A co-worker recently suggested that I check out a TED talk that discussed artificial intelligence, and it was an interesting watch. Maybe coinciding with all the trailers for the new Terminator movie and my brain got to thinking. There are so many stories out there about artificial intelligence taking over the world, and deciding the humanity isn’t worth keeping around. That machines, by their superior nature, would naturally see us as lesser lifeforms. This always sets up a great situation where humans have to beat their creations in order to win the day.

We assume that machines would want to eradicate humanity, because of our miserable track record of destroying ourselves and the planet. But what if an AI took a completely different approach? What if, instead of wanting to enslave humanity by oppressing it, a machine intelligence decided to be completely altruistic. Perhaps a machine would look over the course of human history and see the beauty that comes from self-sacrifice and care of others. It might then decide that it’s purpose and mission in life was to make humanity’s lives easier to the point of complete comfort.

In thinking about this from a fiction standpoint I could see that being an interesting hook to a new type of plot. What if our acceptance of a benevolent machine meant that we would never have to struggle in our lives ever again? What if that machine could create everything that humanity could ever need? It would mean that humans are free to explore their passions, to become better humans right? Let’s think about human nature though.

We already have the Internet at our disposal, a vast wealth of every piece of knowledge that humanity has ever put together. One could surmise that with so much information at our disposal that we are already on a path towards an easier lifestyle, and in fact many of us are. Our devices, and technology assist us with even the most mundane tasks, that in days past would have required effort. So how does humanity spend all of its new found freedom? I think we all know the answer to that. Very often we simply whittle away our time with mindless website browsing, clicky games, and at the end of it all, simply being board. What if the real danger of a benevolent computer in control isn’t in losing our freedom, but drowning in it?

So perhaps an enterprising author out there could make this into an engaging story. Something about one man’s struggle to break free of the life of boredom and ease that a computer AI has granted him. Seeking out a return to a different type of human existence replete with struggle and suffering.

Might make a good book.