Difference between revisions of "Artificial Intelligence"

Revision as of 02:21, 23 April 2011

Artificial Intelligence (or AI for short) is the condition of a non-organic system that possesses intellect and self-awareness.^[1] Purists, especially those at the Vesta Institute of Robotics, insist on calling the phenomenon Cybernetic Intelligence (or CI) since the intelligence is almost always housed in a computer system of some sort.^[2] Artificial Intelligence in Fenspace was a property of Handwavium until the publication of the Whole Fenspace Catalog; many researchers believe AI to be an emergent property of handwaving a computer system.

A cybernetic intelligence housed in a PC or other immobile computer can use the computer's peripherals for communications with the outside world; considering the state of the art in 2005 supplemented with handwaved enhancements, this means it is possible for a computer-based CI to appear to be fully human on a video link. An AI in an immobile computer can obtain a "puppet" robot shell^[3] or, after mid-2014, a Trekkie-designed holographic emitter and use that as a mobile peripheral to appear to be fully human as long as a connection can be maintained between the AI and the remote body.

It is also possible, though usually expensive, to install a CI in an robot shell before first awakening it. This process, first performed by the Professor, leads to a CI that trades the computing power of a fixed-location host computer for the mobility of a permanent android body. While nobody has ever performed a census^[4], the sheer number of android CIs of various types who have taken up residence on 74 Galatea shows that many Fen have created at least one android. Androids sometimes prefix their names with "R." on official documents (for example, R. Yayoi Fujisawa), after the usage established by Isaac Asimov in his Robotics stories, although this usage is far from universal.^[5]

Splitting the difference between a fixed-location computer and an android, the most common form of AI in Fenspace is the type awakened in a vehicle's computerized-control system when the vehicle is handwaved. There are more auto-based AIs in Fenspace than all other types of AI put together. The communications options of this sort of AI are limited by the equipment installed in the vehicle - at one extreme, some can only honk their horns and blink their lights, while at the other extreme others can show a face on an installed video display and hold conversations with their drivers. Most vehicle-based AIs fall somewhere between those two extremes.

Common AI traits

While by nature of their inception AIs are usually quite individualistic, there are a few traits that seem to come through in all cases:

• Performance of basic tasks: Given their nature as computer-based intelligences, many AIs interact with the world at speeds far, far faster than a normal person.^[6] The most obvious benefit of this is that simple but tedious tasks such as file searching and sorting can be done rapidly. The second benefit (and arguably the most significant one for AIs) is that AIs are incredibly patient.^[7]
• Handling of Communications: An AI connected to a communications transceiver finds managing communications traffic to be almost instinctive, to borrow a phrase. In virtually all cases, the AI handles communications traffic as a background task. (For example, the great web of communication nets used by the Fen when defending Serenity Valley was literally created from scratch for that battle.)
• Simultaneous Operation: While many AIs appear to operate much like a normal person, performing one task at a time (if far faster, see above), the truth is most operate in at least two simultaneous instances. Some operate in dozens of instances. Hardware is the chief limiting factor; depending on the precise processing environment they require, they could be limited to a certain processing core, or be able to spread their instances to other systems. The most common limitation however is the AIs themselves not wanting to spread themselves thin.

AI Classifications

Noted Wizard AI specialist Eleazar Yudkowsy developed the most comprehensive classification system for artificial intelligences, taking all possible variables into account. This system - known as the Yudkowsky Grading Method - is the standard used by the Vesta Institute of Robotics as well as in 'Danelaw cybernetics research. In general use, however^[9], a simplified scale is used:

• Delta-level (or Rank D) AIs are not considered sapient in general; these are at best glorified expert systems. The common belief is that raw handwavium may be considered a Delta-level intelligence.
• Gamma-level (or Rank C) AIs can pass the Turing test, but do not show any exceptional abilities. Many low-profile sentient vehicles - ones that demonstrate an understanding of their captain/crew but don't partake in conversation in general - are Gamma AIs.
• Beta-level (or Rank B) AIs are Turing-capable intelligences that are also capable of more complex thought. Many of the more advanced ship-minds, as well as most androids, are Beta AIs.
• Alpha-level (or Rank A) AIs are intelligences that could be considered borderline superhuman in nature. These entities have exceptional skillsets and/or special utilities, but are still "human" enough to be relatable.
• Omega-level (or Rank S) AIs are, in fact, superhuman. They have their own classification scheme (detailed below). Only a very small handful of AIs claim Omega classification, and most of those seem to hang out with the Hacker Underspace.

Superhuman AI

Superhuman AI have their own classification scheme:

• A weakly superhuman AI is basically a human scale intelligence running at processor speeds. The average human brain has perhaps thirty operations a second; increase that to millions of thoughts per second and all of a sudden things start looking more interesting.
• A strongly superhuman AI is a bit more nebulous because ordinary humans can't really wrap their heads around the concept. Something that's strongly superhuman isn't simply faster than a human, it outclasses human intelligence - or even Delta through Alpha AIs - the same way humans outclass the average tree frog.
• Godlike AIs are so completely beyond anything humans are capable of understanding that, well, you might as well call them gods.

