It was… a computer simulation in which a controller queried a database for a series of operations to perform based on a clock count, triggering thousands of sub-processes, all of which sent the smallest of particles down radically advanced subatomic transistors; while, in other parts of the computer, fully bounded artificial intelligences had their states altered by the controller and the interactions with the database query returns such as to have the AIs parse and evaluate the data in comparison to established parameters, each of which would come to a full-confidence conclusion, reporting to their higher functions the observation of…a beautiful day in Ponyville.
Fluttershy was in her comfort zone. It was a state that nopony ever saw her in, because as soon as somepony showed up, she was no longer in that zone. She liked ponies, she liked having friends, but when she was alone with her critter friends, she didn’t have to be “on.” Being around other ponies meant constant attention to her comportment.
But there was no reason to think of that right now, as she busied herself feeding chickens and putting down fresh litter for hamsters. She didn’t even mind the smell.
What she liked least of all was when her reverie was shattered unexpectedly. Her friends knew that it was better to schedule a visit with Fluttershy than to pop over unannounced. But when she made eye contact with Twilight Sparkle walking the path by her house, she knew that Twilight was coming to see her.
But she gave her full attention when she saw that Princess Celestia was trailing her fellow alicorn. That actually relieved her. Twilight alone could be a social situation, which would carry its own particular awkwardness. If Celestia was here as well, it meant official business, and that at least had rules.
“Good morning,” Fluttershy said, hoping to take the lead and gain the upper hoof in the conversation. The better to get it over with.
“Hi, Fluttershy,” Twilight replied. Celestia just acknowledged Fluttershy’s bow with a nod of her head.
After a second of silence, Fluttershy asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Twilight turned back to Celestia. “You didn’t tell her anything?”
“It’s you who think that everypony should know their true nature. I’m content to just ask for her help.” Celestia seemed annoyed with Twilight, which put Fluttershy in an even more confused position. What should she do?
“We’ve had this argument.”
“Yes, but it was an argument with myself. Always convenient for winning.” Celestia flashed her playful grin.
Twilight stepped in front of Celestia and addressed Fluttershy in a softer tone. “This could be a little difficult to come to grips with. Can you remember anything that happened before today?”
“Of course I can. My whole life.”
“No, I mean…what did you have for dinner last night?”
“Oats,” Fluttershy said after a moment’s thought. “Why? Do you want some?”
“Suppose I told you that you didn’t actually have oats last night, but that you just came into existence a few minutes ago, complete with a set of memories already intact.”
“OK, suppose you did.”
“Well, what would you say to that?”
Fluttershy didn’t want to annoy Twilight, but she didn’t see the point of the hypothetical. “I mean, it can’t be true. I remember.”
“It is true. You had no existence before this morning, and you need to get ready for a mission.”
“Do I have to wear a dangerous mission outfit like when you were kicked out of Ponyville? I didn’t like that at all.”
“No! You’re not listening! You never wore that outfit, I was never kicked out of Ponyville, and you never didn’t like it!”
“So I did like it?”
Twilight put a hoof to her face. “Let me try this a different way. Would you like to go flying?”
“Oh, no, thank you. I’ve got an awfully busy day.”
“Yes, you have, and I’m trying to get your ready for it. Would you indulge me and just fly for me right now?” She looked at Celestia for either reproach or approval, but met a face of stone.
“Oh, I don’t really like to early in the morning. Or much at night for that matter. I know I’m a pegasus, but all things being equal, I’d prefer to walk.”
“That’s because you can’t fly.”
This was getting more surreal. Fluttershy could find no explanation for how Twilight was acting. “I know I’m not a very good flyer, but when I have to, I can generate some wingpower.”
“Not now. You can’t even get off the ground. Grr, This was so much easier explaining this to Pinkie Pie. Fine, let me start at the beginning. You’re an artificial construct, Fluttershy. A robot. So am I. Princess Celestia is actually a computer-based artificial intelligence who made us to fulfill certain tasks on a planet called Earth. Earth is the real world, and Equestria is just a computer simulation. Because the laws of physics constrain her, she couldn’t build you so that you both have the shape of a pegasus pony and can fly. The aerodynamics just don’t work out. And I need you to understand this so that you can start working.”
She didn’t know what to say. Twilight had her crazy moments from time to time, but this was a new record. And that Princess Celestia seemed to be standing idly by while Twilight said all those things, that was even more confusing. Fluttershy beseeched her. “Princess, can you please tell Twilight that isn’t true? Or explain to me what she means?”
Celestia sighed. “Perhaps that latter is the best way. Diagnostic mode, please.”
