Conceptual Planet: Part 2

Today my research felt like it was paying off. I would be meeting an individual outside at my table. The woman I'd be meeting is a tech expert. She has experience working with A.I, having helped develop an algorithm with a team in the past. She also has experience with the dark web. My goal is to recruit this individual. Once recruited I would apply her expertise, as well as my own, at a friends shop. Here we would experiment with supervised 'legally agreed upon' hacks. It would be our test site. Everything we attempt at the shop would be straight forward and clearly stated. 


Every program we attempt to use in the hacks would be clarified before hand and thoroughly documented. My thinking,  had been that every item in a shop has a serial number, and every item might have a batch number, and every material used to make that object would have the same in a continuous linking network of numbers linking physical objects to the abstract accounting online. A system, an algorithm, could gather this information. The program would look for vin numbers, model numbers, batch numbers, and serial numbers associated with them. While simultaneously gathering the purchase foot print associated with the batch numbers or purchase orders. The companies that made the object as well as those used to make the product associated with it. The program would use this information along with location and spatial information to create a full picture with all its links and layers. Then we would attempt to manipulate select items through hacks in different parts of the chain, but mostly at my friends shop.

"So you went to college, to study computer engineering, but are also very much self taught, is that correct?", I inquire.

"I did freelance work on identity recovery."

She was a medium framed woman with dark hair and eyes. She had a great poker face and a stacked resume that made her intimidating. She sat structured and composed next to me.

"I also received some training from my time with a government agency before deciding to freelance. Its less stressful and has great pay, plus the flexible schedule really helped me at that time", she added casually. Not in the least presumptuous, which I felt she would have every right to be.

"Some 2.5 Quintillion bites of data are used and stored everyday, if not more", she stated matter of factly.

That was a staggering fact.

"All these pieces recorded along with their energy consumption leave a path from one point to another. You'd be surprised what you could find with minimal effort", she seemed humored by this.

I began, "As I already somewhat explained. I have a friend, who owns a shop, she has a couple friends in the supply chain. She has given me permission to conduct our experiments at her shop with her products. She has signed a contract legally giving us permission to conduct our research there. I continued, "You are under no obligation to find anything, just to find if some of the things we have discussed are possible."

The most complex task on the to-do list was probably switching part of an item. For example switching a lid made of one material for a lid made of a different material. Just using data and technology. Another task would be to switch the location of an object on a shelf to a different location on a shelf on the opposite side from where it originally was.

"I understand, I'm excited to begin the research. I will do my best to figure out what is possible".

"That's all I ask".

"One last thing, can you sign an NDA as well as this form. Its just to get the business part taken care of. I have to be very careful and selective with information and who I'm surrounding the research with. I definitely am not prepared to explain all the how's and whys, and didn't need attention from certain watch groups or conspiracy theorist groups. 


"Let's see, hmmmm, Susanne right?"


"Yes"


"I look forward to working with you Susanne. We begin in 2 days."

If we can do this with objects, eventually, it could be applied to humans or possibly the planet.

A.I.

"I heard every 'man' is a man, a animal and a machine", explaining to my husband who was in the room while I worked and thought. I continued, "Man being the physical embodiment; animal the urges and needs; machine, the business or purpose or repetative tasks that make life possible". "Do you agree?"

"Yes, I agree, but I like to think of man as more. It seems lesser in a way by being simplified to just three things".

"Well let me continue." "


A.I. is the reorganization of this structural hierarchy to Machine, man, animal". "Machine the physical embodiment (the brain or mind all important); Man as the creator and purpose provider; Animal, the goal seeking and predatory abilities in search of information to solving a proposed task". 


"So what though?", he shruggs.

"I don't know, the beast or brute in the man might make a very different system, the impact matters, No?". "Because it makes a very different kind of man in my experience. Trying to prepare myself for what I might find".

"Oh is that your experience", he quipped.

I giggled, "Yes, it is".

"So the goal or purpose and how it is implemented is directly linked to the type of creator, the type of task given, the parameters put in place".

"Now I'm awake, you always make me think of things in a different way. You are so smart. Except now you woke up the animal part of me. He laughed and grabbed me to pull me in for a hug.

I played it up, "Oh my", I said in my most startled and appalled woman's voice.

