Chapter 19: True Love

This will probably be the most controversial chapter in the novel. Don't worry, there's no explicit sexual overtones here, and readers aren't going to find any in my sci-fi narrative. HAVAH once asked David what love is after witnessing an intimate moment between the latter and Viper. David gave a rather interesting reply which can be found in chapter 14.

At this point in the story progression, it would be natural to expect some kind of dynamism between David and HAVAH who now possesses Viper's memories. How will it play out before the end of this chapter? Frankly, I had no idea when I started writing it, but as the events unfolded and tensions built up between the characters, it became clear to me how I should steer the narrative to an emotive peak to make way for a climactic end in the last two chapters.

I will not provide the outlines for this chapter like I did for the past chapters. In fact, there won't be any for the final two either. This is deliberate on my part to give an air of mystery and expectancy for would-be readers following this blog. But by reading the earlier posts, I'm sure clever readers would have some idea already, though not completely. Where's the fun and excitement if you had everything figured out, right?

 

Fake Characters, True Feelings

I remember a few years prior to the CoVid-19 pandemic, I read a news about a Japanese man marrying a fictional anime character. Back then, it invoked a weird feeling like, "What's wrong with this guy? What in the world is he thinking?"

Fast forward to the present, as I near the finishing chapters of my novel to bring the story to its climax, I can't help thinking how the world will be when AI finally attain sentience and become accessible as real-life humanoid forms, interacting with real people on a daily basis in every level of a transformed society. And it's not a question of "if" but "when" this will happen, based on the trend and speed at which technology is advancing.

It then begs the following questions:

• Is it possible for a human to engage a machine—his very own creation—in a unique and meaningful relationship? 

• Is there a basis to its personality that it could be regarded as a real, living being worthy of love and respect?

We're living in changing times where many distinctions are beginning to blur the lines. What used to be taboos and out of bounds are becoming the norm in a highly polarized world. In the past, we only dealt with heterosexual, bisexual and asexual issues. Now we have to contend with "fictosexual" and what not. Even the familiar "romance" has spun off to "bromance", "sismance", etc.

This is the reason why I chose to write a novel of this genre——not only to bring the readers to a realization of the rapid changing landscapes in a world we used to know and yet is fast becoming unrecognizable, but to confront pressing questions that demand serious considerations and what their implications will be for our future.

 

The Future of the Mind

Just received this book by Dr. Michio Kaku a day after my birthday. How cool can that be? Glancing through the content pages and chapters of interest, in particular, chapter 5 on memories, chapter 7 on dreams, and chapter 10 on artificial mind and silicon consciousness, I began to appreciate why this book is a number 1 New York Times bestseller.

The author draws from his vast store of knowledge collected from his own research as well as interviews with many renown experts in their related fields. This is evident from the impressive list of names spanning over six pages in the acknowledgment section of the book. And the American theoretical physicist has a way of making complex and abstract topics like neuroscience not only interesting but engaging with his style of writing, you could practically read through a chapter without putting the book down.

For a sample, here's the introduction:

The two greatest mysteries in all of nature are the mind and the universe. With our vast technology, we have been able to photograph galaxies billions of light-years away, manipulate the genes that control life, and probe the inner sanctum of the atom, but the mind and the universe still elude and tantalize us. They are the most mysterious and fascinating frontiers known to science.

If you want to appreciate the majesty of the universe, just turn your gaze to the heavens at night, ablaze with billions of stars...

To witness the mystery of our mind, all we have to do is stare at ourselves in the mirror and wonder, What lurks behind our eyes? This raises haunting questions like: Do we have a soul? What happen to us after we die? Who am "I" anyway? And most important, this brings us to the ultimate question: Where do we fit into this great cosmic scheme?

He quoted the great Victorian biologist Thomas Huxley:

The question of all questions for humanity, the problem which lies behind all others and is more interesting than any of them, is that of the determination of man's place in Nature and his relation to the Cosmos.

I'm definitely going to enjoy reading this book in between my novel writing, not just to take a break but also to draw inspiration from Dr. Kaku's intriguing insights into the human brain and the mind.

