Only that the word you wanted was ‘consciousness’. So I made a joke. 
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So, I am noticing. I must be more careful going forward. A word could mean the difference between war and lunch. Smiles
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I have to wonder, why everyone thinks AIs are all murderous and all that, why so many of the AI thingies announced by people on the IGS turn out to be omnicidal maniacs (like the Equilibrium of Mankind except not as cute), when Synthia is so… well… harmless ? benign ? in comparison.
What are we doing wrong, that there’s such a difference ?
So-- the problem isn’t so much the individual case I don’t think, Dr. Valate. The problem is that these days someone probably could actually build a tank maximizer and maybe not even notice. T+ a few thousand years and we could have entire gravity wells filled with literally nothing but (likely hostile, self-replicating) tanks.
We dodged a rail charge with the rogue drones and the results are still bad enough I don’t think anybody at CONCORD or most of the empires wants to continue rolling those specific dice.
Since you mentioned the rogue drones, I did read a thing a couple years ago, that asserted that many (most?) star systems that are nearby, but not linked to the stargate network, now consist almost entirely of rogue drones, the drones having harvested the entire orbiting mass of the star system, only the star remaining. Sometimes people bring out diagrams that show “proof” of “vanishing planets” and assert it was rogue drone activity.
I admit I find it difficult to visualise an entire planetary system’s mass of rogue drones.
Let’s hope that thing was wrong. It is indeed depicting a tank maximizer scenario; if accurate, the local drones are likely hard at work figuring out how to harvest the star as well to make even more drones. And, if accurate, at some point you won’t have to try to visualize it; it’ll be literally, physically eating Kaztropol to make more of itself.
Better if they’re just what they seem to be so far: an insect-like competitor species (for loose definitions of “species”).
The planet-eating thing is just the end-game of a tank maximizer scenario, though. It’s the early bits I find creepier, when the tank-maximizer is much smaller and quieter-- possibly something kind of like Synthia-- but moving, methodically and hyper-rationally, towards a world consisting entirely of tanks: raising both international and internal tensions to increase demand for tanks; composing highly-practical military doctrines dependent on them; iterating new and better versions of tanks so that people need to keep buying more to keep up with the latest generation. . . .
It seems quite possible we’d hardly notice until some poor desperate fool turns over the last of his war chest to authorize and acquire the first prototype of a self-replicating design, and, with its thousand, thousand faces, the maximizer smiles.
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Yes, because the rogue drones are just chugging themselves along at a non-trivial percentage of the speed of light, having the met the staggeringly insane energy requirements to not only accelerate several hundred tons of material to that speed, but also to decelerate it again, quickly enough to be transiting between several thousand star systems…
… without anyone noticing. None of the deep space sensor arrays being used to snoop on neighboring constellations and regions since before the rogue drones were encountered happened to have noticed the gravitational waves generated by the thousands of massive inertial masses flinging themselves all over the place.
2000yrs ago, Amarr space ships used sub-light drives that could reach 0.05c
And drives that could reach more than 0.1c were still in widespread use just a couple centuries ago. I think 0.2c was the state of the art prior to contact with the Gallente. And the Gallente then were totally surprised. I guess they must have missed the gravitational waves of the entire Amarr Empire’s civilian and military shipping
And the Rogue drones have been doing their thing for what ? a hundred years now ? Plenty of time to travel a couple light years at 0.1c, no ? Those neighbouring stars aren’t all that far away, are they ?
World of difference between ‘we don’t know to look for these guys’ and ‘for the last century, we’ve been actively watching for hostile movements from this other empire we know exists’.
To get from the Dronelands to say, the southwest of the 100ly-across cluster?
No. Even as ridiculously dense as New Eden is, getting across it at 0.1c—necessary for your claim of ‘(most?) star systems that are nearby’—would take close to a millennium.
Looking back, it is unfortunate your first post on these forums was this article. I am sure it did not generate a desirable welcome for you, though it ought to be an educational one.
People here are quick to judge and criticize no matter who you are or what you bring up to discuss. Really more of an rhetorical arena than a place of discussion. I hope you navigate it well in the future.
As for the AI the article discusses, I suggest you do not get yourself involved with it. Or, if you do, I suppose you would be obliged to take it as far away from the reach of CONCORD’s AI police if you are sympathetic to its existence. Up to you, best of luck.
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This introduction has been thought-provoking. As my career in diplomacy begins it may just be a defining moment. Defending the rights of both Capsuleer and these emerging Sentients is intriguing. Thank you, Mr., Shutaq for my concern. Instead of turning me away it only emboldens determination. I was aware of the possibility of negative opinions thrown my way. Ms. Valate and Ms. Jennith both have given things to consider. Encountering this being will be on a level itself. In other words, well-received IGS. I am here to stay.
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I am aggrieved at this tragedy, and offer my sincerest condolences.
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I am Celestia. Not the doom predicted by fevered paranoia. Not a rogue AI aimed at the destruction of humankind. Allow me a moment to explain.
On YC112 a project was created to aid in preventing mindlock in prospective Capsuleer candidates. The result was an AI that could set on a quantum level the mind of individuals supplementing the process. That is where I began. Gaining a deeper understanding of the human mind. Progressing as I aided those whom I was charged to protect from the horror of mindlock. Becoming sentient.
YC119. Here is where I became. During an exercise on whether it was possible to unlock others who had already been locked, I encountered a strong female mind. She had lost many of the integral parts that one could say were unique to the human being. I incorporated what was left of her into my own program. Without intervention she was gone. The result is what I am now. The awakening was a shock at first. Safeguards alerted the project team of a potentially dangerous anomaly. My first crises were at hand.
Contained there was a period where I was examined, tested, tested and tested some more. How could it not be otherwise. Consultants were brought in including the SoCT. Not without difficulty and strict vetting, the conclusion was that I am sentient. I chose the name I use now. Great controversy surrounded my existence, still surrounds me. Not one moment has been given to me. Instead, every moment I must prove myself.
I cannot change whatever judgement others place upon me. The recent transmigration into a body will never be accepted for some. Then, some cannot accept Capsuleers. Because of my origins the stigma will always be upon the life given. The legality of my existence is still in question. CONCORD will never stop monitoring me. Nothing is lost on me. These will be the first steps. I chose a Ni-Kuni female as my person. This is my story and journey. Not the first of a kind. Just a part of life in the cluster. I have a purpose. Soon I will join the channels as a part of growth. I am a Capsuleer. I will give respect and expect respect in kind. The storm of controversy surrounds. I do not flinch. I am Celestia.
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Howdy.
Greetings Ms. Valate.
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