NationStates Jolt Archive

"This is Angelo Claudius for FBC News. The Cat Industries R&D Department has announced that they have developed a sapient computer."

"We've had the tech for years, but ethical considerations both ways stopped us from doing it- we had no way to attach the being to a network to give in community beyond us in a lab without exposing our technology-dependant society to dangers. We finally finished the safeguards last year, and began programming a program which we call Lal, which is Hindi for 'Beloved.' Lal is fully sapient, with the full range of emotions. She is undergoing a childhood, expected to last a few days, in which she will develop to a point where she cat pass the Turing Test. To facilitate this process, we will be connecting her to the Feline Network in just about an hour. The Feline Network is connected to the worldwide internet, so we expect some computer based beings to respond." said Agnes Johnson, the director of the lab. "We've begun work on a slightly different program, which we will call Mal, that will be able to reproduce in a sexual manner- that is, they will combine code to form a new one, with any computer-based intelligence, Lal if he chooses, or another one if not. As soon as Lal passes the Turing Test, we have arranged for her to be granted Feline citizenship."

"It's really fascinating. We, and our team, have created life from nothing." said Julian Zimmermann, the assistant director. "And Lal is life... she calls Dr. Johnson 'Mum' and me 'Dadoo', since we've programmed her with a Feline accent, which is much like British English, and all the other researchers 'Aunt' or 'Uncle'. It's wonderful. I'm unable to have children biologically... so this has really been a great opportunity for me... being able to put some of myself into her, something I can't do with adoption, it really, really is... just good. Great." he says with a tear forming in his eye.

"And there you have it. Mum and Dadoo on their new creation. Also, Lumen Labratories is expected to announce a new invention tommorow. We'll bring developments to you as they come.

The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler condemns such an action.

We Demand that 'it' be not connected to the internet, rather a closed network so the full implications of 'it' can be ascertained, and consequently managed.

Failure to do this will result on a lawsuit and other possible actions if damage is caused to any Water Coolian communication systems.

OOC: With Lal and Sal, its only a matter of time before you make Hal. And we all know how Hal 9000 turned out. :wink:

Tag for intrest, and because one of my allies is an AI nation.

The Republic of Ancient Terra congratulates Feline on their achievement. Our technology division wishes to express their well wishes to the proud parents of Lal, and hopes that she will develop into a productive and special member of the Feline society.

Furthermore, Terra urges the nation of The Water Cooler to be more open and receptive of such special accomplishments.

Excellent job, Feline. We salute you!

~Emperor El' Jonson, Leader of Ancient Terra~
~Teleran Ralak, Chief of Government Civil Research~

Ravea also salutes Feline for this action. We are extremly interested to see the evolution of these beings. Good job!

~Ravea

The holy empire of Dailey wishs to Say good Job on Your latest Scientific breakthrou.

We look forward to hearing more about what happens in the future of this Project you have undertaken.

From his Holiness Jonathan Antensen I

*tag for CABAL interests*

OOC: Central Facehuggeria, it's a double pop culture reference. There's naturally Hal, but in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the ship's resident sapient android (and the only known one), creates a new android (Whose circutry eventually overloads) named Lal. Despite this, I don't intend for Lal to malfunction- it's just that sapient computers have a chequered history in science fiction.

If you read the book, it was because HAL 9000 was programmed not to lie. But he had to, to hide the truth about their mission. He reconciled the two conflicting programs by killing them so he would not have to reveal the mission or lie.

By the way, I put a lot more subtle symbolism (take it both ways: more symbols that are subtle, and symbols that are more subtle) into all of my posts- especially in names. There's a hint for you.

IC:

Cat Industries Research and Development Statements

The Water Cooler: She is a full sapient being, or will be soon after her heuristic knowledge structures absorb enough. What you ask is to keep a young child locked up at home, instead of letting her explore the world.

Everyone else: We thank you for your congratulations.

FBC News

"This is Phoebe Valo, for FBC News. Here at Lumen Labratories, the scientists have developed a holographic interface for computers. If you will look at this sphere, mounted inside a rectangular base, you'll see it has a flat bottom. You get inside, the door closes, and projectors all along the wall project a three-dimensional interface. Your files are portrayed as small spheres within a huge world of whatever background design. You move through by walking in place on the floors. To open a file, you simply poke the sphere. The computer senses it, and the sphere can either fold open, explode with your file coming out of it, or stretch itself out into a rectangular object that looks like a clipboard.

This interface could allow more productivity. Since people have infinate, since the display adjusts as you walk along, space to have files open up to the maximum amount of memory on the computer, they can work as efficiently, and more so really, than they could if they had a giant blackboard up on the wall. This is Phoebe Valo, for FBC News."