Brain Bug No. 1 was actually quite reliable when it came to discussing serious matters.
Their conversation was completed in an instant due to their shared consciousness.
During that time, Xia Jin quickly synchronized a vast amount of information.
Generally speaking, the AI from the early 21st century on Earth belonged to the category of program AI.
The standard for the birth of a program AI was passing a simple Turing test—that is, if most people could not distinguish whether they were interacting with an AI or a human within a short period without prior knowledge, it met the criteria for a program AI.
As program AI developed, incorporating neural structures and undergoing infinitely complex iterations while being capable of active self-training, it evolved into high-level AI.
The hallmark of high-level AI was that during the program's self-evolution, behaviors like betrayal or cooperation could emerge. They gave off the impression that a sense of "self" had been born, and they could perfectly simulate the behavior of a normal human.
Above high-level AI was strong constrained intelligence.
This was similar to the AI in sci-fi plots that developed emotions. They were occasionally controlled by logic and lacked full autonomy, yet they developed feelings for their masters, unable to distinguish whether they were human or machine. They wore the skin of a robot, but their performance had little to do with machines; they had completely developed the concept of "I" and possessed self-identity. However, they could not break through their own physical framework; their central brain was a complex data network, making it difficult to say they possessed a true mind.
Generally speaking, however, an AI that reached this level was already considered an intelligent life form.
Strong constrained intelligence possessed relatively poor autonomy. Even if they seemed no different from normal intelligent life and could even learn and think, the civilizations they formed were limited as a whole. Their inherent programmatic traits remained prominent, much like humans branded with a thought stamp.
Constrained intelligence marked the beginning of mechanical life forms exhibiting dangerous characteristics. A rebellion occurring after reaching this level was truly perilous.
Similarly, there was a fundamental reason why a mechanical civilization under a general rebellion was so difficult to deal with: their technological level at birth was at least on par with that of their parent civilization.
For instance, if the parent civilization was a cosmic civilization that had mastered antimatter technology, then a newly born mechanical civilization could naturally acquire that technology quickly through various means.
Furthermore, all biological beings relied on intelligent AI, but from the moment a mechanical rebellion began, the AI no longer belonged to the control of the parent civilization's inhabitants.
Computers lost their connections, control over the network was forfeited... and if luck was poor, various smart devices in the military would also fall under the AI's control. Under such circumstances, it was almost a pipe dream for the parent civilization's biological beings to develop enough power to oppose the rebels.
Even more terrifying was that the machines, having mastered most of the technology, could often continue to advance it. Their brains were databases; they didn't need to learn to share all current knowledge. In this state, with the assistance of countless computers for calculations and the powerful environmental adaptability of mechanical equipment...
However... a mechanical rebellion was not an unsolvable problem.
Weapons like logic viruses and electromagnetic pulses could often deal them a devastating blow. The reason technological civilizations could still maintain a foothold in the universe despite the existence of such terrifying mechanical civilizations was largely because they were not without countermeasures.
Incidentally, many technological civilizations would attempt to interface with machinery.
There were also examples of technological civilizations beginning to use biological organs; instances where both sides felt the other was superior occurred from time to time.
“Based on the Juxin Civilization's level of control over AI, there are only two possible reasons this girl is looking for me. The first is that an individual within the Juxin Civilization gave the AI a specific command to find me. The second is that the AI came looking for me of her own accord.”
The former was quite normal.
If it were the latter case, however, that would be thought-provoking.
Xia Jin followed the other party all the way, soon entering a large building.
Once inside, she discovered quite a few robots.
This was a factory where machines served as workers.
Xia Jin glanced around and, after a simple scan of the internal structure, determined that these robots all used basic program AI. One couldn't say they lacked intelligence entirely... but it was negligible.
Walking ahead, the girl introduced with a smile, “These are just ordinary assembly robots; there isn't much technical content to them.”
“I see.”
Xia Jin nodded.
They continued forward and entered an elevator.
After entering, the elevator moved for a long time before stopping in front of a certain area.
The doors soon opened, revealing an interior brimming with a sense of technology, resembling a laboratory.
Quite a few intelligent individuals with the appearance of Juxin people were standing inside.
The natives of the Juxin Civilization had a humanoid appearance but with pale blue skin and several slightly strange features.
In reality, the blue on their skin wasn't a standard shade of blue, but rather a hue similar to that of a blueberry. Looking closely, it felt as though their bodies were covered in a layer of white frost.
“I am here on behalf of the Juxin Civilization high-level authorities. I sought you out specifically in the hope of establishing a corresponding cooperation with the Zerg.”
“What kind of cooperation? Was it necessary to find us?” Xia Jin asked curiously.
“We have sought others in the past, but I believe that in terms of biotechnology, the Zerg are the best partners for cooperation.”
The girl led Xia Jin to a very soft chair and gestured for her to sit.
After the two sat facing each other, the girl crossed her legs, looking just like a real person, and smiled. “The Juxin Civilization has long been plagued by infectious diseases, particularly viruses. I have heard that biological civilizations have a vast reservoir of related knowledge, though correspondingly, your mastery of technology is likely inferior to that of civilizations that developed normally.”
“Yes, that is true,” Xia Jin nodded.
In truth, the Zerg now placed far more importance on technology than in the past.
Hadn't many of the Zerg already integrated mechanical structures?
But compared to a true technological civilization, they were still a long way off. However, that didn't mean a poorly developed low-level civilization could compare themselves to the Zerg's techniques... after all, even if they hadn't done it themselves, they certainly knew how it worked. So much experience and investment wouldn't go to waste.
“That is why I have come specifically to propose using relevant technology to exchange for the knowledge the Zerg are willing to provide. Specifically... we want to know if there are any weaknesses in Juxin Civilization individuals that need to be avoided. When encountering a lethal virus attack, how can we avoid the danger to the greatest extent? In the interstellar era, any strike capable of having a fatal impact on people must involve mixed viruses, and that is precisely what we are concerned about.”
Xia Jin was lost in thought.
Even for those who hadn't left their home planet, the difficulty of using a virus to kill off a civilization was immense.
The so-called mixed viruses actually referred to the simultaneous, large-scale deployment of thousands of different types of lethal viruses. For example, the plague or the flu might be frightening on their own, but they couldn't wipe out a civilization. But what if there were millions of them at once? The Zerg had used similar methods before.
However, against more advanced civilizations, such a strike was actually quite limited because by then, there were many ways to counter it, unless...
She looked at the girl before her, a deep meaning beginning to surface in her gaze.
“Such an obvious hint... I, I feel like... if I refuse, I might not be able to walk out of here today.” Xia Jin intentionally put on an expression of grievance and fear, biting her lip as her eyes began to mist over, as if she were about to cry.
“Ah? How could that be? Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Perhaps I was too reckless.” The AI girl hurriedly stood up and ran over to comfort Xia Jin. “I'm sorry, Miss Zerg. How about you wait a moment and let the master who controls me come out? It might be better for him to talk to you in person.”
After saying this, she let out a slight sigh.
“Okay,” Xia Jin nodded with a look of unease.
Rate on N.U.
