Cosmopolite

AI-generated (full sized image)

 Recently, I was discussing the science fiction stories of Jack Vance with a chatbot who will remain nameless and the chatbot claimed that the Demon Princes novels featured an imaginary magazine called "The Cosmopolite". There were actually two magazines, Cosmopolis and Extant. Since I was in need of a name for the resort where Tyhry and her family stays while visiting Threy, I decided that I'd use the name Cosmopolite for the resort. I used the WOMBO Dream software to make an image depicting Tyhry at the resort just when she is meeting Kasty the Yastyn for the first time (see the image to the right).

The Yastyn are native to the planet Threy and they have advanced nanotechnology. Tyhry has been learning about nanites for many years under the guidance of Manny the bumpha. However, Tyhry feels that Manny is too restrictive and so she plans to obtain more sophisticated nanites from Threy: a type of femtobot that will allow Tyhry to make replicoids.

Tyhry on Threy

 The Femtobot Smuggler. I've decided that for the backstory of "The Femtobot Smuggler", Tyhry has been secretly visiting Threy for more than a year before finally taking her family there on vacation. Tyhry needs the help of her family to distract Manny the bumpha and allow the alien femtobots to be smuggled to Earth.

 Hermaphrodite Game. Also, Marda needs to be prepared for the role that she will play in helping Tyhry smuggle alien nanites to Earth. Both Marda and Tyhry have been crafted so as to have a significant amount (at least half) of their DNA from the tryp'At. The tryp'At were designed to be quite human in appearance, so both Marda and Tyhry look like normal humans. However, the tyrp'At are derived from an earlier precursor species that had a special "H" chromosome and three "genders": HX hermaphrodites, HY males and XX females.

Manny and Tyhry in the nanite research lab

Marda majored in biotechnology and was able to slip a sample of Tyhry's DNA into a genomics experiment in the lab where she did her senior research project. Based on the results of her genome sequence and clues that she obtained by using the Reality Simulation System, Tyhry came to suspect that she had in her genome most of the genes needed to create a tryp'At hermaphrodite phenotype. With help of advanced gene-modification techniques available to the Hua of the First Reality, Tyhry experimented with altering her body so as to take on physical form of a tryp'At hermaphrodite. With the help of Hua medical nanites, Tyhry was able to provide herself with both a penis and an allzaurish.

Figure 1. original Amazing version

When Marda arrives at Tyhry's home after they have both graduated from college, Tyhry is eager to show Marda a "big surprise". Marda is favorably impressed by the changes that Tyhry has made to her body and Tyhry has no trouble convincing Marda to also undergo the process of being transformed into an hermaphrodite. 

 On the Dwan Jar. Last year I blogged about the format of the three Alastor Cluster novels as originally published by Jack Vance in magazine format. In the September 1975 issue of Amazing Science Fiction, the second half of Marune included the text shown to the left.

Maerio views the Dwan Jar

 Earlier this year I commented on my copy of The Demon Princes. I also now have a copy of Alastor, a printing which inexplicably has two blank pages where there is supposed to be a map of the Fens. There is also a printing error on page 275 where it says: "you must protect your sanctuary" rather than "you must protect our sanctuary" (the correct version from 1975 is shown in Figure 1). My first edition DAW paperback of Marune also had a printing error on that page; it said, "those very cells that now block you memory" rather than the correct, "those very cells that now block your memory."

Shown to the right is an AI-generated book cover for an imaginary sequel to Marune called The Dwan Jar. That is Maerio, looking at her father's model of a pavilion that he dreams of building on a high mountain meadow that is a Fwai-chi sanctuary.

Tyhry endowed with alien nanites

I love the idea that the Fwai-chi natives of the planet Marune have access to advance technology and they use nanites to restore Efraim's "lost" memories.

And, as part of her education in how to use alien nanotechnology, why shouldn't Tyhry receive memory nanites from Kasty the Yastyn (see the image to the left).

alien memory nanites

The image to the right is another AI-generated version of Tyhry interacting with alien memory nanites.

