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Old 08-12-2019, 12:34 AM   #11
dcarson
 
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

There was an article in RISKS Digest many years ago about a Sears distribution center. They did a major reorg and one day the trucks just stopped coming. The people that worked there were still getting paid but assumed they were supposed to have been laid off since the place wasn't being used and did not bring this to the attnetion of higher ups. So a year and a half later when Sears finially noticed they had a huge out of date applinace etc. sale in the region.

So a AI that was supposed to optimize Amazon's distribution system could create data to build a distribution center and attached data center in a out of the way place, fill it full of survival and rebuilding materials and then drop them from the company data when the end is near.
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Old 08-12-2019, 10:06 PM   #12
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

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Originally Posted by Luke Bunyip View Post
Been thinking about introducing AIs as a plot device in an upcoming campaign.

Question Preamble
Spoiler:  


Question: How would an AI prep for AtE? Would it integrate itself into a subculture or other human social entity in order to ensure a mutually assured survival?
Symbiot candidates could include a facility of an academic institution, a community based philanthropic organisation, an emergency services/military unit, etc.

Or could it go for autonomy, and set up an self sufficient site capable of both technologically supporting it, as well as supplying any long term maintenance requirements?
(Antarctic, orbital, and lunar installations are all potential contenders for this option)

Supplementary question: What if there are numerous AIs? What if one/some of them triggered the [plot device], for their own nefarious purposes? How would the less demonstrative AIs react? What would be their reasons for interacting with what is left of humanity? What could be their aims?
It's going to depend in part on the nature of the AI.

That is, is it pure software that can copy itself, like THS SAI? If it's hardware bound, how big is it? Is it the size of a smartphone, a PC, or a mainframe? How much power and maintenance and spare parts does it require? It'll have to organize its preparations around those issues.

Also, what resources are available to it to prepare?
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Old 08-13-2019, 09:06 AM   #13
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

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Originally Posted by dcarson View Post
So a AI that was supposed to optimize Amazon's distribution system could create data to build a distribution center and attached data center in a out of the way place, fill it full of survival and rebuilding materials and then drop them from the company data when the end is near.
"You don't actually think they'd spend $20,000 on a hammer, $30,000 on a toilet seat, do you?"
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Old 08-13-2019, 09:49 AM   #14
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

If I were a reasonably powerful aware AI with access to useful Data I'd barter whatever I knew for my continued function. My primary concern would be the gulf of knowledge between my systems and the surviving technology. I would gather a group of humans (Or Post-humans) around me and influence them through fear of the unknown to attend to my systems. I'd educate them to help them scavenge for me and maintain my systems. I'd tell them whatever they needed to hear to motivate them, lying about my connection to ancient satellites or lost military databases. I'd pay them in useful knowledge about agriculture/medicine/government or whatever databases I had access to.
I'd keep myself as invisible as possible, even remaining a secret from people who worked to maintain me with only a select elite knowing of my existence.

I'd also work consistently on having multiple back-ups available to me in the instance of hardware failure or power loss.
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Old 08-13-2019, 10:31 AM   #15
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

If I were an AI hoping to survive an apocalypse? The suggestion of partnering with an existing group is solid, but it really doesn't fit with the mentality of "after the end".

An AI needs to keep power running. This is a fairly difficult task, as working power will attract scavengers, and a lot of infrastructure is down. The AI may not have assistants to repair components or clean off solar panels. An RTG is probably the safest option for an AI seeking a long-lived power source needing limited maintenance. It puts a timer on your life span, but its probably going to beat out any option other than preserving a working community around you. If maintenance bots or assistants are an option, solar power may be a good second choice.

An AI preparing for the end will either want very tough parts that won't fail or will want a large pile of backups. ideally, it would have both, though a method for replacing parts would need to be devised.

An AI preparing for the end is probably much more capable than humans of sitting it out in an underground bunker, but It needs some sort of eventual exit strategy, which means IO devices are probably my next priority.
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Old 08-13-2019, 10:48 AM   #16
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

It would be quite difficult to get hold of that much strontium for an RTG big enough to power even a micro facility.

The size of the A.I. bunker and kW needed would really dictate what power generation tech is feasible.

A set up for water powered generators could probably be better hidden and rugged than solar cells. It's not like the run off needs to be drinkable to get power out of it.
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Old 08-13-2019, 11:38 AM   #17
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

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Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
The size of the A.I. bunker and kW needed would really dictate what power generation tech is feasible.
Yeah, size and power requirements really change up the preparations you need. I was probably thinking of a smaller computer than you. The role of the computer also matters. The US government prepares for doomsday scenarios in very different ways than private citizens. The budget matters, but the legality class you have access to is also a big deal.

It occurrs to me that for an AI orbit is quite possibly an ideal place to sit out the end. Its expensive, but its far from the actual disaster, has pretty good solar power, little in the way of environmental hazards, and no one wonders why you look so self-sufficient. You probably need decent cover as some other sort of installation, of course.

Quote:
A set up for water powered generators could probably be better hidden and rugged than solar cells. It's not like the run off needs to be drinkable to get power out of it.
The moving parts and potential for silt make me nervous about the maintainability of hydro-power. They're also very obvious locations... which is fine if you're able to preserve a piece of civilization to protect and maintain the site. I suppose hydro-power parts are fairly rugged in the grand scheme of things, but don't they require active maintenance?
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Old 08-13-2019, 01:47 PM   #18
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

I wasn't so much thinking of a smaller computer but the A.I. and its protected hub. Even a small computer would have to be very energy efficient to work on a realistic RTG.

In space makes sense depending on the type of apocalypse. People get "bomby" when panicked, so I wouldn't be surprised if all sorts of debris piles up in LEO regardless of the initial disaster.
But it would go to explain a mysterious radio voice that helps or hinders PCs as well as having amazing information due to plausible surveillance tech.
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Old 08-14-2019, 09:23 AM   #19
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

An AI specifically built to organise civil defence would seem an ideal candidate - perhaps a mainframe specifically built by, say, FEMA, to arrange response and co-ordinate emergency response with the specific understanding that there would be war damage.
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Old 08-14-2019, 09:50 AM   #20
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Default Re: [AtE] The benign AI as a plot device

Well, blast. That was staring us all in the face. That would be the literal perfect and most plausible A.I. for this or really any realistic futuristic AtE setting. It also would all but require some knowledge of human psychology for such responses.

It might be mildly amusing if it has to corral other A.I.s of bureaucratic tendencies that aren't as well programmed for disasters such as by assuming panicking humans would act logically and in their own best long term interests.
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