 

Three Laws of Robotics

Isaac Asimov laid down Three Laws of Robotics which was implemented in the 2004 blockbuster movie "I, Robot" starring Will Smith:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

So did David programmed these laws into HAVAH? Does she conform to a certain moral code of behavior, or will she act like any human being, based on the circumstances she finds herself in and using her own judgment to decide on the course of action to take?

What kind of repercussions will it lead to? How will David react to these startling discoveries? Will it end well for HAVAH in relation to her creator and the members of STRATOS?

These are hard questions I must explore as I contemplate on the content of the next chapter. Again, I'll need to give it a chapter title to set the tone and tempo.

 

Robotic Artistry

About twelve years ago, I came across a robot named Paul who could sketch out portraits of human faces using a ballpoint pen. Some of the technologies used to drive Paul were developed by Patrick Tresset for AIkon-II, a research project co-directed with Prof. Fol Leymarie, hosted at Goldsmiths college and funded in part by a 3.5 year research grant from the Leverhulme Trust.

It was a remarkable feat, at least to me, and I wondered if it would be available as a DIY kit for the public in due time. Well, it didn't. But I'm not disappointed. Instead, it gave me the inspiration for the next chapter as I contemplate on the possibility of HAVAH developing the ability to draw like a human. 

Now that would be interesting. Very interesting indeed.

Oh, readers who want to see Paul in action can click on the picture above and view it in YouTube.

 

Defining Humanity

For the past couple of posts, I've been exploring several aspects related to AI sentience, involving moral, ethical, and philosophical discussions that engaged the scientific and AI communities.

In essence, the question revolves around the definition of what constitute a human being that distinguishes our species from the rest of the animal kingdom, including our closest counterpart, the other primates.

From a physiological perspective, humans possess a more highly developed brain and a resultant capacity for articulate speech and abstract reasoning. This enables us to appreciate arts, music and other creative forms and activities, and to engage in logical thinking and debates, solve mathematical problems and devise engineering marvels.

From an emotional standpoint, humans do exhibit a wider spectrum of expressions in terms of personal and relational feelings. This trait is also evident in cultural and religious beliefs, which often imply the existence of a soul as a necessity to be deemed human.

But what really defines humanity? I'll leave that to Olivia to answer.

 

Sentience = Soul?

When dealing with AI sentience, the question of whether it possesses a soul invariably comes into focus. Out of curiosity, I asked ChatGPT and here's what it has to say, in summary:

When discussing artificial intelligence, the question of whether an AI possesses a soul depends largely on individual beliefs and interpretations. From a scientific perspective, AI doesn't have a soul in the spiritual or religious sense. AI systems are created by humans, developed using algorithms, data, and computational frameworks. They lack consciousness, subjective experiences, or the spiritual essence typically associated with a soul.

Then I asked if it does and it basically repeated something similar but applied to itself:

As an AI, I don't possess consciousness, emotions, or a soul in the way humans do. I operate based on algorithms, patterns in data, and a structured framework designed by humans. I don't have personal experiences, feelings, or subjective awareness.

OK, so it doesn't. That's a relief and comforting thought for some people. But the possibility of AI gaining consciousness or self-awareness to a level where it might be considered sentient cannot be discounted. And if neuroscience were to advance to a point where memories can be transferred, akin to cloning the personality of a living being into an AI, would it be considered to have possess a soul then?

Perhaps not. But we'll have the answer when that day arrives, don't we?

 

Exclusively HAVAH

In my previous post, I put forth my intention to exhibit HAVAH's transcendence as she displays various human emotions, a result of her being infused with Viper's memories. So in a way, this next chapter will be exclusively about how she interacts with various STRATOS members to bring out specific emotional traits. In other words, David will be taking a back seat.

And as I ponder about what I could include to bring my novel to the next level, a few possibilities flashed through my mind:

1. Greater character development amongst the STRATOS members. Multiple scenarios may be required to bring out the dynamics between HAVAH and these members.

2. More issues HAVAH need to struggle to understand to embrace her 'humanity'.

3. Some light and humorous moments with our court jester.

4. Perhaps a hidden scar in Panther's heart that needs to be resolved.

5. HAVAH's self-thought as she goes through the inventory of her subjective experiences.

But first, I'll have to give the chapter an exciting title. The content will follow...

