Sci-Fi Trilogy: What about AI?

[ccstat]

There have been extensive discussions about potential FTL mechanics for allomancy in the third trilogy, and a few about mechanical-driven allomancy (I haven't really followed all of those ones but one example is here). But it occurs to me that we've all overlooked the potential for very interesting applications of metal based magic in electronics: Suppose that in the third trilogy the Scadrians not only develop space flight but also artificial intelligence, that other great SF staple.

 

The abilities and/or personality of an AI could depend crucially on its hardware composition, either simply the native metals themselves or more subtly the presence of a feruchemical or hemalurgic charge. It's easy to imagine someone building their AI with a "heat sink" that instead stores sense-of-self, mass, or any number of other options.

 

One division (and often in-world question) in SF is whether AI in a given universe are alive/have souls. If Brandon chose to go with the "AI are people too" camp (which I think he would, given that everything has a spritual and cognitive aspect), then we could end up with AI displaying abilities in the metallic arts.

 

The above was my seed idea, and the one that I find most interesting. Still, I half expect this thread to be hijacked by related possibilities:

>One extension would be full-on androids, rather than the ship's-computer style AI. This type of story would focus more on the physical abilities than personality effects.

>Another extension (or maybe independent topic) is cybernetics. The idea of ability-enhancing implants has a lot of potential both in opposition to and in combination with the various metallic arts.

 

Then again, there could be enough room in a trilogy for all of the above. Now, there's an exciting thought!

[Oudeis]

One division (and often in-world question) in SF is whether AI in a given universe are alive/have souls. If Brandon chose to go with the "AI are people too" camp (which I think he would, given that everything has a spritual and cognitive aspect),

 

I'd suspect that if it comes up, whatever solution Mr. Sanderson gives us will be far more unique than that. Also everything on the planet has all three aspects, so the AI would have a "soul" if by that you mean bugs have souls, dirt has a soul, and a big mac has a soul.

[Quiver]

Does it have to be an artificial intelligence?

I'll grant this isn't a well-thought idea and mere metaphorical hand waving, but perhaps this could be a use for some of the seemingly less useful Feruchecm or Hemalurgy metals? A computer built of Aluminum invested with a sense of self maybe? Chromium to plot out FTL jump points, with some Nicrosil to 'invest' it with some kind of life?

Of course, I'm new to this whole Realmantic thing, so this might make no sense.

[Edgedancer]

Now I had the idea of people using forms of the metallic Arts to turn themselfs into AIs.

On the topic of maschines using magic, well...

Hemalurgy is universal so naturaly they can use it and most likely a lot more precise than any human coud.

Allomancy works by using the investure inside of metal to attune yourself with Preservation/Harmony. While any kind of maschine woud have access to metal, althoug it woud kind of be like using ones own body so AIs beware. However they shoudn't have the nedded amount of Preservation inside of themselfs so that might be a problem unless the maschinell version can bypass that.

Feruchemy on the other hand I doubt because maschines don't have their own body so woud lack a LOT of the attributes, which makes Feruchemy rather useless. Then again they might store some aspects of themself if they manage to gain sentience.