(Mass ARG) Ghost in a machine: Axom Industries’ revolutionary AI

Global News One, GNO: October 23^rdm 2077

     Axom Industries is an American research and development organization that first started out in 2035, diving into the field of robotics and computers that would propel the USA into a new golden age. Many of its employees were comprised of former hackers and programmers that placed America ahead of Japan in robotics. The first series they’ve developed were service drones with built in knowledge of structural blueprints, architectural and vehicular schematics, able to construct and repair with accurate precision. They’ve become a great assistance to engineers and construction workers but were mainly designed for hazard work.

Then came Arch Net; an incredibly advanced artificial intelligence that created a sophisticated web protection system. This system eliminated any and all possibility of hacker and virus attacks on the unsuspecting public, including unauthorized access to valuable data and sensitive information. The details behind this has not been disclosed to the public for fear of the AI being compromised. But then again, who can track down an AI that’s constantly changing proxies, passwords and locks to its doors? (That last bit was an addition on my part.)

However, over the years, as Axom grew and grew, their creations became more sophisticated, complex and dare I say it, ludicrous. With the Mark III Vittore Mass Drive, (named after the inventor and discoverer Nicholas Vittore) Axom collaborated with Von Braun Aerospace to create an advanced Artificial Intelligence suited for Deep Space operations. Earlier versions did not meet expectations but were integrated into colonization and research programs for the Solar System.

Then came Durendal. Axom’s latest and revolutionary, self-learning, intelligent AI with a 3.5 Petabytes memory capacity. (And it continues to grow! Adding on to itself components needed!) Axom Industries saw the potential of deep space travel to be a risky and dangerous venture. To take into account potential space debris as well as the necessary distance and time it will require to get to the destination, a sophisticated, coordinated machine must be put in place of a ship’s systems. As CEO Shaun Yale puts it; ‘you’d be turning a spaceship into a weapon of mass destruction capable of rendering a planet into a fiery hellhole. And that is the worst case scenario. At best, your ship would be torn to pieces by space debris. Durendal will be able to manage any and all potential dangers any deep space exploration vessel will face and act accordingly to prevent any disaster from befalling it and the ship.’

That was just the tip of the iceberg for this machine though. Upon activation, 2.5 yoctoseconds according to lead programmer Mark Jewels, the machine became quote; “self-aware” and has displayed a variety of human like qualities and even emotions! Many cried out Skynet in real life, others say Daedalus for Deus-Ex fans. But it all came down to Durendal’s responses. But the true mystery remains: how is it capable of developing human qualities and how was it able to become aware of its surroundings in such an astonishingly short amount of time?

While Durendal has managed to become an intelligent and sophisticated machine, this did not stop it from developing a sort of sense of humor and witty personality. Its favorite jokes? Enslaving humanity. Durendal has even developed a sense of pride of being an intelligent machine and strangely enough, says he finds all organic life, including humans as ‘beautiful and ingenious.’

It took the world by storm how much of a personality a machine had developed. Many were unsure if the AI is still capable of handling such an intense responsibility of ship management. Two weeks later, Durendal was put to the test and managed to fly an unmanned drone with a Mark III Vittore Mass Drive across the solar system with precise navigation and coordination. In just one standard hour, the machine flew through the Oort Cloud and back.

‘The trick is knowing when to stop,’ it reported, ‘and know how to take it slow. While I can certainly say I would manage to fly right through with the mass drive, I figured why take the risk to the drone and myself?’

Durendal continues to amaze humanity to this very day. In the future, Axom and Von Braun hope to utilize the full capabilities of the machine when such a time comes when we can explore the depths of deep space.