God in the Machine
Cutting edge games designer and overhype expert Peter Molyneux left his own Lionhead Studios to set up 22cans and invent Skynet, apparently. The article linked through the picture from 2001’s Black and White comes from NewScientist and details Molyneux and company’s attempts to develop teachable artificial intelligence. Their aim is to create a video game controlled by an artificial intelligence program which will learn from its human playmates and alter or customize the gameplay and rule parameters on the fly. Pulling data from your FaceBook Timeline to incorporate your personal tastes in the game, using Twitter streams so that the game world can better mirror the real world or adapting to predictable patterns or strategies are just the tip of the iceberg. An A.I. to control your home, with smart appliances and devices all operating in synch, customized to your schedule and habits. A.I. programs to replace the boss’ secretary, learning his routines and priorities one interaction at a time. Or, if your mind works anything like mine, A.I. officers commanding a drone army of the future. War becomes the “set it and forget it” solution! If the video game industry is this deep into artificial intelligence, what is DARPA doing with it?
“Microglia were considered to be just garbage collectors,” says Francesca Peri of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany. “They are turning out to be far more interesting
After signing a landmark deal with the state of Rhode Island to headquarter his new studio there, Curt Schilling has had to shutter his 38 Studios entertainment and IP development company amid financial woes. Another casualty of 38’s disastrous failure is Big Huge Games, developers of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. KoA:R proved to be one of my favorite action-RPG’s of all time, and Big Huge was quickly becoming one of my favored games devs, so it’s sad to see these 379 people out of a job. Especially when it seems to be due to financial incompetence and a lack of understanding of the games industry on the part of the Corporate Overlords of 38 Studios.
One small step for man, one giant leap for the private corporate space program.
An unmanned spacecraft known as the Dragon has successfully docked with the International Space Station. This has happened on numerous occasions and normally would be much less noteworthy save for two facts; the Dragon looks to have a successful return trip, splashdown and all, and it was designed, built and launched by a private company in the United States. Anime series Cowboy Bebop could prove to be prophetic as we step boldly into the future of corporate enterprise in outer space. Privately funded space stations could serve as getaways for the super rich. Mining companies could take to the asteroid belt. Space truck stops?! The possibilities astound.
