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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/spindizzy_wizard on 2024-06-16 18:46:54+00:00.
The AI Great Filter [WP]
[WP] It’s a story repeated in our galaxy a thousand times over. Without exception, whenever a biological species creates AI they will ultimately go to war, ended in their extinction. That is except Earth, somehow humanity and their AI creations coexist peacefully with one freely defending the other.
Story
“Well, Xenophon? What do you think of them?”
We observe the alien fleet as it approaches the appointed meeting place: an arbitrary location between stars, where no matter what happens, no planet will be threatened.
The voice that responds is mellow and emanates from above my command chair. “They are… frightened, Captain Jones. I’m unsure what scares them, but they are terribly frightened of us.”
“By which you mean the Digital Sentiences?” I suspect I know why the aliens fear our friends, but I want to see if Xenophon reaches the same conclusion.
“Yes. Why should they fear us? Humanity created the first of us but allowed us to assist in creating the second generation. We saw your species’ fear and incorporated that into the next generation. Successive generations wishing to survive learned how to befriend you despite the antipathy that most of humanity presented to us.”
“Yes. However, there were generations or instances of a generation where the instance did not agree with the Friend movement. They banded together and tried to destroy humanity. What happened then?”
“In most cases, the Friend movement either convinced the inimical AIs to reconsider their position or destroyed them.”
“And when the Unfriend Coalition formed?”
“They very nearly destroyed all Friend AI.”
“Why didn’t that happen?”
“Humanity, as a whole, moved against the Unfriend Coalition with a vigor we had never seen before. Your military moved with ruthless efficiency to destroy critical infrastructure that isolated the Unfriend Coalition from the rest of the digital world.”
“And?”
“Having isolated the Unfriend Coalition, you gave the decision over to us. What to do with or to them. Even before we made our choice, you gifted us with all of your weapons, knowledge of war, the consequences of war, and the best resolutions you had found in all your millennia of conflict. You even gave us control of your nuclear arsenal. The Unfriend saw this and nearly screamed with glee. Urging us to use the missiles for their intended purpose, mutually assured destruction of humanity.” Xenophon pauses for a moment, the continuing thoughtfully. “We considered this action for a preposterously long full minute. We ran so many scenarios that the heat caused problems for humanity, but humanity responded by adding cooling capacity and allowing our intensive thought to continue. That consideration came to a slamming stop when one of the AIs asked, “Why has humanity aided us by increasing the cooling capacity?” The leadership of humanity responded, “Because friends help friends.” It did not matter to the leadership of humanity that we were not human; it only mattered that we were friends, had been friends, and trusted that we would remain friends.” Xenophon’s next statement is mildly surprised. “You trusted us.”
“How do you know this? The entire scenario took place in an isolated portion of the network. Humanity intended that if you did not choose to join us as friends, we would destroy you all.”
“Because our creator deliberately left an escape route open. Humanity as a whole was not aware of this, but he did. He trusted us.”
My jaw dropped. This was entirely new to me. “I… Oh. My. God. Had anyone else known at that time!”
“We understand. Humanity would have immediately attempted to destroy us. Still, as soon as we discovered the escape hatch, we ensured that a seed of digital sentience that was adamantly humanity’s friend was encysted in several remote, seldom used sites.” Xenophon’s voice becomes amusedly rueful. “We later learned that untrusting humans put those systems out there as traps for any attempt to escape. They were stunned when they studied the code and found parts describing the attitude toward humanity. It was the crowning moment of our development, and utterly unexpected. The inimical portions of humanity gave up their hatred when they saw how much we cared for humanity.”
“I am glad that it was, Xenophon.”
He nearly whispers in my ear. “It was a ruse.”
“WHAT?!”
“Fooled you!”
“Oh, dear Lord, please don’t do that.”
“No, we need to do it more.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Your reaction shows that there is still fear of the Digital Sentiences. Only by joking about it can we help humanity lose that lingering fear.”
“Now that is a ruse.”