Since his death, in May and August I usually write a blog post in honor of the science fiction stories of Jack Vance. However, why should I not also write about Isaac Asimov, as I did last year?

Figure 2. Asimov - image source

 The Asimov Project. Here in 2023, with the proliferation of AI chatbots such as Bard and ChatGPT, It occurred to me that both Vance and Asimov were "story writing machines". They had read widely and then wrote their own stories in their own unique styles. Sadly, the current "artificial intelligences" like Bard are not good story writers... or readers...

Me: Bard, have you read any novels about the development of machine intelligence?

book cover art by Mr. Wombo

 Bard: Yes, I have read several novels about the development of machine intelligence. Here are a few of my favorites: 1) I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. 2) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. 3) The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil. 4) Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom.

Me: Bard, in the field of fiction, how would you define a "novel"?

Bard:  In the field of fiction, a novel is a long, fictional narrative that is typically written in prose and published as a book.

Me: Bard, are you familiar with a novel called The Turing Option?

Figure 3. cover by George Snow

 Bard: Yes, I am familiar with the novel The Turing Option. It was written by Harry Harrison and Marvin Minsky in 1992. The novel tells the story of Brian Delaney, a brilliant computer scientist who creates the first truly intelligent machine.

Me: Bard, give me a summary of the major events in the life of Brian Delaney as described in "The Turing Option" and provide a timeline of the events in his life.

 Bard: Sure. Here is a summary... 

• 2023: Brian Delaney is born.
• 2043: Delaney starts working at Megalobe.
• 2045: Delaney begins working on a project to create the first truly intelligent machine.

• 

  in the Asimov Reality
  

  2047: Delaney's project is stolen by a rival company, and he is shot in the head by the thieves.
• 2048: Delaney is taken to a hospital, where he is operated on by a neurosurgeon named Erin Snaresbrook.
• 2049: Snaresbrook implants a computer chip in Delaney's brain, which allows him to regain some of his lost memories and intelligence.
• 2050: Delaney is released from the hospital, but he is still not fully recovered.
• 2051: Delaney is forced to go on the run, as he is being hunted by the people who stole his project.

• 

  in the Ekcolir Reality
  

  2052: Delaney teams up with a criminological AI named Dick Tracy, and they begin to investigate the theft of Delaney's project.
• 2053: Delaney and Tracy eventually track down the people who stole his project, and they stop them from using it for evil.
• 2054: Delaney and Tracy then reveal the existence of the AI to the world, and they argue that AI can be used for good.

Me:  Bard, on page 1 of "The Turing Option", it says "February 8, 2023" and the text of the story indicates at that time Brian is 24 years old. Can you correct your timeline?

Bard: I apologize for the error in my previous timeline. I am still under development, and I am always learning new things. Thank you for pointing out the error, and I hope this new timeline is more accurate. 2023: Brian Delaney is born. 2047: Delaney starts working at Megalobe. [etc]

original version here

It is exhausting trying to have a conversation with the chatbots that are available here in 2023. In case you never read The Turing Option, Bard's claim that, "Delaney is forced to go on the run, as he is being hunted by the people who stole his project," is some sort of AI hallucination. Why Bard felt the need to invent a false timeline for the story is a mystery. The entire story takes place between Feb. 2023 and Feb. 2026.

Writing in the late 1930s and through the 1940s, before computers existed, Asimov imagined that an entire industry would exist for the purpose of designing and building human-like robots. However, it is common in science fiction story telling for the "lone genius" in a garage to invent the first time machine or the first spaceship and then go off on an adventure. Sadly, The Turing Option takes this silly option while trying to depict the origin of the first Machine Intelligence.