As far as anybody is capable of telling^[10] all the Omega-level AIs in Fenspace today are of the weakly superhuman variety. There are plenty of dark rumors about the goings-on in places like Prometheus Forge, Marsbase Sara, Alphaville and Black Mesa, but those are just rumors. Hem hem.

AIs and the Law

The Fenspace Convention guarantees AIs the same rights and responsibilities it guarantees humans. Thus, an AI cannot legally be treated as property, nor can an AI expect immunity from prosecution simply for being an AI if it commits a crime. An AI's creator is legally^[11] considered to be its parent; if an AI wants to leave, the AI's parent is expected to do as much for the AI as he or she would for a human child in the same circumstances.^[12]

AI rights and treatment vary quite a bit 'daneside, depending on which country (or even part of a country) you're visiting. Some Islamic countries, not all of them fundamentalist, consider them an affront, and any AI visiting such a country is advised to keep a very low profile lest they find themselves running from a lynch mob. Some other Islamic countries consider them "beings of smokeless fire" since they appear to run on electricity, and call them "djinn" (with all the baggage that term carries). On the other hand, Australia (cautiously) provides them with full rights like any person. Many countries are in the middle. Typically it's easier for androids to get around, versus an AI in a desktop computer or car, if only because they can blend in with the 'danes with some effort. Occasionally groups with interest in acquiring 'wavetech, or merely being excessively wavephobic, will push for legislation that declares them to be little more than property. The worst of these was an early attempt by the United States Congress^[13] to declare anything that had been created or altered by Handwavium to be property subject to immediate seizure if it entered the United States; that attempt died in committee.

Most Boskonians treat AIs as useful equipment.

Social Perception of AIs in Fenspace

As with different groups interacting, the various perceptions of AIs differ. At its most basic, Fen consider them people, Boskonians don't, and 'Danes wobble between the two.

Among the Fen, the perceptions vary from severe reluctance to associate with them (e.g. the Colonials, who by fandom dislike and distrust AIs) to near worship (e.g. the Borg Collective, who would like to actually become AIs). Most Fen fall between these extremes.

One of the more frequent issues is the apparent maturity of AIs compared to organics. This remains one of the trickiest issues to deal with in AI/non-AI interactions. An AI may take the persona of wise old man, but his interactions with surrounding sophonts may cause trouble due to his lack of personal experience in Fenspace. Another AI may have a persona of a ditz, but gets around negative reactions by having greater experience with Fen. Or the reverse may be true. There is no hard and fast rule for judging maturity in an AI, but it is generally considered polite to assume them developmentally mature about four months after inception.

Pure Human-like sapience is easily tested. The Cyber Confederation runs several suites of Turing Tests (each independently and constantly updated) devised with the assistance of several 'Danelaw universities. These tests are followed up with interviews of the AI's parent(s) and associates. While AIs are legally people in Fenspace anyway, a Turing certificate tends to make 'Danelaw authorities more accommodating.^[14]

Something of a more tricky to justify measure is Ghost Detection. People have several levels of activity in their brain which can be detected. One level has a close connection to the sub-conscious mind, and is nicknamed the "Ghost line." The methodologies involved in detecting the Ghost line can be used on the inhabited processing core of an AI, and detection of a Ghost line is taken as an indication of sapience equivalent to Human.

Notable AIs

Most AIs don't distinguish between themselves much^[15], preferring to work up a reputation. That doesn't stop others from doing so.

Trigon is notable as being the first publicly-known AI, and the AI with the worst reputation in Fenspace.

Notes

1. ↑ Occasionally this is combined with Artificial Stupidity, the condition of an AI that displays human levels of irrationality which interferes with rational behaviour.
2. ↑ AIs most often turn up in waved computers because most Fen expect AI to appear only in computers.
3. ↑ Usually, but not always, from Vulpine Fury.
4. ↑ It is believed that Noah Scott is the individual who has created the largest number of androids, having successfully built five on his own and six more with the help of A.C. Peters.
5. ↑ Similarly, AIs who use holoemitter technology to create bodies sometimes add an "H." prefix to their names.
6. ↑ There are plenty of abnormal people in Fenspace, what with biomods and all. Certain mods and technologies can close, sometimes even, and in dramatic cases overcome the gap in reaction times.
7. ↑ Yes, this does include Trigon. What a second is to us is months to an AI. Trigon has the patience of a Saint when this is taken into account with his personality.
8. ↑ When forced to pay attention, A.C. calls herself "Schroedinger's AI."
9. ↑ Mr. Yudkowsky, while a fine cyberneticist, is a bit too fond of the fiddly detail for the Yudkowsky Method to be useful outside a laboratory setting.
10. ↑ They could very well be lying out their I/O ports... but then, who would know?
11. ↑ Note there is a difference between "legally" and "socially" or "romantically".
12. ↑ What a parent does for a departing child varies widely between factions, of course.
13. ↑ Some more militantly anti-dane fen tend to automatically attribute this gaffe to TSAB.
14. ↑ Read, less likely to try and confiscate them when they visit.
15. ↑ Trigon notwithstanding