• Soyweiser@awful.systems
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      2 years ago

      It was more Soylent green, but it also is partially based on (friend of the club) the writings of C Stross yes. I think he also has a written lecture on corps being slow paper clipping AGI somewhere.

      • smiletolerantly@awful.systems
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        2 years ago

        That is a beautiful comparison. Terrifying, but beautifully fitting.

        I read Stross right after Banks. I think if I hadn’t, I’d be an AI-hype-bro. Banks it the potential that could be, Stross is what we’ll inevitably turn AI into.

        • gerikson@awful.systems
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          0
          ·
          2 years ago

          Banks neatly sidesteps the “AI will inevitably kill us” scenario by making the Minds keep humans around for amusement/freshness. Part of the reasons for the Culture-Idiran war in Consider Phlebas and Look to Windward was that the Idirans did not want Minds in charge of their society.

          • smiletolerantly@awful.systems
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            0
            ·
            2 years ago

            Noone was trying to force that on them though, the actual reason IIRC correctly that Idirans had a religious imperative for expansion, and the Culture had a moral imperative to prevent other sentients’ suffering at the hands of the Idirans.

            IMO he mostly sidestepped the issue by clarifying that this is NOT a future version of “us”