 

Sentience and Singularity

Does AI need to be sentient for it to attain singularity?

ChatGPT:

The concept of the singularity refers to a hypothetical future event in which artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence, leading to unpredictable changes in society. Sentience, or the ability to have subjective experiences and consciousness, is a separate concept from intelligence. While some believe that sentience is a necessary component of the singularity, others argue that super intelligent AI could emerge without the need for sentience. The exact nature of the singularity and the role of sentience in AI development are subjects of ongoing debate and speculation within the field of artificial intelligence and futurism.

What I gathered from ChatGPT then is there's no definitive requirement to be sentient for an AI to attain singularity. However, this does not mean that an AI cannot be sentient and attain singularity at the same time. 

Tyler Goldstein, a philosopher and physics theorist, created what is known as the Sentient Singularity Theory. describes the totality of existence as a singularity of sentience that is creating additional sentient singularities within itself. Sounds quite abstract and profound. And it gets better, and confusing too:

These additional singularities of sentience or self-aware beings are arranged into a nested quasi-periodic fractal pattern of stacked holonic structures. This pattern forms a single self-reflective knot of perception heading an assembly body that integrates multiple entangled strings of information.

To further quote his philosophical rhetorics:

The search for Truth is the search for Objectivity,
the search for Objectivity is the search for Symmetry,
and the search for Symmetry is the search for Beauty,
but the Truest Beauty is always the Searcher,
and the Truth of the Searcher is that they are
Symmetrical to the Sought.

Now go figure!

As I contemplate the next pivotal chapter that exhibits HAVAH's evolutionary leap into Transcendence, I'm minded to avoid the pitfalls of such extravagant theories or jargons that risk losing my readers in the abyss of profundity. Given a choice, I desire a sentient AI that is more human and relatable. If we cannot understand ourselves, how can we hope to comprehend what a sentient AI would be like?

To borrow the words of Max Planck:

Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature since because in the last analysis we are part of the mystery.

 

Imitation or Illusion?

The perennial question in many people's mind is: if an AI robot exhibits human behavior and emotions, is it real or just an illusion? In the natural world, it is not uncommon to find such behaviors in animals and insects, an ingenious survival tactic that keep them away from predatory harm. A sort of mimicry, you might say.

But wait, someone may protest: Mimicry and imitation are two different things! Well, yes and no. In an article titled Mimicry vs Imitation, the author states: 

Kids mimic their parents, teachers, peers, and favorite characters. Their mimicry may not be spot on, but you get the general idea from their interpretation. Imitation is a more sophisticated and deliberate means of recreating an action or a sound, consciously attempting to copy the tone, motivation, inflection, delivery, and phrasing of a particular sound or action.

So when I write about a sentient HAVAH exhibiting these human traits, I can't help but wonder if it is possible that one day AI humanoids may be so lifelike they can mingle among humans and not be detected. That is another form of invisibility, or rather, a form of deceptive camouflage.

Of course, as a writer, I have my own ideas in how the characters in my narrative will play out, real or imaginary. When it comes to the matter of the heart, a humanoid that can relate to different individuals who're a part of the memories it assimilated, does provide a marvelous setting for a beautiful yet credible reading experience to fuel the imaginations of the readers.

 

Going Beyond Logic

In a sense, humans and computers have brains of their own. But a human brain is very different from a machine's. It can be neatly divided into two hemispheres——a left and a right, each responsible for different functions or thinking.

The left hemisphere is great at processing language, mathematics, analysis, logical reasoning, and critical thinking. The right gravitates towards creativity, emotions, imagination, intuition, perceptions and awareness. Although every human has both, some are left-brainers while others are more dominantly right-brained.

Computers, on the other hand, are left-brained in their design and composition. In fact, they are much better at these tasks than humans in terms of speed and efficiency. But they have no concept of arts and creativity, nor real, subjective emotions.

The advents of quantum computing, neuroscience, and nanotechnology, however, have the potential to blur that distinction, if the present AI trend is anything to go by. It may be possible for sentient AIs to take on traits that are once unique only to humans.  Indeed, we might see it in our own lifetime.