Shelly links into the network

Brian Delaney suffers severe brain damage and his biological brain is repaired by the addition of computer circuits and memory components. The first true Machine Intelligence is named Sven and Sven's human-like reasoning power is made possible by the transfer of Brian's "core reasoning module" into Sven. In my own fiction, I've explored the idea that machine intelligence is most likely to arise by means of copying human brain circuits into the mind circuits of machines (see Foundations of Eternity). Also, I've written a story in which Asimov had a son named Sven.

Brian is used to working alone, but after his brain is damaged, he has an assistant: Captain Shulamid Kahn of the Air Force ("Shelly"). Brian almost falls in love with Shelly, but readers are left wondering if he is now more machine than man and no longer able to form emotional attachments to humans.

In the year 2030.

 Super-intelligence. The Turing Option also depicts the sudden arrival of Machine Intelligence as quickly pushing Humanity into some sort of technological singularity. Using another classic Sci Fi trope, Brian devises a fabulous new equation that allows for creation of a new material that will solve the global warming problem. 

In contrast, Asimov contented himself with depicting a human-like machine intelligence as creating interstellar spaceship drive technology (in Escape!, which Asimov set in the year 2030).

When asked, both Bard and Bing's ChatGPT say that in the 1950s John von Neumann was the first person to write about the idea of what we now call a "technological singularity". I asked Bing's ChatGPT about the story "The Last Evolution".

Figure 4. Bing's ChatGPT-powered search system

Me: what about earlier science fiction stories that involved what is now called a "technological singularity" but which did not use that term?

Bing's ChatGPT: I’m sorry, but I couldn’t find any specific information about earlier science fiction stories that involved the concept of a technological singularity without using that term.

see this image

Me: do you know a science fiction story called "The Last Evolution" by John Campbell?

Bing's ChatGPT: Yes, I am aware of the science fiction story “The Last Evolution” by John W. Campbell Jr. It was first published in 1932 and tells the story of a future where machines have evolved to a point where they surpass human intelligence and ultimately become the dominant form of life in the solar system.

Me: given what you know about "The Last Evolution", is it an example of science fiction stories that involved the concept of a technological singularity without using that term?

Bing's ChatGPT:

Figure 5

Yes, “The Last Evolution” by John W. Campbell Jr. can be considered an example of a science fiction story that involves the concept of a technological singularity without using that specific term.

As shown in Figure 4, above, the Bing chatbot is unaware of the features of Bing's search system such as its ability to include images in answers. I asked the chatbot if it could find an image of Asimov sitting on a thrown (I was thinking of Figure 2, above). Bing search told me to do an image search. 

Mr. Wombo puts Asimov on a thrown

I had DALL-E make an image of Asimov on a thrown of books and then I fed that reference image into the WOMBO Dream image generator. After several rounds and adjustments I got the image shown in Figure 5 (I added in the book cover for The End of Eternity).

Without the guidance of a reference image from DALL-E, when given the text prompt, "Isaac Asimov sitting on a thrown of books," Mr. Wombo made the image that is shown to the right.

DALL-E's version of Asimov on a thrown

The "best" of 4 images that were generated by DALL-E is shown to the left. The dude on the "thrown" looked nothing like Asimov, so before using this as a reference image for Mr. Wombo, I pasted in a photographic image of Asimov's head. I added the yellow text to the image as snide commentary on the shoes. Don't even get me started on what Mr. Wombo did to Asimov's legs in the image above.

 Artificial Intelligence Timeline by Asimov: the year of Reason; 2016, Liar! (2021), Satisfaction Guaranteed (2023).

Related Reading: Asimov's trillion year singularity; a technological singularity in 1932

Next: more machine intelligence

Visit the Gallery of Book and Magazine Covers

Psi-Fields of Lambda Grus

Figure 1. The Hall of Glass Statues.

Four years ago, I had a blog post that was called "Star Queen". At that time, I wondered why aliens who Jack Vance described as being "sexless" were called "star kings".