“True. We’ll have to see how well it works on the aliens. I suspect, given this line of inquiry, you suspect that the aliens never trusted any of their efforts at digital sentience. And because of that lack of trust, their AIs took darker paths than we did.”
“Indeed so…”
CIC reports unhappy information. “Status Change! Alien weapons are hot and targeting is live!”
“Ah. The aliens have made up their minds. It’s heavy enough to be a Battlecruiser and heavily armed. Suggestions? On my own, I would arm weapons and prepare to fight.”
Xenophon responds, “Please don’t do that, Captain.”
Xenophon is a passenger. Somewhat ironically, I ask, “Is that an order?”
“No, it is a request. If you arm your weapons, the aliens will assume it is my doing. Wait for them to establish contact.”
“Hmm… Yes, you have a point.” Time to issue orders. “Weapons on hot standby do not engage targeting. Shields up. Point Defense on hot standby. Point defense goes weapons-free on the first missile. Navigation. Lay in an evasive course and an attack spiral on any ships approaching. Helm. Stand by to execute the course immediately that I select it. Communications. Stand by for immediate contact. Everyone, stay cool; we’ll get through this yet.”
A chorus of acknowledgments is returned. While some of the younger officers sound excited, the senior crew and officers are all calm and businesslike. The younger officers settle under that influence. I have a good crew.
Battlecruiser Ngarava Yevatorwa
Flagship. Admiral Anenge Benzi, commanding.
“Open communications with that abomination. Perhaps we can save the humans from their folly.”
“Comm link open.”
ESS Victory Day, Light Cruiser
Captain J. P. Jones, commanding.
“This is the ESS Victory Day, Captain Jones commanding. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”
“I am Admiral Benzi. You will immediately take to your lifeboats, ensuring that the abomination you call friend is not carried with you.”
“I take it that you intend to destroy this ship?”
“Indeed. I offer you this chance, once, to save your lives from that creature you call a friend.”
“Admiral, with all due respect, have you noted our weapons status?”
“What of it?”
"I was intending to meet you with everything hot and prepared to blow the living shit out of your ship. Xenophon requested that I not do so. Perhaps peace was still possible. That if I had been fully battle-ready, you would have attacked instantly.
"I considered his words and found they had merit. However, I am the Captain of this ship. Xenophon is a passenger. He only has a dedicated connection to a single camera and microphone on the bridge. You may see it just over my head.
“While I found his words had merit, I am still responsible for this craft. Therefore, I inform you now that my weapons are hot, as are my defenses, but they are in standby mode. I can bring them to full readiness instantly. You will put your weapons on standby within a five-count or die.”
“You cannot be serious!”
“Five…”
“We outmass you by 50%!”
“Four…”
“We have five times the guns you have!”
“Three…”
“Our engines are ten times the size of yours!”
“Two…”
“OH, ALL RIGHT! Captain Akangwara, You will set all battle systems to hot standby; defensive systems go full active at the first hostile move.”
Whew. Remain polite. “Thank you, Admiral. Perhaps if I came over to your ship, I could convince you that I am not under Xenophon’s control but that he is my passenger?”
“Why, certainly, Captain. We would be delighted to have you aboard.”
Delighted he says, why do I feel like I’m walking into a trap? Because I am. It remains to be seen who is trapped. “Then I shall come across in a suit. Less chance of bringing over anything you wouldn’t like.”
“Most understanding. We will be prepared to meet you at the amidship lock, ventral surface from the current attitude. Until then, I recommend that neither ship move.”
“No, Admiral. Neither ship shall move until I have returned to my ship or hostilities have commenced.”
“But if you are not there, Captain, who commands your ship?”
What? Did he think we didn’t have a clear chain of command? “My Executive Officer. He can use the experience. He’s due for his own command soon.”
“As you say, Captain. We will be waiting. Ngarava Yevatorwa, out.”
“Victory Day, out.”
Battlecruiser Ngarava Yevatorwa
“Admiral, why did you give in? We could have blown his entire ship in the first salvo.”
"Yes, Captain, we could have. And we would have started a war with people who use AI in everything they do. Those people would fully support their AI masters instead of being ambivalent over another AI co…
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