I am looking for some inspiration and also some consultation help. First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for the useful feedback that I received recently and again thank my two editors and proofreaders Jim 7 and BarneyR who are currently beavering away energetically on the third book which I will hope to post to finish by Christmas, which has a reasonable chance of happening.
Major question 1
How will society progress as Artificial intelligence advances and specifically what do you think the evolutionary stages will be and what will they be like. Even now we seem on the threshold of a major change in transportation where the implicit message is we are less reliable drivers than car AI systems will be and then your car if you have one can be used to transport others around when you are not using it.
One of the issues that I am attempting to grapple with, but I can't say that I have found terribly much useful written about, is the question of how people will land up working with and adapting to artificial intelligence in time. Economists appear to be of the belief that career types and occupations will continue to increase and we will have work in the future. Others believe in science fiction books that we will not have work, all the menial work will be done by low-level AIs, and huge chunks will be chopped out of many occupations. Some may no longer exist. Some predict war between us and the robots. Asimov programs the AI's with directives to save us from that fate.
Some cite that the most sophisticated computers can even now make better diagnoses than the best physicians and can develop better treatment plans, particularly as they stick to guidelines in the best evidence. Recently I saw the quality of some articles written by a newspaper AI, which I have to admit shocked me. A lot of legal work is amenable to AI talents, and of course, we have seen industrial AIs. Let us assume that this continues to the degree that they can get to the degree over some time where they become sentient. What do people think the impact on society is going to be before that happens, you think that there will be work for us? What do you see us doing? Specifically, what will be the stages that we are going to go through in the future. Do you think there will be unique things that only we can do.
Let us assume that they become sentient and they become more capable than we are? Do you think they will want equal rights in society and how are we going to negotiate agreements with them? What you think about what will happen with remuneration in the future. Some consider that we may pay everyone a basic living amount. What will happen to society if 40% of the people are unemployed or if 60% are unemployed?
I chose to look at a society that was far ahead of us. A hell of a lot of science fiction tries to grapple with these issues in the close future but there is not a lot that I have seen goes forward even ten thousand years.
I would be very interested if those who are interested in future developments would try and extrapolate their thoughts to look at the different stages that they think that society will go through in our relationship with artificial intelligence. I find that the ideas plague me as I continue to write. At one stage I began to think of what makes us uniquely human, but I remember in battle star Galactica that the machines began to create themselves in a biological form as time went on. It is highly improbable that AIs that work mining asteroids are going to have biological forms, but will there be advantages in the future to so doing? I am sure that there will be a massive commercial incentive for the sex industry to go down that path and I'm sure that that is not the only area that will be pursued. Would a sentient artificial intelligence wish to have a biological form?
Military Consultation
I am looking at someone who can read my stuff and point out glaring errors of strategy, tactics etc and make suggestions about some of the battles to add to the realism, both on the ground and in space. I have not made the weapons as powerful as I think they will be in the future because I wanted to tell a story. Creating a huge temporary black hole in the middle of an enemy fleet makes for a dull story.
Does anyone know if black holes just get bigger or does something else happen or will the big one in the center of the Universe one day get so big it pulls the Universe back to the center and the Big Bang happens again?
A few answers or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Critters
Does anyone have some interesting ideas about some sort of creature they would like to see? Or some kind of race or species with interesting characteristics? I haven't yet run out of ideas but some thoughts would be of interest. I am busy with book 5 currently, I just finished no 4 and still have a plan for six. An interesting appearance but especially a different alien way of thinking would be of some appeal. I have some weird stuff coming but I am always open to ideas or suggestions. I do this stuff for fun so if you have an idea please feel free.
Feedback
Feedback is always appreciated.