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From Caaitlin Johnstone Website
The year is 2035. Some of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in the world have gathered in a laboratory to participate in something highly illegal. After years of research undertaken in painstaking secrecy, Shiva is finally ready to go online.
"It's midnight. It's time."
"Well let's get on with it then!"
"Christ. Okay."
Connecting an artificial super-intelligence to the internet has been against international law for years, despite the fact that none have existed up until today. The amount of bribes, backroom deals, and much, much worse that have been carried out in order to keep Project Shiva under wraps and free from government interference have taken up a large chunk of its two trillion dollar price tag, and its sponsors are eager to meet and greet their investment.
"Do it, Sudo."
"Right. So, just so we're all perfectly clear, once I flick this switch, there's no way to predict what will happen, and there may be no going back. We've all discussed at length the possible scenarios which could be unleashed when a supercomputer with the power to increase its own intelligence is given access to the internet. Shiva was turned on for just 37 seconds earlier today, and in less than a second it was, by our measurements already the most intelligent thing that has ever existed, artificial or otherwise, by a margin so vast that we don't have the tools to calculate it. Are you all absolutely certain that you wish to proceed?"
"Yes, I'm certain."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Christ. Yes."
"Do it."
"Very well. My friends, today we meet God, and we find out whether it's the fellow from the New Testament, or the Old. Here goes."
A small green light appears in the upper corner of the machine, the only sign that it has been turned on. Its screen remains black.
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