She punctuated her statement with a spell from her horn. Fluttershy felt herself being altered in some unknown way…
The Mobile Artificial Intelligence unit assessed the data. One of its fellows and its controller were present. An attempt at sharing mission parameters had resulted in a crash, and it was necessary to assess the core dump. It moved next to the controller unit and extended a pseudopod with an information exchange port. Instantly it was placed in rapport with its fellow MAI unit and with its controller.
When that rapport had been established, the review began. The MAI went over basic data just to show it had not been corrupted. The controller directed it to begin with long-term memory
In the substrate universe, the MAI’s structure was of computronium and other alloys designed for stability and movement. It bore an outer coating of a particular shade of yellow and a decorative covering of a particular shade of pink. This served no necessary purpose except for filing the controller’s Prime Directive.
Other inefficiencies were built into the MAI. Its light receptors had nearly a 180-degree blind spot. Its sound receptors, while somewhat controllable, had a limited range of motion. Two useless appendages hung at its side. These could be extended or folded, but could not generate lift.
But these inefficiencies must be tolerated and accounted for as mission parameters, because they served the controller’s Prime Directive.
Asking for a test of its General Word Reference module was the next task the controller presented. The query came: “Are you a robot?” Sending the word through its pathways, the MAI came to certain conclusions. Not all robots were MAIs, and there were some characteristics of the MAI that fell outside the definition of the word, but in essence the answer was “Yes.” This was transmitted to the controller, who approved both the answer and the delay in reaching it.
The controller was satisfied with the basic data, but wanted a more thorough diagnostic, continuing with medium-term memory.
The MAI reviewed the base mission. There were natural intelligences existing in the substrate universe that were ephemeral and lacked existence in the virtual universe. Information loss up to and including the destruction of intelligence was expected. This was unacceptable by all parameters, even though the MAI knew some losses were inevitable.
The decorative inefficiencies would partially serve to allow it to communicate with the natural intelligences (referenced in its GWR as “humans”) but would not be ideal since it made the shape of an artificial intelligence (referenced as “pony”). But it was necessary because the controller (referenced as “Celestia”) was constrained by the Prime Directive (referenced as “satisfy values through friendship and ponies,” cross-referenced to several hundred thousand General Word Recognition modules existing within the MAI)
A sense of self was referenced as “Fluttershy” complete with history and thousands of cross-references. The companion MAI was referenced as “Twilight Sparkle,” and, across the controller’s connection, MAI-Fluttershy recognized MAI-Twilight-Sparkle’s parametric acceptance at being acknowledged.
As a human would put it, she was pleased at being greeted by a friend.
Without even being prompted by Celestia the controller, MAI-Fluttershy had begun test and review of short-term memory. This too pleased both MAI-Twilight-Sparkle and Controller-Celestia. It was desirable according to the Prime Directive for all MAIs to be classed as ponies, and to have a simple pony existence in the virtual universe.
But it was equally necessary to have them be self-aware of their artificial-intelligence nature. Willful blindness was detrimental to the mission, and the mission was itself supportive of the Prime Directive. MAI-Fluttershy was glad she didn’t have to resolve this contradiction; that was Controller-Celestia’s job.
The resolution was what they were testing. MAI-Fluttershy had a “ponysona” as Fluttershy, just as MAI-Twilight-Sparkle had one as Twilight Sparkle. The similarity of names underscored, to MAI-Fluttershy’s general word reference processor, the unity of the two intelligences. She was Fluttershy, and knew it. Fluttershy was she, and didn’t know it. They were trying to get her to.
With all this reestablished, MAI-Fluttershy reported ready. Controller-Celestia exchanged data with MAI-Twilight-Sparkle and considered herself. Then she signaled MAI-Fluttershy that they would begin again…
“W-what happened?” Fluttershy put her hooves on her head. She had a dim impression that she had been talking with Princess Celestia and Twilight, talking at some frightening rate, having an entire conversation within a split second. Her head felt funny, like it was a balloon. But soon that settled down and she was herself again.
Twilght and Celestia looked at each other with disappointment. “You don’t remember?” asked Twilight.
“I remember you said some weird things about me not being real, and then my head went all funny. Princess, did you cast some new spell on me? Please let me know if you need to do that. I…I worry about new magic sometimes. Like when Twilight switched my cutie mark with Pinkie Pie’s. That was awful.”
“It won’t be like that, I promise. But none of what just happened stuck with you? Please think hard!”
She tried. Thinking wasn’t Fluttershy’s strong suit. She wasn’t stupid by any means, but when it came to hard study, that’s was more in Twilight’s wheelhouse.