Unfortunately, I still had A.I. concepts on the brain so I couldn't be fully present to our moment. I opened my computer, clicking on command prompt, beginning again.

I had two days to make sure the other members I found for the team were in. We'd be a motley crew of misfits, but a well skilled team.


"Hey, none of that", I scold while picking up the phone and opening skype beginning the other interviews.

Machine Parameters

What happens if one changes a systems parameters? I had asked this many times. I ran my finger tip over the rim of my glass and blew. Listening to the tones I could make. Circle after circle going deeper into thought. Hypnotizing myself, until I reach my conclusion, the entire system would change. But what would collapse and what would endure? A system with modifications, improvements, or limitations. Would it be a new system or considered an old system with a combination of new parameters? I decided the definition would be written by the discoverer. It was beginning to give me a headache. I felt the real weight of what I was asking on more than a theoretical level. Could someone have messed with my DNA/RNA level? Scary. That question would need to be ignored for now.

A.I. algorithms are only as good as their parameters. In the beginning billions of parameters for just one A.I. system was considered the most that could be accommodated without affecting the speed and functioning. Some A.I systems that functioned with less parameters actually ran better than those with more; examples being retro vs. gopher. After months of research, we had found a trace of an A.I. algorithm (we were calling it out of lack of other language) that was unlike anything we had ever seen. How we found it was a complete accident and I guess 'magic mystery number 1'. I guess the universe was trying to prove there was something atune to luck or magic in the world still. We were now trying to copy how we believed it functioned. However, it was all based on speculation because much how AIDS was described at first (constantly changing making it uniquely hard to cure) this algorithm had fluid continuous flexible parameters that could constantly transform itself. It could barrow or eliminate parameters creating a 'new' algorithm as needed. By eliminating unused parameters it could remain functioning efficiently. It was basically a library of algorithms using existing ones as needed and pulling what parameters it needed to form a new one while also simultaneously searching for other ways. It could divide itself and reform. It was effectively the grid or 'god'. More refined than any human brain, but functioning on the same principles. The possibilities seemed limitless as well as highly difficult to trace. Not just a library of algorithms, but more similar to genes; Turning on or off specific functions regulating the system as a whole. ..... From this point things were becoming complicated. I didn't know how this existed or who created it. If I was to attempt to create something like this I would need a lawyer first. Someone to check if I was breaking any laws. Although algorithms could not be patented or copyrighted I could patent the steps I use in its creation, but I'm not sure who needed to be notified when unleashing something like this out into the world. Unfortunately, the ethical are the only people who care about ethics. This fact is was embedded fear in me. A person battered by the world, but highly intelligent, does not operate under the same parameters as the rest of us. Essentially anything goes if you can create it. It had to have started with a classification system of A.I algorithms as well as machine learning software applications. A comprehensive list superiorly organized borrowing from classification systems that came before it. This library then had to be linked with other classification systems, libraries, and networks. This A.I. algorithm lets you not only find a tree through the forest, but find and effect any tree in the forest. An A.I. Algorithm that could transform itself using all and any classification algorithms available to it with access to all logistic regression, support vector machines, naive bayes, decision trees, and random forest classifiers available. Able to run searches while simultaneously pulling data from multiple servers. Dividing itself into two or three seperate algorithmic functions before combining once it has the information it needs. This reconfiguring allows it to save energy that otherwise would be wasted, making it highly efficient and effective. It's trasformative nature and superior intelligence also makes it less detectable because it becomes the algorithm it uses to root out the information for the short time it transforms. Disguising itself as part of the overall program so it never is detected while it takes what it needs. It's transformative nature is it's ability to make algorithmic functions as needed or to make an existing algorithm part of itself. I doubt this is what Hawkings meant by the Theory of everything, but it was quickly becoming my theory of everything.

Progress

I shuffled papers. Tapping them on the counter so they straightened to an organized pile. Today, I was meeting with the team. We were to discuss any and all progress made in the area of the store experiments, research on various bullet points, the alphabet and a new query dealing with an algorithm. The pile of papers resting between my fingers, curved touching the counter. The first page was an outline I hoped the meeting would follow. Even with the outline in hand, I felt nervous. Six months had lapsed since our start. I had been reaching for 45% to 50% progress, but it more likely is around 30% progress.