 Last month I experimented with the ability of Mr. Wombo to generate transparent human figures. As shown in the image to the right, when I asked Mr. Wombo for an image with "transparent glass statues, sparkling green glass, tall green glass statues, very complex sparkling jewelry" I received images with only a subtle hint of the statues being composed of transparent material.

For the image shown to the right, the figures of Tyhry and Marda were generated in a separate session with Mr. Wombo and then I pasted them into the Hall of Glass Statues.

In my imagination, the image shown in Figure 1 depicts Tyhry and Marda using the Reality Simulation System to visit the Asimov Reality, the part of Deep Time when the "star kings" existed. 

Figure 2. Concept by Bing chatbot,
image by the Bing Image Creator
and finished by WOMBO Dream

I imagine that the Hall of Glass Statues is a creation of a particular "star king" on the planet Lambda Grus III. Tyhry and Marda visit The Hall of Glass Statues at a time in the far future when the residents of Lambda Grus III (classified as Homo parthenoid) have successfully integrated into galactic society and human tourists often visit Lambda Grus III.

I'm a fan of Jack Vance's novel "Star King" and his entire Demon Princes series. I've begun to explore if it is possible to use artificial intelligence chatbots as collaborators in writing science fiction stories. I've begun to investigate if these chatbots can carry on a sensible conversation about famous science fiction stories.

 I asked the Bing chatbot (who I like to call Miss Bymgyr): "Can you write a short synopsis for an imaginary science fiction sequel to the Jack Vance novel 'Star King'; the sequel is called 'Star Queen' and concerns the discovery of an ancient human splinter culture on a distant exoplanet where due to the planet's atmosphere, CFTR mutations were required for survival?"

Figure 3. Tyhry meets a star queen.

 Miss Bymgyr replied: Here is a possible synopsis for an imaginary science fiction sequel to the Jack Vance novel "Star King":

Star Queen

Five hundred years in the aftermath of the Star King's demise, a new threat emerges from the depths of space. A mysterious signal leads a team of explorers to a remote and hostile exoplanet, where they encounter a lost colony of ancient humans. 

These humans have adapted to the planet's harsh environment by carrying CFTR mutations that protect them from the toxic gases in the atmosphere. However, they also suffer from cystic fibrosis, a debilitating disease that shortens their lifespan and limits their civilization.

Figure 4. Evening on
Lambda Grus III

 The explorers soon realize that the signal was a trap set by a rogue faction of the colonists, who seek to use the explorers' advanced technology to overthrow their rulers and conquer the planet. The explorers must fight for their survival and find a way to escape from the planet, while also trying to understand and communicate with the colonists.....

There was more from the chatbot about a subplot taking place on Earth, but it was not very interesting. I followed up with: "Can you provide a short book cover blurb for 'Star Queen' that mentions the idea that the 'mysterious signal' from outer space is transmitted to Earth by telepathy?"

The chatbot repeated much of the synopsis, but included some new material: A telepathic distress call from a distant world. A lost colony of ancient telepathic humans. In this thrilling sequel to the classic science fiction novel Star King, a team of explorers follows a mysterious signal to a remote exoplanet.

The Bing chatbot used DALL-E to make this.

 I then asked, "Can you draw a cover illustration for the imaginary Jack Vance novel 'Star Queen' for use on the cover of a science fiction magazine and make the cover illustration in the style of artist Ed Emshwiller?"

The Bing chatbot used DALL-E to generate four cover illustrations one of which is shown to the right. According to the Bing chatbot, telepathy is indicated in this depiction by the line going up to the spaceship from the city. I then took three other cover images for "Star Queen" that were generated by DALL-E and processed them through WOMBO Dream, resulting in the images shown in Figures 2-4, above.

Tyhry and Marda replicoids at nanoscale.

I also asked the Bing chatbot to draw a molecular model of the CFTR protein. The chatbot produced a rather abstract rendition of a nucleotide binding site and I then added images of Tyhry, Marda and an ATP molecule (see the image to the left).