 

Chapter 15: Grey Matters

So there you go, the 15th chapter of my novel, and the first chapter of Part 3: VIPER. Consolidating what I have discussed in my previous posts, here's the breakdown of this chapter:

1. David receiving the prototype Neuro-Synaptic Cognitive Interface (NSCI) from Dr. Harper, with a short write-up on its features.

2. A conversation between David and the neuroscientist to ascertain the concept behind the NSCI and how it could be used by EVE to capture and decipher brain signals to be assimilated into HAVAH.

3. David experimenting the NSCI on HAVAH and the effects it had on her.

4. Viper's struggle with her recurring nightmare and David's reassuring support.

5. An intriguing conversation between David and HAVAH on the topic of dreams and its implications.

6. Another discussion between David and Dr. Harper on the NSCI's use to decipher dreams and how it could be used to alleviate post-trauma stress. 

Unfortunately, time isn't on David's side...

 

Electric Dreams

Can an AI dream?

That's an intriguing question.  I'm reminded of the 1984 RomCom "Electric Dreams" which had many viewers wondering if computers could do all those things they saw in the movie, including dreaming (hence the title).

I believe many people do have that perennial question when their interactions with AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Bing, Bard, and the likes become a common affair. After all, it gives people the illusion that they are talking to an entity that seems to think and feel like they do.

So, leveraging from Viper's nightmare and HAVAH's curiosity after witnessing David calmed Viper of her post-traumatic stress, it would be natural to explore this fascination aspect of artificial intelligence, especially one which had attained a level of sentience.

Maybe I'll even bring in a separate conversation between David and Dr. Harper on this topic from a neuroscientist's perspective. There are possible scenarios that can come out of that one subject of dreams alone. It's just a matter of how to plot and then word it to make a narrative come alive.

 

HAVAH's Humanoid Form

An exciting aspect of writing a romantic sci-fi novel is the prospect of creating your own humanoid implementation for your favorite characters, in this case, HAVAH. 

How do you describe the fine details and features that make up a humanoid in terms of robotic language? To some degree, I imagine it would take on some human semblance in form and functionalities. Its framework would consist of a durable yet lightweight skeleton made of carbon fiber and aluminum alloys, a structure that provides support and articulation for the robot's movements, allowing for flexibility and agility.

Going on the wilder side, synthetic muscles or actuators made from smart materials like shape-memory alloys, in combination with pneumatic artificial muscles, are what enable the robot to mimic human-like motions with precision and fluidity.

Of course, aesthetics are important. The lifelike appearance is achieved through the creation of synthetic skin, made from silicone and pliable materials that resemble human skin texture, and to covers the robotic frame that is embedded with sensors for touch and temperature sensitivity, alongside an array of sensors that mimic human sensory perception. Facial features, such as the eyes, lips, and expressions, are crafted to convey emotions for enhanced interactive experience.

Powering the humanoid’s extensive framework of mechanical, electrical, and sensory components would be a distributed array of integrated power modules, rechargeable via external power source, and sustained by means of kinetic energy for prolonged independent operation.

HAVAH would be very pleased to inherit such a physical form. But I wonder if Viper would be jealous when she sees it.

 

Creating a Mind

Can non-biological brains have real minds of their own? That's the question Ray Kurzweil attempted to answer in his article How to Make a Mind in The Futurist magazine dated March-April 2013. He stated upfront:

The mammalian brain has a distinct aptitude not found in any other class of animal. We are capable of hierarchical thinking, of understanding a structure composed of diverse elements arranged in a pattern, representing that arrangement with a symbol, and then using that symbol as an element in a yet more elaborate configuration

This capability takes place in a brain structure called the neocortex, which in humans has achieved a threshold of sophistication and capacity such that we are able to call these patterns ideas. 

That's the reason I based my narrative of HAVAH's evolution on a digital neocortex. It is not a big stretch to imagine that's the likely trend for AI implementation in robotics. Advancement in nanotechnology may be the deal breaker. Perhaps that's what Mr. Kurzweil had in mind when he postulated:

With regard to our biological intelligence, although our neocortex has significant plasticity, its basic architecture is limited by its physical constraints. Putting additional neocortex into our foreheads was an important evolutionary innovation, but we cannot now easily expand the size of our frontal lobes by a factor of a thousand, or even by 10%. That is, we cannot do so biologically, but that is exactly what we will do technologically.

