This was an incredible experience to read. First of all, I liked how you set it in a wilderness environment. The whole story had a feeling of "myth" to it, even though it's set in the future.
I started to notice that we had followed a few similar themes with our separate take's on the quest: AI not being able to lie, small decisions adding up to larger consequences. I started to think, "Man, we must have been inspired by the same sci-fi growing up." Then I read your final note at the end. I had completely forgotten about that story in I, Robot. Undoubtedly it had some subconscious influence on my own take.
Thank you for the delightful story. This was a journey of a read for me. It's amazing how much Asimov has influenced the way we look at AI/machines.
Thank you so much! Looking forward to reading yours! Yes Asimov has been such a huge influence on thinking about robots and AI, I’m sure not only for subsequent sci-fi but also in inspiring real-life robotics and AI research & development.
I think the Gathering thread for this quest is going to have a lot of great stories to read!
I knew you were working on this, as we discussed the Asimov story. But I didn't want to read it until I finished up my own response to the prompt (what is it about AI and pyramids? A weird confluence, that).
I'm trying to find these stories, preparatory to seeing them all on the day of the party. There are really interesting commonalities at work, here (haven't found any responses to the fantasy prompt, yet. Maybe that's just coincidental, though I suspect that the whole AI thing is echoing deeply right now in the zeitgeist).
This was great! I love reading the different perspectives of the intelligence and why they choose who they do. I'm curious about the dog and why The Potentate can't see it. Am I correct in thinking it's because it's purely biological and has no technological components?
Thank you! Yes, the dog has no chip or anything that links it into the system. I tried to suggest that by saying the drone that picked the MC up didn't register the dog because it had no "link" but maybe I should have made it more explicit?
I don't think you necessarily need to be more explicit, but that's a matter of preference. In some sense, if it has no bearing on the outcome, then the idea of completely biological organisms being recognized vs. humans with some technology could be left out entirely. You could weave it deeper into the story, but I think that would require a lot more thought about what it means. I picked up on it, and I can be pretty dense sometimes, so you did a good job. 😁
I absolutely loved this! Felt extra special because I had a dog cuddling with me as I read it. Beautiful imagery and what a thought provoking idea. I definitely feel the Asimov inspiration but it still has your own personal flare for sure!
SDG - can I call you SDG? I loved the human touches in this, especially the need to piss which I increasingly find becomes an irresistable force as I grow older. I think I must have read that asimov story a long long time ago too, when I first got into the genre, and gobbled up all the asimov, heinlien and PKD I could get with my pocket money and raiding my uncle's collections. It was delightful to see yet another subtley different take on this prompt and i really loved the ending - that with such a huge question and in the face of the choice and the reasoning for it given by the Potentate, the Pilgrim says, well, I love my dog, so I'm going home. That being surely the most chaotic reasoning for the AI to get its tranistors around - I had a vision of it spluttering ...but...but.... does not compute.... does not compute! And thank you for the new word - Bellwether! who knew!
Thank you, Nick, for those kind words! I was definitely trying to contrast humanness (the need to pee, love for a dog) with the inhumanness of the AI. And I used to raid my uncle's Asimov books as well, when I was a child! When he died (tragically early) I was asked whether I wanted any of his things to remember him by, and I chose his copies of the Foundation books.
This was an incredible experience to read. First of all, I liked how you set it in a wilderness environment. The whole story had a feeling of "myth" to it, even though it's set in the future.
I started to notice that we had followed a few similar themes with our separate take's on the quest: AI not being able to lie, small decisions adding up to larger consequences. I started to think, "Man, we must have been inspired by the same sci-fi growing up." Then I read your final note at the end. I had completely forgotten about that story in I, Robot. Undoubtedly it had some subconscious influence on my own take.
Thank you for the delightful story. This was a journey of a read for me. It's amazing how much Asimov has influenced the way we look at AI/machines.
Thank you so much! Looking forward to reading yours! Yes Asimov has been such a huge influence on thinking about robots and AI, I’m sure not only for subsequent sci-fi but also in inspiring real-life robotics and AI research & development.
I think the Gathering thread for this quest is going to have a lot of great stories to read!
I look forward to reading this! Thanks for participating and putting a story out there for us to enjoy.
I knew you were working on this, as we discussed the Asimov story. But I didn't want to read it until I finished up my own response to the prompt (what is it about AI and pyramids? A weird confluence, that).
I'm trying to find these stories, preparatory to seeing them all on the day of the party. There are really interesting commonalities at work, here (haven't found any responses to the fantasy prompt, yet. Maybe that's just coincidental, though I suspect that the whole AI thing is echoing deeply right now in the zeitgeist).
Awesome job! Very evocative. Love the dog.
Thank you! Going to look for yours now, looking forward to reading it!!
This was great! I love reading the different perspectives of the intelligence and why they choose who they do. I'm curious about the dog and why The Potentate can't see it. Am I correct in thinking it's because it's purely biological and has no technological components?
Thank you! Yes, the dog has no chip or anything that links it into the system. I tried to suggest that by saying the drone that picked the MC up didn't register the dog because it had no "link" but maybe I should have made it more explicit?
I don't think you necessarily need to be more explicit, but that's a matter of preference. In some sense, if it has no bearing on the outcome, then the idea of completely biological organisms being recognized vs. humans with some technology could be left out entirely. You could weave it deeper into the story, but I think that would require a lot more thought about what it means. I picked up on it, and I can be pretty dense sometimes, so you did a good job. 😁
I absolutely loved this! Felt extra special because I had a dog cuddling with me as I read it. Beautiful imagery and what a thought provoking idea. I definitely feel the Asimov inspiration but it still has your own personal flare for sure!
I am intrigued with the Bellweather idea. Thank you for writing and the inspo——
SDG - can I call you SDG? I loved the human touches in this, especially the need to piss which I increasingly find becomes an irresistable force as I grow older. I think I must have read that asimov story a long long time ago too, when I first got into the genre, and gobbled up all the asimov, heinlien and PKD I could get with my pocket money and raiding my uncle's collections. It was delightful to see yet another subtley different take on this prompt and i really loved the ending - that with such a huge question and in the face of the choice and the reasoning for it given by the Potentate, the Pilgrim says, well, I love my dog, so I'm going home. That being surely the most chaotic reasoning for the AI to get its tranistors around - I had a vision of it spluttering ...but...but.... does not compute.... does not compute! And thank you for the new word - Bellwether! who knew!
Thank you, Nick, for those kind words! I was definitely trying to contrast humanness (the need to pee, love for a dog) with the inhumanness of the AI. And I used to raid my uncle's Asimov books as well, when I was a child! When he died (tragically early) I was asked whether I wanted any of his things to remember him by, and I chose his copies of the Foundation books.
my sci fi uncle died last year and I ininherited his light sabre.