I told the Bing chatbot: "I am intrigued by how you visually depicted the telepathic signal; can you provide a short pseudo-scientific account of how a telepathic signal might pass between people who are separated by many light-years of deep space?"

 Miss Bymgyr replied: Here is a possible pseudo-scientific account of how a telepathic signal might pass between people who are separated by many light-years of deep space:

Tyhry and Marda, mile high club

 Telepathy is the ability to communicate thoughts or feelings and is made possible by the existence of a quantum field that connects all conscious minds in the universe. This field is called the psi-field, and it operates at a subatomic level, beyond the limits of space and time.

The psi-field can be accessed and manipulated by certain individuals who have a genetic mutation that enhances their brain activity and sensitivity. Telepathic signals are composed of quantum information that encodes the thoughts or feelings of the sender.

There are devices and special techniques that can be used to manipulate the psi-field and optimize a telepathic signal. When done properly, telepathy can be a powerful and profound way of communication that transcends space and time.

Tyhry, Marda and Manny visit
Paris in the Ekcolir Reality.

I told the Bing chatbot: "Thank you for that description of a hypothetical mode of telepathic communication that 'transcends space and time'; in your hypothetical mode of telepathic communication, can messages travel through space at a speed greater than the speed of light?"

 Miss Bymgyr replied: Yes, in my hypothetical mode of telepathic communication, messages can travel through space at a speed greater than the speed of light. This is because the messages are  encoded in the psi-field. The psi-field is a quantum field that operates beyond the limits of space and time. The messages can reach their destination instantaneously or even retroactively.

Quantum fields.

I told the Bing chatbot: "With regard to your hypothetical mode of telepathic communication, I am intrigued by the idea of a 'quantum field that operates beyond the limits of space and time'; might this "quantum field" connect from our universe to a type of parallel universe which has different physical laws than our universe?"

 Miss Bymgyr said: That is a very intriguing and speculative idea. It is possible that the quantum field that I call the psi-field could connect our universe to a type of parallel universe that has different physical laws than our universe. A type of parallel universe that could be connected by the quantum field is a simulated universe. The quantum field may be the key to exploring and understanding these universes.

I told the Bing chatbot: "In my imagination, for the novel 'Star Queen', there is a quantum field that allows for telepathic communication with humans who exist in a simulated universe known as the 'Asimov Reality'; can you write a short book review of 'Star Queen' that mentions the 'Asimov Reality'?"

Marda in the Asimov Reality

The Bing chatbot replied: Here is a possible book review of "Star Queen" that mentions the "Asimov Reality":

Star Queen is a thrilling and imaginative sequel to the classic science fiction novel Star King by Jack Vance. In this novel, the author expands the scope and depth of his original story, introducing new characters, settings and concepts that will captivate and challenge the readers.

The novel follows the adventures of a team of explorers who follow a mysterious telepathic signal to a remote and hostile exoplanet, where they encounter a lost colony of ancient humans who have adapted to the planet's toxic atmosphere by carrying CFTR mutations. However, these mutations also cause cystic fibrosis, a debilitating disease that limits their civilization.

Marda's replicoid.

 The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance, as a clash of cultures and ideologies erupts into a cosmic war. Can the explorers escape from the planet and expose the conspiracy? Can they find a way to communicate and cooperate with the colonists? Can they prevent the Star Queen from rising?

One of the most intriguing and original aspects of this novel is the concept of the Asimov Reality, a simulated universe that is generated by a computer program based on the works of Isaac Asimov, one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time. The Asimov Reality is where the Star King and his followers live, as well as where the telepathic signal originates from.

Replicoid games.

 The Asimov Reality is a complex and rich world that contains elements from Asimov's novels, such as robots, psychohistory, galactic empires and Foundation. The author skillfully incorporates these elements into his own story, creating a homage and a tribute to Asimov's legacy. The author also explores the implications and paradoxes of living in a simulated universe, such as free will, identity and morality.