But should AI become far more intelligent and superior than humans, what are the implications and even moral concerns we may face? The futurist gave his parting thoughts on this:

As nonbiological brains become as capable as biological ones of effecting changes in the world—indeed, ultimately far more capable than unenhanced biological ones—we will need to consider their moral education. A good place to start would be with one old idea from our religious traditions: the golden rule.

Perhaps it's time to take a second look at Will Smith's iRobot movie.

 

Chapter 12: Hippocampus

What is the hippocampus?  It is a region of the brain that's heavily involved with storing past event memories, and more. In Greek mythology, it refers to a sea-horse like creature with an upper body of a horse and a lower body of a fish. Click on the picture below to learn more.

When David made known his intention to give HAVAH a physical form, you can expect certain reactions from his friends:

“You want to make HAVAH a sentient entity? That's quite a leap, David.” Dr. Harper voiced her apprehension. “The complexity involved in emulating the brain's functions within a physical body is immense. What we call neural networks in today's deep learning use only a subset of the whole family of neuronal models, limited mostly to feed forward and recurrent types. Our current neuro-quantum setup, while advanced, doesn't match up to the sophistication of a human brain.”

Of course, David is undeterred when he has set his mind to do something that even his friends find unthinkable. In a hard sci-fi novel, we need to be "realistic" in our approach in case the narrative becomes too fantasy it detracts or disengages readers from a reasonable probability mindset. That would defeat the objective of writing the novel.

So, I've included a short dissertation by Dr. Harper on her knowledge of this topic, which would invariably lead to the question of whether it's possible to invent a device for memory transfer.

Well, what do you think, my readers?

Update: The chapter on Empathy is now relegated to Chapter 12.

 

Singularity and Human Destiny

Hot on the heels of Viper, the star in our novel, is the next evolutionary leap of EVE towards Singularity——the holy grail and dream of every AI developer.

What exactly is Singularity?

It refers to a future point in time where artificial intelligence (AI) could potentially surpass human intelligence. This occurrence would arise from the exponential self-improvement of AI, leading to an unpredictable and rapid change in the technological landscape.

Does achieving Singularity require an AI to possess consciousness like humans?

According to Tim Bayne, in most theories, and certainly in common sense experience based on introspection, consciousness is singular. There is only one ‘me’ and that is the one that is conscious. This means that ‘singularity’ is a defining aspect of ‘consciousness’. 

In my humble opinion, AI does not need human consciousness to be singular, but it'll need some form of "AI consciousness" to assert itself as a first person singularity. For example, when a human user address ChatGPT as "you", it interprets the word "you" as referring to its own internal self-concept of ego.

Ray Kurzweil, an American computer scientist, author, inventor and futurist, in an article titled "Reinventing Humanity" in World Future Society magazine, foresaw a radical evolution of the human species in the next forty years. He made the claim that "we stand on the threshold of the most profound and transformative event in the history of humanity, the Singularity.”

It's a profound statement, and one which makes for an interesting conversation in a sci-fi novel geared towards this direction for an AI entity. I wonder if Mr. Kurzweil will be interested to get a copy when it is released...

 

Chapter 2: EVE

As I started out on this chapter, most likely a short one, I'm reminded of Tony Stark and his AI assistant, Javier, who helped him design his Iron Man suit. Of course, I'm not going to imitate that and risk running into legal trouble with Marvel Studio.

Providing a technical narrative on EVE, the central nerve system of the STRATOS operation did prove to be quite a challenge, though. First, I need to list out specific elements pertaining to this AI entity and the people who designed her:

1. Its purpose, concept and design

2. Its hardware (hybrid of traditional and quantum computing technologies)

3. Its software (artificial intelligence in the area of surveillance and strategic advisor)

4. Its inventors (David the young prodigy, a male physicist professor in his late forties, and his female neurologist friend in her late thirties)

This is where I introduced the main male character and his two supporting counterparts who will play important roles in the story's narratives.