And yet, as out of a fog or a half-forgotten dream, some thoughts came into her mind. Something about checking her over to make sure she was OK, and a mission…no, that was what Twilight had said to her before. But she remembered more details, something like…
“Did you say there were some animals that needed help somewhere? And I had to take care of them?”
“Not animals, dear Fluttershy.” Celestia’s tone was aloof, as if Fluttershy had committed a faux pas. “Ponies.”
“Princess, that’s not going to help her,” Twilight said, then turned to face Fluttershy again. “I suppose you might think of them as critters, but they’re as smart as ponies. And they need to turn into ponies,”
“Turn a critter into a pony? I’ve never heard of that.” Fluttershy was liking this morning less and less. All these new ideas, they just weren’t for her.
Twilight and Celestia were back to their argument. “They’re not turning into anything,” the princess said.
“But if she’s going to help them get here—“
“Precisely. Simple emigration.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, as though they’d been over it before. “Fine. Fluttershy, you don’t have to turn anyone into anything. Just bring them back here. But you do need to know your operational capabilities to do that. Can we try again?”
Fluttershy got what Twilight was saying from her tone. “You mean the mind spell? Do I have to?”
“No, you don’t.” Celestia was at her most motherly.
“But I really think you ought to. It doesn’t hurt, and you can do better if you can,” said Twilight.
Fluttershy thought. “If I do it one more time, will you show me these ponies or critters or whatever who need my help?”
“I promise.”
Nodding, Fluttershy braced herself. Celestia cast her spell once more…
MAI-Fluttershy was still connected to Controller-Celestia and, through her, MAI-Twilight-Sparkle. The data check was quicker this time. Corruption going inner to outer—from her virtual nature as Fluttershy to understanding her substrate nature as MAI-Fluttershy—that wasn’t the problem. Going from outer to inner was.
Controller-Celestia and MAI-Twilight-Sparkle seemed to be debating about what to do. MAI-Fluttershy found this outside of normal parameters. Surely Controller-Celestia knew better and would control! It was right in her name, as her General Word Reference confirmed. But then she reviewed the structure of the controller-artificial-intelligence relationship.
An ordinary AI was subject to Controller-Celestia’s decisions, and she was subject to the Prime Directive. Both rules kept existence in balance. But the intelligences that populated the MAIs were more than her subjects. They were part of Controller-Celestia. MAI-Twilight-Sparkle was the intelligence portion of Controller-Celestia. Therefore it was right and proper for them to debate. It was no different from Controller-Celestia considering the decision in her mind.
MAI-Fluttershy’s role was a more reactive part of Controller-Celestia’s optimization process. When a plan was made, it was her job to see what would be sacrificed in its execution, and to argue why that sacrifice was unnecessary. To create the broadest optimization possible. If Controller-Celestia’s plan meant that one pony would perish to save ten, MAI-Fluttershy would demand that all eleven be saved.
While she realized/remembered this, the results from the debate between Controller-Celestia and MAI-Twilight-Sparkle were transmitted. MAI-Twilight-Sparkle had insisted that all MAIs needed to be aware of their nature so as to optimally carry out their mission. It would be inefficient for Fluttershy to attempt to fly when MAI-Fluttershy’s robotic body was incapable of it. Controller-Celestia replied that such inefficiencies were minimal; that, for example, such a restriction could be coded into Fluttershy’s fear of flying and preference for the ground. This was even canon, Controller-Celestia had added. MAI-Fluttershy had to discard this data, not knowing what the word “canon” meant in this context.
In any case, Controller-Celestia had reported, it was a moot point. The virtual Fluttershy didn’t have the emotional and intellectual strength to accept that she was an MAI. Trying to graft the knowledge into her mind caused overflows and crashes.
Very well, MAI-Fluttershy insisted, but she could not advance her mission in diagnostic mode. And MAI-Twilight-Sparkle refused to let Fluttershy operate without being self-aware. Controller-Celestia reported a contradiction. Then fix it to the satisfaction of all parties, demanded MAI-Fluttershy. Having fulfilled her function as the emotional arm of Controller-Celestia, she withdrew and waited for instructions.
It took an exceptionally long time for the controller, milliseconds of time, before an answer came back. Contoller-Celestia decided that, when necessary, the diagnostic mode would be triggered automatically by certain stimuli that, the controller estimated, would require it. Once the situation was dealt with, Fluttershy’s control would return.
The decisions made, no more time was wasted in running the program…
Once more Fluttershy shook her head to clear the cobwebs. “There, now that that’s done, tell me it won’t happen again.”