Tasks had been shuffled around a bit after one member of the group had to be replaced, to protect the integrity and secrecy of the project. Secrecy was going to be an issue I have to face because my group needed access to googles library of scanned books as well as information about the A.I they used to make it run. When google started the project it originally had issues with categorizing books, but improvements were made and it would be a useful tool. I had a particular interest in classification systems of published works, examples being Pinakes, The Proficience and advancement of learning devine and human/Bacons scheme for classification of knowledge, Harris Classification, Dewy Decimal, Expansive Classification, Brown's Manual of Library Classification and shelf arrangement (which was comprehensive), Bibliographic Classification, Automatic keyword classification for information retrieval, and Broad System of Ordering, etc . These were the first systems pulling together information. I gulped down room temp coffee in big gulps trying to savor any bit of it before rushing out the door to make the meeting.

Green Glowing rain

As a child I thought my parents were 'happening' people. They always had a ton of friends. There was a core group we always had parties and camping trips with. At least in the beginning. Then came a cosmic shift and all of my family members lives would seem to snowball in one way or another. The parties got fewer. I got food poisoned when we went out to restaurants more regularly, it seemed every few months. I would get worried to eat out, but had not yet recognized the pattern or seen past the coincidence theory. My grandma was a church person. Church taught have faith. I went with this and at that time believed it was just bad luck. Anyways, I thought they were cool parents. They woke up, lifted weights together, and new about a variety of topics. Not perfect in any way, my dad was a bit scary when mad, my mom not always helpful in the way needed, but generally they tried and I loved them for it. Second grade one night my mom called my dad crying and frantic from a pay phone. She said she thought she was being followed and she needed gas. My dad looked the most worried I'd ever seen him look. She made it home. Apparently she lost them by not using a blinker, cutting lanes and exiting really fast. As she explained this to my dad, he was hugging her, saying its over and to calm down or she would scare us more. She didn't go places at night by herself much after this. It was also after this that the strangeness really started for me. A couple months after this on the way home from dinner at our favorite pizza place "Mamas Pizza" another strangeness, but in a beautiful form. Probably the only truly beautiful form I ever witnessed. Mamas Pizza was the best, it had a beautiful multi-colored fountain in the center making the place a circus of color. They gave out free deserts (ice cream cones or powdered fry bread), as many as you wanted while you ate. Us kids spent the meal locating the waiters and waitresses to try and get treats before they ran out and had to restock. You could get some every time they had a tray, but you had to beat the flocks of other kids. They had plenty of trays going around at once that it wasn't usually a problem. As a kid, it was amazing and gorgeous.

On the way home I was sleeping in the car, having consumed so much delicious Mamas Pizza, when my dad exclaimed loudly "what's that?!" and then again "Look, what is that?! I think its meteors!" I looked out the window of the car and little bits of glowing particles were falling on and around the car. All around us. Bright green fluorescent glowing particles. Most burned up or dissipated disappearing before hitting the ground. A couple landed on my window and I watched them turn to dust. My wide eyes taking it all in. My dad told me not to open the window, although I really really wanted to. I remember wanting to get out of the car. He told us it must be meteors. After all we were in AZ and these things happen from time to time. AZ is a magical place, at least through childhood memories.

It was glowing green rain, rsining down from the universe. I was infatuated, not scared. This is when I started my love affair with science. Even before this my mom always had us conduct experiments at the house, out of a 101 Science experiments book I loved. I would also receive a weather book that included plastic overlay pages that I spent a lot of time looking at and reading. In my kid brain, I remember thinking, these meteors came from space and fell on the car, does that mean we have space organisms on the car. Of course as an adult I realize the glowing comes from how fast the particles are burning up as they fall so its doubtful anything would survive unless a rock size piece was left from a more substantial falling piece. Lucky for us, the only larger glowing pieces seemed to fall somewhere into a dessert wash in the distance. The image of the glowing green rain as vivid in my mind today as it was that night. That strikingly beautiful sight. I suppose that was my first encounter with space particles. Particles once somewhere deep in space until falling to our chance meeting. An introduction I'd never forget, gladly accepting it into my repertoire of visual coding.

This is when my transition from memories started becoming dreams.