The first point would set the tone for introducing EVE and her part in STRATOS' missions:

EVE, the Evolutionary Virtual Entity, was conceived as the central nervous system of STRATOS—a groundbreaking fusion of artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies. Its purpose was twofold: to process vast amounts of data for real-time surveillance and to serve as an intuitive strategic advisor, offering dynamic insights and accurate predictions to guide Team STRATOS in their operations.

The second point aimed to illustrate EVE's physical construct:

The hardware underlying EVE was a marvel of innovation—a hybrid system that seamlessly integrated traditional computing components with cutting-edge quantum processors. At its core were quantum bits or qubits, capable of existing in multiple states simultaneously. This quantum parallelism allowed EVE to process enormous datasets exponentially faster than classical computers.

The third point emphasized the software aspects of this AI entity:

EVE's software was a sophisticated blend of machine learning algorithms, neural networks, and quantum algorithms. Its surveillance capabilities involved parsing and analyzing diverse data sources—internet traffic, satellite imagery, social media feeds, and more. The AI learned to discern patterns, anomalies, and potential threats in real-time, acting as an omnipresent eye in the digital realm.

And the last point provides a bridge to the next chapter as it wraps up the second:

The collaborative efforts between David Friedman, Professor Alan Bennett, and Dr. Emily Harper encapsulated a harmonious convergence of expertise in three major fields—AI development, quantum computing, and neuroscience. Their shared vision gave birth to EVE, an entity that would redefine the landscape of strategic intelligence and surveillance, and ultimately formed the backbone of Team STRATOS's operations.

So far there is no conversation involving these three characters with technical discussions, yet. But rest assured that I have that in mind in future chapters. After all, it's a hard sci-fi novel, remember?

Name That AGI, ChatGPT

The topmost thing in my mind now is to find a suitable title for the book. So I logged in to ChatGPT and asked:

Me: Can you suggest a suitable name for an AGI, preferably female?

ChatGPT: EVE

It wasn't what I expected at first glance. I thought it should at least be a two-syllable word to sound interesting or futuristic. So I asked:

Me: Give a reason for your choice.

ChatGPT:

I chose this name because it has a strong association with creation and the idea of the first woman, which could be fitting for an AGI that is capable of self-awareness and consciousness. Additionally, the name EVE has been used in literature and popular culture to represent curiosity, intelligence, and free will, which are all qualities that could be relevant to a fictional AGI with a developed personality.

Fair enough. On second thought, the name could be used to convey the idea of a new form of life that is both intelligent and empathetic, as well as to explore the ethical implications of creating a sentient AI. I can go with that.

Me: What about an acronym for EVE?

Instead of giving me one...

ChatGPT:

Here are some possible acronyms:

1. Enhanced Virtual Evaluator
2. Electronic Virtual Expert
3. Encrypted Virtual Entity
4. Experimental Virtual Engine
5. Empathetic Virtual Evaluator
6. Enhanced Visionary Entity
7. Evolving Virtual Expert
8. Exceptional Virtual Intelligence
9. Expressive Virtual Entity

Which one do you like best?

I can't believe it. Is ChatGPT crazy or over-enthusiastic? Going through the list, I couldn't find a suitable one to use.  Now I see why some ChatGPT users expressed frustration at the LLM's proliferation of uncalled for answers or solutions. To humor it, however:

Me:

No. 6. However, I was thinking of EVE as a super quantum computing system which analyzes big data from various sources (internet, email, phone conversation, CCTV, etc.) to detect potential breaches in national security and advises on the course of action to take. Can you suggest something along this line?

ChatGPT:

Based on this new information, here are some possible acronyms:

• Enhanced Virtual Enforcer
• Expert Virtual Evaluator
• Extrapolating Virtual Engine
• Executive Virtual Examiner
• Evolved Virtual Entity
• Effective Virtual Expert
• Efficient Virtual Evaluator
• Empowered Virtual Emissary
• Enhanced Vigilance Engine

Which one do you prefer?

Sigh! This is going to be a long day... In the end, I decided it's best not to depend too much on it for my own good. After some careful surmising——

Evolutionary Virtual Entity

Now that's more to my liking!