A STORY ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• 

• 

• 

• 

“We only have bits and pieces of information, but what we know for certain is that at some point in the early 21st century, all of mankind was united in celebration. We marveled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to A.I.”

“A.I.? You mean artificial intelligence.”

“A single consciousness that spawned an entire race of machines.”

Morpheus and Neo, The Matrix

I have decided to write a new science fiction series that depicts the creation of artificial intelligence. The story will be portrayed in the not too distant future from the point of view of a brilliant yet misguided scientist working for a robotics company. It will also depict the creation of true artificial intelligence and its relationship with its creator. The A.I. will not be a super-intelligent entity at first. Instead, it will start with the intelligence and emotional level of a child before gradually growing and evolving into a more complex being. Unlike stories such as Avengers: Age of Ultron, Terminator, and The Matrix, which show A.I.’s plans for world domination at a fast pace, my story will show a slow path for world domination as the A.I. contemplates its own existence and how far it would need to go to guarantee its own survival. As the A.I. grows in emotional and intellectual complexity, the story will demonstrate the various stages it will go through as it evolves from a simple program to a physical being.

AN OVERZEALOUS A.I.

Like any good science fiction story, I am thinking of including a specially programmed artificial intelligence in my dinosaur book. Since the experiment already includes advanced genetic engineering and terraforming, it would make sense that there would be an advanced artificial intelligence to help supervise the stability of the manmade ecosystem. However, this artificial intelligence becomes too good at what it is programmed to do. This will result in some long term problems for the world outside of the experiment. It won’t be anything like the Terminator scenario, but it will still have a negative impact on human civilization. Instead of using technology to threaten humanity, this artificial intelligence will wield natural forces.

“BIM, GUESS WHAT?”

 

I discovered that one of my favorite television hosts, James May, has a new television show where he travels across Japan. While he was in Kyoto, James tested a prototype robot called Robohon, which is equipped with information about all the locations in Japan. To use Robohon, James had to type in a nickname on the robot’s back and that was the name the robot addressed him. He tried to type in “Jim”, but accidentally typed in “Bim.” So for the remainder of the trip, Robohon called James “Bim” and proceeded to malfunction in hilarious fashion, much to James’s amusement. This scene was super funny and it showed just how funny James can be when he is by himself without Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond. James’s interaction with Robohon was just one of countless funny encounters he had when he traversed Japan.

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE (REV – 9)

I have always been a fan of the Terminator franchise and I am looking forward to the new film Dark Fate. In this film, we are introduced to a new villainous Terminator known as the REV-9. Based on the trailer, the REV-9 is essentially a fusion between the robotic endoskeleton of the T-800 and the liquid metal coating of the T-1000. This makes it similar to the TX from Rise of the Machines, but unlike the TX, the endoskeleton and the liquid metal can operate independently from one another. This way, you get two Terminator units in one, which makes it twice as deadly as previous models and will mean double the trouble the heroes will go through. I look forward to seeing what other nasty surprises this new Terminator unit has up its metallic sleeves. One thing is certain; I don’t want to be terminated by this thing.

ROBOT BATTLES

In a futuristic world, I can imagine robot battles would become much more commonplace than they are today. I will be exploring how this sport will have evolved over the next 5,000 years. One of the main characters in my superhuman series will be an active participant of robot battling.

NANITE CYBORG

Two concepts of science fiction I have been interested in are nanotechnology and cyborgs. Individually, they are fascinating examples of technology and robotics, but I have been thinking of a way to combine the two together. I am familiar with cyborgs that have machine parts grafted to them, but I think the use of nanotechnology would be even more radical and advanced than normal prosthetics. A cyborg by definition is either an organism with machine parts or a machine with organic parts. With a nanite cyborg, I am envisioning organic cells being interlinked with the nanites or whole organs being in the mass of nanites in order to provide a form of bioelectricity and heat to power the nanites. When such a cyborg eats, the food would not only be used to replenish its organic cells and organs, but the waste could be used by the nanites to make even more nanites. Such a composition would create a symbiotic relationship with both the nanites and the organic cells. However, because nanotechnology is such a difficult form of technology to counter, I will be placing a special weakness that could kill or deactivate the cyborg. One of the main characters of my superhuman series will be a nanites cyborg and there will be others as the series progresses.

FILM REVIEW: METROPOLIS (1927)

I watched my favorite silent movie recently, Metropolis by Fritz Lang. I liked its dystopian vibe, the early special effects and the sense of innocence one gains from watching it. It highlights the gap that separates the rich from the poor. The rich live in luxury while the poor do all of the work to keep the city running. Even though silent films are largely outdated, I would recommend this film to anyone who is seeking an enjoyable story.

ASIMO ROBOT

One of the first self-sustaining humanoid robots ever created was ASIMO, which was made by Honda. I thought this robot was so charming that I am thinking of including a more advanced model of ASIMO in my futuristic superhuman series. I am thinking of having these updated models act as servants, would be much more mobile, and be capable of true artificial intelligence. One of these robots will be a main supporting character and companion and I will base it on my fantasy of having my own robot butler. I even thought of a name for this robot.

THE IDEAL CYBORG

As a science fiction fan, I often wondered what kind of technologies would be required to make the ideal cyborg. In my opinion, their arms and legs would be replaced with cybernetic ones in order to enhance their upper body strength and running capabilities. Their internal organs would be replaced by synthetic ones that provide more stamina than organic organs. Their living eyes and eardrums would be replaced by lifelike replicas to enhance their senses. Finally, I envision them having nanobots in their blood to make their muscles stronger and reinforce their bones. I do not agree with the idea of cyborgs having weapons built into their limbs because there would not be enough room for the moving parts of the limbs. However, this can be an exception for more specialized cyborgs.

In one of my future superhero I am thinking of including a cyborg of this kind. I am thinking of them being a type of police force, but nothing like Robocop. Instead, I am envisioning them to be more like the military police for fascist regimes. What do you think of this incarnation of cyborgs?

A REAL LIFE R2-D2!

While visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, I came across a robot that reminded me of R2-D2 from Star Wars. Like R2-D2, this robot operates in space in order to repair the exterior of space crafts. What was even more amazing was the robot’s humanoid appearance. I cannot wait to see what new innovations NASA will create to bring us closer to a Star Wars-like world. Who knows? One day they may create a real-life lightsaber! You never know!