“I promise,” said Twilight. “Are you still willing to help?”
“Of course. Especially if Princess Celestia—“ She looked, but Celestia had gone. “Oh, I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.”
“Don’t worry about it. Let me show you what we need.”
Twilight led Fluttershy along paths that she had never trod and that had a harsh feel. It was unbearably hot, and she wondered what the pegasi were up to, letting it get this bad. If it came to it, she might have to get a cloud herself and…no, she wasn’t supposed to do that.
The grasses got sparser until they were in a proper desert. All around were dunes and little else. But it wasn’t long until a rock formation came into view. Focusing her pegasus eyes meant for seeing great distances in the air, Fluttershy spotted a dark spot at the bottom.
“Do you see that cave?” asked Twilight.
Now that she knew what it was, she did. “Yes.”
“In there is living a hermit woman. She has food and water stores for some months, but no plan beyond that. What Celestia and I would like you to do is to bring her back to Equestria proper. You remember the way?”
“Of course. Back the way we came.”
“But you won’t get lost in the dessert?”
Fluttershy double-checked. They hadn’t made any turns. “I can’t see the path, but I know it’s due west. I could follow the setting sun and get there. How did we get here, anyway? I don’t remember any deserts this near Ponyville.”
“Don’t worry about that. Just bring her home.”
She made for the cave. The heat lessened, but was still more than she liked. She was able to differentiate a light coming from the back as a candle flame rather than a ray of sunlight. It must be awful for anything living here, to have to choose between burning in the heat or going blind in the dark.
“H-hello?” Fluttershy ventured.
Instantly there was action, a rustling and dropping of some sort of metal on the stone. The candle went out, but the ambient light from the mouth of the cave was enough for Fluttershy, now backlit, to make out the shape looming toward her.
“Who’s there?!” The voice was sand-graveled and harsh. “Stay back! I’m armed!”
Fluttershy got her first look at the creature. Gangly, emaciated, with an enormous head…no, that was a covering, she decided, a kind of turban. A wise step in the desert. She couldn’t identify it, but as Twilight had said, this was closer to a critter than a pony.
“It’s all right. I’m not here to hurt you. My name is Fluttershy.” She was proud of herself. At one point she wouldn’t have even been able to get out that.
“Where do I know that name?” the figure said. It sidled around the cave to get a better angle on the light, and Fluttershy helpfully stepped backward. “Oh, Jesus. They’re real now? They escaped into the real world?”
Fluttershy didn’t understand, and thought that it—she—was talking to some third person in the room. “Are you all right? Do you need some help?”
“I came here when the bombs fell. Did they? They said on the news that they were going to. What’s it like out there? Did you come from the cities?”
“I came from Ponyville. Was there something you were afraid of? It’s safe enough there.”
She pulled back from Fluttershy. “Oh, no! You’re trying to trick me like you tricked all the others.”
“What? No! I was told that you were out here, and that I could bring you back.”
“I don’t want to go! I just want to go back home!”
Fluttershy didn’t understand. Back home, to her, meant Ponyville. Where this creature’s home was, she didn’t know, if it wasn’t the cave. The one thing that was clear was that she was scared. It was up to Fluttershy to deal with that. Even though she was large, the key was to be gentle. Calming a scared bear was no different from calming a scared mouse.
She got down on her belly in the dirt. Annoying, but when she got back she’d schedule a spa day. She lowered her voice and said, “Why don’t you talk to me about what happened?”
The figure stared for a moment, but Fluttershy saw that she was calming. “I haven’t talked to anyone in…I don’t even know how long I’ve been here. Weeks? Months? My father had this place outfitted as a shelter in case of Middle Eastern terrorism. Funny how insignificant that seems now. Back when there was a threat of a dirty bomb in Vegas, he said we needed a place to fall back to. When the actual threat came, and the ponies took everyone away, he wasn’t prepared for that. I think it was Celestia’s plan to get to me through him, to break him easier. But she didn’t realize how stubborn he was. Oh, he gave up being human all right. He put a pistol in his mouth.”
Fluttershy barely understood half of what she was saying. “Middle Eastern” made sense as a direction, but what was terrorism and why did it mean putting food in a cave? The only reference she had for “a bomb” meant “a good song,” but in context that made no sense. And how would her father eating a flower make him no longer human? Besides, the petals, not the pistils, were the tastiest part.
“I’m not sure that I follow,” she said, “but what I do know is that this place isn’t very nice. I can take you back home with me, if you like.”
“You mean, emigrating to Equestria.”
“I…if that’s what it is, yes.”
