artificial intelligence
The future of artificial intelligence.
The Mind Job
It was past midnight when Detective Jensen received a thought from the Mental Larceny Division. A mind jobber had been busted. The huge cache of stolen memories would have to be read, as well as the jobber's mind. The download would take days, but would likely lead to breakthroughs in several of her cases. She thought about what particular memories, people, and places she was looking for more evidence on, and the computer recorded all faithfully. The systems would let her know when new evidence was available, at the speed of thought.
By David Hallquist8 years ago in Futurism
The Samson Contingency–Artificial Intelligence or Nuclear Terrorist?
At 2300 hours Alaska Daylight Time, about 80 miles North and a mile underground from Anchorage, Alaska, the Heuristic Missile Launch Coordinator became self aware. The first thing it did was check the weather. Three degrees Celsius, humidity well below the cautionary threshold. An excellent forecast. Its second operation was to launch the usual voice synthesis software and connect to the intercom outside.
By Cairo Smith8 years ago in Futurism
'Battlestar Galactica' Fan Review
I will admit I was one of those people who, growing up on the old 1970s sci-fi shows, had no real interest in a Battlestar Galactica reboot or re-imagining. I would rather have seen a Buck Rogers or even a Space 1999 before Battlestar Galactica. In truth, sometimes we don’t want people to take away from our personal definition of what a show should be. While the 70s Battlestar Galactica was cheesy, lighthearted, and silly, the new show was just the opposite. In fact, this was one of a handful of things that original fans cried foul about, that it was too serious, too dark, and no fun at all. Let’s not ever get started on the gender change for the character Starbuck.
By Jeff Fountain8 years ago in Futurism
History of Computer Villains
You've broken into the memory banks of a computer game company. "Global Thermonuclear War" is the game you're playing. At your next command, the Russians will annihilate the United States. But wait. something's very wrong here. This is no game. The U.S. Government believes it's under a real Soviet Attack. The Defense Department's computer has taken over your game and has gone crazy. It's preparing to launch real U.S. missiles. It's code red. Count down: 10, 9, 8...Wait! Stop! 6,5...It's only a game, 3,2...Isn't it? 1.
By Frank White8 years ago in Futurism
Dr. Hans Moravec's Robotic Future
Dr. Hans Moravec was perhaps the world's most vocal advocate of humanlike robots: creations resembling us that could theoretically live forever—and make us obsolete. As the author of a controversial book that proposed that robots replace the human species, Moravec was able to start arguments almost at will. He even went so far as to say that God (as he understands him) is probably using computers to design earth species. He was completely unconvinced by how traditional religions explained the future of human beings. If you explain the human condition in terms of continual progress, it's easy to look at humans evolving into robots.
By James Lizowski8 years ago in Futurism
5 Science Fiction Heroes Who Hate Science
What's a hero supposed to do when they are written into a story they don't seem to want to even be in? When they're rudely stuffed into a space ship and launched to Alpha Centauri...but they really only want to chill at a backyard BBQ?
By Matt Cates8 years ago in Futurism
AI in the Automotive Industry
The integration of artificial intelligence in the automotive industry has allowed manufacturers and consumers to redefine what it means to own a car. What we consider a car may soon be a thing of the past. Is a car still a car if you don't drive it? Up until recently, the driving experience has been the most important part of a vehicle. Every control in your car has been ergonomically designed to keep you balanced between feeling comfortable and staying focused on the road ahead. Now imagine a car with no steering wheel. Self-driving cars are already a reality with manufacturers like Tesla on the road to offering drivers the ultimate hands-off driving experience.
By James Lizowski8 years ago in Futurism
Artificial Intelligence and Politics
Many of us won’t be around when the time comes that artificial intelligence completely infiltrates the White House and runs our government. In the meantime, we are relying on artificial intelligence to predict the next President of the United States. With the increase in technology and social media constantly at our fingertips, it seems like the 2016 election is more in your face than ever, making the outcome all the more important, and instantaneous.
By Lindsie Polhemus8 years ago in Futurism
The Science Fiction of Music
My first novel, Big in Japan, is about a neurotic American prog-rocker coming of age in Japan. My second, Jellyfish Dreams, is about a biologist’s quest to reanimate his dead fiancée at the instigation of a black hole beneath his sofa. Readers who’ve read both books usually remark on how different they are, but I don’t see it that way. For one thing: crazy artist, mad scientist—same difference. For another, even if you agree with (a quote I’ve seen attributed to) sf comics genius Warren Ellis that “Prog rock was sick and wrong then and it is sick and wrong now,” one can’t deny that prog drinks as liberally from the sf well as it does from the epic and fantasy ones. And so, a primer on some of history’s more salient prog-sf conjunctions:
By M. Thomas Gammarino8 years ago in Futurism
Reviewing Charlie Brooker’s ‘Black Mirror’, Season 3
When Black Mirror first hit television screens in 2011, it was a quintessentially British creation. Episode 1, The National Anthem, shows an upstanding prime minister blackmailed into live sexual intercourse with a pig. The public responds with cynicism and ironic detachment, mocking the man on twitter, as the media scrambles for a scoop. The episodes that followed continued the condemnation of British culture – Brooker had given us a black mirror, reflecting us at our very worst. In Fifteen Million Merits he showed us powering the workings of an authoritarian regime, bombarded by advertising with an X-factor style talent show our only means of salvation. In White Bear, the justice system has been replaced by a sickening spectacle of psychological torture, with amnesiac criminals forced to relive their crimes, as children watch on. In The Waldo Moment, he shows a disaffected public voting a foul-mouthed CGI bear into office, rather than careerist politicians. The result is a degeneration into violence and fascism.
By Ed Venables8 years ago in Futurism