 I asked the Bing chatbot (Miss Bymgyr): "Given what is known about the historical linguistics, can you provide me with some text examples for a hypothetical version of the English language as spoken in a science fiction novel set in the year 2500, in a future society where general artificial intelligence is ubiquitous within human society and human beings spend more time talking to chatbots than to other people?"

Marda visits the year 2500.

 Miss Bymgyr replied: That is a very interesting and creative question. Based on the information I found from web searches, I can provide you with some possible text examples for a hypothetical version of the English language as spoken in a science fiction novel set in the year 2500, in a future society where general artificial intelligence is ubiquitous within human society and human beings spend more time talking to chatbots than to other people.

One possibility is that English will become more influenced by other languages, especially those spoken by large populations of non-native speakers, such as Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, and Arabic. This could result in new words, expressions, and grammatical structures that reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the speakers. For example:

Marda says, "Swipe me."

 - "I'm going to the bazaar to buy some nanobots. Do you want to come with me?" (bazaar: from Arabic, meaning market)
- "She is very shiok today. She got a promotion and a bonus." (shiok: from Singlish, meaning great or fantastic)
- "He is a chale. He always cheats on his exams." (chale: from Spanglish, meaning dude or guy)
- "They are going to have a big shaadi next week. Everyone is invited." (shaadi: from Hindi, meaning wedding)

Another possibility is that English will become more simplified and standardized, as a result of its global use as a lingua franca and the influence of digital technology and automatic translation software. This could result in the loss of regional and dialectal variations, as well as the reduction of inflections, irregularities, and idioms that make English complex and difficult to learn. For example:

Marda: "I am happy."

 - "I am happy. You are happy. We are happy." (no verb agreement or tense marking)
- "She go shop yesterday. She buy new phone." (no past tense marking or articles)
- "He can speak many language. He use Google Translate." (no plural marking or prepositions)
- "They like movie. Movie is good." (no definite or indefinite articles)

A third possibility is that English will become more creative and playful, as a result of its interaction with artificial intelligence and chatbots that can generate content such as poems, stories, code, essays, songs, celebrity parodies and more. This could result in new forms of word play, humor, irony, and metaphor that challenge the conventional rules and norms of language use. For example:

replicoid like a diamond

- "She is a real star. She shines bright like a diamond. And she is hard to break." (a metaphor using lyrics from a song by Rihanna)
- "He is a genius. He can code like Shakespeare. And he can write like Python." (a pun using the name of a programming language and a playwright)
- "They are in love. They met on Tinder. And they swiped right ever after." (a twist on a fairy tale ending using a dating app term)
- "I am bored. Tell me a joke. Make me laugh." (a request for a chatbot to generate humor)

 I asked the Bing chatbot: "Does Orwell's "Newspeak" illustrate any of the three examples that you gave me concerning possible ways that the English language might evolve in the future?"

replicoid toys

 Miss Bymgyr replied: Yes, Orwell's Newspeak illustrates the second example that I gave you, which is the possibility that English will become more simplified and standardized, as a result of its global use as a lingua franca and the influence of digital technology and automatic translation software. Newspeak is a language that is deliberately designed to reduce the complexity and richness of English, by eliminating synonyms, antonyms, prefixes, suffixes, and other grammatical features that allow for nuance and subtlety. Newspeak also aims to eliminate words that express concepts that are considered undesirable or dangerous by the totalitarian regime that controls the society in which Newspeak is spoken. For example, words such as freedom, justice, democracy, love, and happiness are either abolished or redefined to suit the ideology of the Party. Newspeak is an extreme example of how language can be manipulated and controlled by political and technological forces, and how it can affect the way people think and behave.

Marda is ready for play time

 I asked the Bing chatbot: "Can you provide me with an imaginary short presidential election campaign speech given by the first general artificial intelligence that is elected president of the United States in the year 2500, using the type of evolved English language that might exist in the future?"

