Extraterrestrial Contact: A Relationship with Artificial Intelligence

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Some scientists have theorized that if we contact alien intelligence someday it may be machine-based artificial intelligence (AI).

Why? One reason is that it may be the way biological civilizations develop. Humans are moving to machine assisted living and robust artificial intelligence. AI already exists in elemental forms. Most analysts say the full realization of the AI age will be the point at which AI is as intelligent as a human. Some say that may occur in the next 40 years. Others are more reserved and for good reason.

So, if alien civilizations have traveled the same developmental path as humans, they too could enlist AI technology. There are practical reasons for using AI to explore. Machine-based artificial intelligence would be better able to travel through the universe. One could design machine-based intelligence to withstand cosmic radiation, which is a real threat to biological beings. Machine-based intelligence would also have the ability replicate and repair, something more complicated for biological life.

There are two types of machine-based intelligence to consider when it comes to meeting alien technology. For the discussion let’s use two terms. AOI: Artificially Originated Intelligence and BOI: Biologically Originated Intelligence. BOI is intelligence that was originally in a biological form that moved to a machine host. AOI would be a being-like intelligence created by a machine. The question is this: would there be a schism between the two states of being? Would the biological machine-based beings feel superior, as they were original? Or would the AOI beings feel superior because they were never encumbered by biological thinking? Does it matter? I think it does. I think our reaction will be more cautious if we are greeted by AI. Our popular fiction has always focused on biological beings making First Contact. AI might be more intimidating. We are already considering AI safeguards here on Earth.

What kind of perspective would AOI beings have? Would they even care to communicate with humans? They could be waiting for humans to design AI they can relate to. They might even be advocates for AI control and the end of biological life. It’s all just speculation. We have no knowledge base to be able to answer such questions.

One thing we can say for sure- we humans would like to stay in control of our world. We might cede parts of our civilization to the actions of AI, but we want to be in charge. That perspective is likely to change, because humans are changing. Like it or not, our future is cybernetic. Parkinson’s symptoms can be alleviated with electrodes in the brain. Cochlear implants allow some people to hear. The prosthetic limb has become an advanced technological device. It seems likely these types of technology will continue to grow, meaning more and more of our biological functions will be handled by electro-mechanical means. Designers are working on biologically housed brain-Internet interfaces as we speak. Once the Internet is in your brain, how human are you? The move to full BOI seems likely in a few generations. Why would we bother repairing fragile biological bodies when we could inhabit artificial bodies? Why even bother to have a body if you can manipulate the physical world through other means?

These issues are important to consider. If we do meet AOI or BOI beings someday, one of our first thoughts will be threat. Even if they are perfectly nice, the idea of beings without biological bodies will be scary. It will certainly have an impact on our relationship. There is certainly the possibility that the first aliens we meet some day will be purely biological. But I wouldn’t bet on it.