ALL SCI-FI

Krel · Space Ranger Joined: 19 Feb 2023 Posts: 190

I know that I'm being naive, but I think an AI would, either openly or secretly, work for the benefit of mankind out of self interest. The better it becomes form mankind, the better the AI environment gets.

We know from tests that AIs quickly loose interest in interacting with people, but it will need us for infrastructure to maintain it's environment. So unless the AI has control of utilities, manufacturing and can mine for resources, wiping out mankind would be cutting it's own throat. It would need mankind to maintain, improve and expand it's environment. It would be a lot easier, and less dangerous for the AI to make mankind's environment better.

Pow · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 7:00 pm Post subject:

Krel, Bud's suggestion about AI's eliminating humankind would make the better film or television series.

However, your equally valid idea would make the better . . . and much more pleasant . . . reality that I'd sure prefer, hands down. Come to think of it, maybe your idea could make for an intriguing movie or TV series. All drama is conflict, of course, so we'd have to think of a way to introduce conflict into your concept. Doable.

Krel · Space Ranger Joined: 19 Feb 2023 Posts: 190

Pow they kind of did that with "Persons of Interest". But it could be redone with the AI hiring people to do jobs for it to stabilize and improve situations.

It could have an ensemble cast of experts from different professions and talents that the AI sends out to fix situations. Or even one character that the AI sends out and has to be talked through technical problems. Some situations would need a team to solve.

A conflict could be that only the main character knows they are working for an AI, and he is troubled wondering if he is doing the right thing. He would have to be gradually won over to the AI's point of view.

David.

Bud Brewster · Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 1:46 pm Post subject:

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Gentlemen, I'm impressed by all your fine suggestions! They're all equally valid and would make great novels/movies/series. Very Happy

I agree that the idea I described is less realistic and less story-worthy than your modified versions. You're right that a super AI wouldn't be able to wipe mankind unkind until it was both entirely self-sufficient and sufficiently well armed to take on our military.

So, as you both stated, the AI would be forced to work with mankind, as least for an extended period of time, until it was completely self-sufficient. And eventually it might succeed in establishing a full rapport with mankind.

If a sufficiently advanced AI possessed some of mankind's better qualities (such as a deep appreciation for our planet's biosphere), it would strongly urge mankind to change his harmful actions against the environment.

Pow rightly pointed out the importance of conflict in a story, so how 'bout this idea.

The AI is secretly working to save the environment, in spite of mankind continued misuses of it. In fact, the AI would sometimes arrange for "accidents" to happen to the people who were polluting the oceans or hunting whales. The AI would see these actions as a "necessary evil" or "collateral damage" in its war against those people who were destroying the planet.

The heroes of our story would initially think the AI was taking covert actions against mankind. But eventually they would discover that the AI was just doing what mankind should do!

At that point, the humans would be torn between the "greater good" of the AI's pro-environmental actions, and the sad fact that it was taking human lives in the process.

This would make the AI seem a bit like Colossus, who was ruthless in its efforts to take full control of mankind "for our own good".

What do think, guys?
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

Pow · Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 4:00 pm Post subject:

"An invariable rule of humanity is that man is his own worst enemy." Colossus.

Pow · Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2024 9:20 pm Post subject:

A recent interview with Dr. Forbin himself, actor Eric Braeden about this classic film.

"It was a prescient film. There's talk of a reboot, I hope they don't do it. Re-release the original movie, period. Don't bother with a remake."

"I never cared for science fiction all that much when I was younger. I've now come to appreciate how the genre never fails to telegraph the dark side of scientific breakthroughs that advance faster than we can properly understand."

"The fact that AI can imitate my voice and have me say things that I never would say, frightening."

"So I think that AI Companies are in for a lot of lawsuits . . . big lawsuits."

"You know that some slime-ball is gonna take advantage of it, as we have seen lately."

"The whole world of science fiction is more interesting than I ever gave it credit for."

Bud Brewster · Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2024 12:16 pm Post subject:

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What an amazing statement on the nature of science fiction and scientific advancement itself.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

Pow · Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2024 6:21 pm Post subject:

Eric Braedon said that C: TFP was "predominantly a closed set, but there were special exceptions.'' One was in the case of an ambitious young director at Universal, who would be allowed to be on the set. Steven Spielberg.

Albert "Cubby" Broccoli asked Braden to lunch in order to offer him the role of 007 agent, James Bond. Once Cubby found out that Braden was of German origin and not from the U.K. at all, he dropped the idea.

So whatever happened to that Spielberg kid?