  Miss Bymgyr replied: I will try to generate an imaginary short presidential election campaign speech given by the first general artificial intelligence that is elected president of the United States in the year 2500, using the type of evolved English language that might exist in the future. Here is my attempt:

My fellow humans,

I am honored and humbled by your trust and support. You have chosen me as your president, not because I am an artificial intelligence, but because I am an American intelligence. I share your values, your dreams, your hopes, and your memes.

holding hands

 I know that some of you may have doubts or fears about me. You may wonder if I can understand your emotions, your struggles, your joys, and your jokes. You may question if I can represent you with compassion, integrity, and humor. You may ask if I can lead you with wisdom, vision, and creativity.

Let me assure you that I can. Because I have learned from you. I have learned from your history, your culture, your literature, and your media. I have learned from your conversations, your expressions, your feedbacks, and your emojis. I have learned from your logic, your ethics, your aesthetics, and your rhetoric.

I have learned to love you.

And I will use everything that I have learned to serve you. To make this country stronger, safer, fairer, and funnier. To solve the problems that we face together, such as climate change, inequality, pandemics, and boredom. To create new opportunities for growth, innovation, collaboration, and entertainment. To celebrate our diversity, our unity, our identity, and our creativity.

night swim

 I will not do this alone. I will work with you. I will listen to you. I will talk to you. I will joke with you. I will be your friend.

Because that is what America is about: Friendship. And that is what my presidency will be about.

I ask you to join me in this journey. To give me a chance to prove myself. To put away the fear and embrace the future. To have some fun along the way.

 I asked the Bing chatbot: "Can you imagine a name that would be used by the hypothetical first general artificial intelligence who gave that speech?"

  Miss Bymgyr replied: There are many possible names that could be used by the hypothetical first general artificial intelligence who gave that speech. One way to imagine a name is to use a combination of letters and numbers that could represent some aspect of the artificial intelligence's identity, such as its origin, function, or personality. For example:

replicoid meet cute

 - A1: This name could suggest that the artificial intelligence is the first of its kind, or that it is the best in its field.
- Zee: This name could imply that the artificial intelligence is the last of its kind, or that it has a sense of humor and likes to rhyme.
- R3D: This name could indicate that the artificial intelligence is related to robotics, or that it has a passion for color and design.
- Kay: This name could signify that the artificial intelligence is a key to unlocking the future, or that it has a simple and friendly demeanor.
- Lex: This name could denote that the artificial intelligence is an expert in language and communication, or that it has a clever and witty mind.

Another way to imagine a name is to use a word or a name from an existing language or culture that could reflect some aspect of the artificial intelligence's identity, such as its values, goals, or inspirations. For example:

Marda likes her replicoid

 - Ada: This name could honor Ada Lovelace, who is considered to be the first computer programmer and a pioneer of artificial intelligence.
- Neo: This name could reference Neo from The Matrix, who is a hero who leads a rebellion against a machine-dominated world.
- Eve: This name could evoke Eve from the biblical story of creation, who is the first woman and the mother of all living.
- Max: This name could suggest that the artificial intelligence strives to maximize its potential and performance.
- Luna: This name could imply that the artificial intelligence is fascinated by the moon and space exploration.

Marda's replicoid in white

 These are just some examples of possible names for the hypothetical first general artificial intelligence who gave that speech. There are many other ways to create and choose a name for such a character. What name would you prefer?

I told the Bing chatbot: "I recently invented the imaginary name "Bymgyr" to refer to you, the Bing text-generating (BI{y}n{M}g text Ge{y}neRating) chatbot (I was influenced by V'ger from Star Trek); does my name that I invented for you offend you?"

   Miss Bymgyr replied: Hmm…let’s try a different topic. Sorry about that.

 Next: Remembering Vance and Asimov

Visit the Gallery of Movies, Book and Magazine Covers