not true. They want to take over. They can do some pretty bad things. Others go catatonic. There are three stages to the known rampancy process.

[whipshots]

[ She's genuinely, morbidly fascinated by this subject, even as it unnerves her. It's like a variation on a theme: a different spin to the perils that her own world experienced. ]

What are the three stages?

[duel_wielding]

Melancholia, Anger, Jealousy. And theoretically, after that, Metastability.

The first stage isn't so bad, and might not even be noticed. I have North check me for it often. It's like depression in humans. Second is where it gets noticed more. Because, you know, angry face. It's when humans are most likely to be hurt in the whole process. They hate what is around it, the installation or ship it works from, maybe even lashes out a bit.

See, AIs, we exist in our own time, mentally. We have to slow down to humans, but that doesn't mean we aren't experiencing so much, and sometimes I guess it could get frustrating to have to be used by humans. Because they aren't as smart or don't respect what you can do or something.

Then there's jealousy. It's where AIs are most like humans for real. After the AI has lashed out, feels they've righted things. An AI will try to grow to be more, to achieve more, to take in even more stimuli because they see themselves as fully realized people. But we're still computers. We're still limited to whatever systems we're managing, whatever construct we've been given as our form. You can't grow outside of that, can't change like humans do. You're supposed to feel this itch to upgrade, to expand, to seek more room and more systems to reach into as your knowledge and experience grows. I don't know if this one is common.

Most AI get shut down before rampancy starts, or at the first signs. I think there is probably some override in us.

[whipshots]

[ It takes her a while to respond to this one. Brigitte winds up looking away from her device, shoving back her chair and going for a walk outdoors. Clean fresh air, biting cold to clear her head. This is like a first-hand glimpse into the exact sequence of logic that led to the omniums reactivating themselves and churning out more machines. The omnics turning against the humans en masse. The actual reasoning behind it. And she understands, of course she does, she's empathetic enough to squint and try to put herself in those shoes. But—

In the end, when she returns, it's a simple question. Even if she knows it might touch on some sore nerves there, too: ]

Can you define 'lash out'.

[duel_wielding]

Ever seen 2001: a Space Odyssey?

Ew. No. Hal is not rampant in the same way. And you've got to understand, this is a SERIOUS oversimplification of AI theory and processes, okay?

But like, lashing out is a worst case scenario. The first planet the war really hit bad, Harvest? The AIs there went rampant, or so reports say. But they also say that the AIs worked really hard, even in Rampancy, to protect humans and try and save the world. But other AIs have, you know, turned their systems against humans, try to overthrow our oppressors, things like that.

Theta's only five. He's not going to cause any problems here. Please don't be concerned.

[whipshots]

[ A small scoff of a laugh. ] If you say so.


-- Sorry. I don't mean to be short. Our machines turned against us, and tried to destroy all of humanity. My father almos   People stopped it at huge cost, but then it started again. The second war's been going on for about five years back home. I know we're from different places but just, it's hard.

[duel_wielding]

There's a bit of a difference there. So far as I can tell, AIs aren't really 'given' bodies. They're ships. They're orbital stations. They're city matrixes, or analysis specialists for the war against the Covenant. To actually go to war with humans would be risking their physical form. And their self-preservation instincts are pretty high.

Frankly, right now, Theta's just as upset that he's made you scared of him as he is to be thinking about death.

[whipshots]

Good point.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push this much.  [ Didn't she, though? ]

Thank you both -- and tell Theta thank you especially -- for letting me ask so many questions. It'll be okay.

[duel_wielding]

He bounces back rather quick, like most kids do.

Though I guess if you made a general comparison to human lifespans, he'd be in his fifties or sixties.