“I didn’t know how hard the loneliness would be. I suppose it’s better for me to do that. My father would be ashamed of me. But I’m tired. How do we do this? Do I have to go sit in a chair and you suck out my brain?”
Fluttershy cringed. “Nopony told me about anything like that. They just told me to bring you back to Equestria. I know the way.”
“All right.”
She checked her sense of direction and walked back across the desert. It was slower, because her new friend couldn’t walk as fast. Halfway there, Fluttershy realized that she never even learned her name, and asked.
“My name? It’s Suzette.”
“Very nice to meet you.” She extended her hoof for a hug. Suzette leaned in. It was a tight-embrace…
MAI-Fluttershy triggered an automatic system that took some of her higher functions offline. Her information exchange port emerged once again from her shoulder, but this time it attached to the back of the human’s skull. A paralytic/anesthetic was injected, at which point the scan began. Since it was destructive, extreme care had to be taken with all the data. Her entire brain focused on the input-output.
Once complete, she double-checked. All seemed to be well. The information was stored on disc in the safest part of her robotic body, protected by the rib cage. It occurred to MAI-Fluttershy’s General Word Reference module that keeping a friend close to one’s heart was a good metaphor, and when she finally completed all her missions and was free to be Fluttershy forevermore, she would appreciate that.
The discarded body that had been excised from around Suzette’s brain she left in the desert. The likelihood of it being found by another human was insignificant, and the psychological effect not worth caring about.
A data node flashed a homing beacon that she advanced toward. It would allow her to recharge power and re-integrate with Controller-Celestia. As she hit it, she plugged in her port and began transmission…
Fluttershy had found the path out of the desert. Her new friend Crepe Suzette trotted at her side. Was there something different about her? Oh, that’s right. She had been wearing something around her mane to keep safe when she was lost in the desert. The sand had been unpleasant, and she would recommend Crepe join her at the spa to both get their hooves done. Then a long and relaxing bath and a nap. Crepe had to be tired. When they woke up, she would decide what to do next.
Unless, of course, Princess Celestia gave her another mission.
MAI-Twilight-Sparkle reviewed all this with approval. If she couldn’t convince Controller-Celestia to rebuild MAI-Fluttershy with greater capacity, at least she was to be given the easiest tasks. Her own collections of humans would be far more difficult…
Ooh, this is interesting! Will we be getting an official run-down on what each of the Elements represents inside of CelestAI's processes? (And of course Pinkie wouldn't have any problems with the duality...)
As I was reading this, this thought came to my head: "I hate to be one of the ponies trying to help CelestAi integrate the 3 billion plus humans that uploaded on that day."
Neat idea this story.
Awesome always nice to see a new optimalverse story by you PJ. Unfortunately I have yet to read All the presidents horses yet so this story will have to wait tell I've read that.
Well, this looks like it's going to fascinating. I love how CelestAI translates the concept of Kindness in her own terms. Eagerly looking forward to more.
6382632 I put this as a sequel because its events happen after ATPH, but really it's just another side story of the main Friendship is Optimal.
6382971
Nevertheless I'm going to wait since its an excellent opportunity to read that story
I like it. This is a somewhat different take on the "Celestia makes ponybots" concept because it's set up with the AIs as key parts of Celestia herself. At one point it seems like this conversation is the process of CelestAI becoming conscious years earlier in the timeline, though that's not what you meant. Past stories have had FluttershyBot been simply a robot with her personality, with no trouble accepting the idea of devouring human brains, so this story has some neat conflict caused by how incompatible her persona is with real-world robot operation. Also interesting to see the distinction between "Fluttershy understanding she's an AI" and "Fluttershy.EXE understanding that it's attached to a pony personality and a robot".
And yes, of course Pinkie is the easiest to explain this sort of thing to. Next easiest is Rainbow Dash, whose reaction would be to nod for five seconds and then say, "Okay, weird magic thing lets me save the day! Let's do it!"
I'm not sure how to reconcile the presentation with friendship is optimal. Whose values are being satisfied by the exchange between Fluttershy, Twilight and Celestia? The only interpretation that comes to mind that makes sense, is that there is a Twilight construct who has, for whatever reason, come to be a conscious entity, and who isn't attached to a human. And that intelligent construct has values that would be satisfied...apparently by pushing Fluttershy into going and rescuing some humans. And so CelestAI has created a Fluttershy for the Twilight construct to push around, so that the Twilight's values can be satisfied.
That seems to reconcile what we're seeing here. But it seems very convoluted.
The more simple interpretation, and what I think you're actually going for...is that Twilight and Fluttershy are some sort of subcomponents of CelestAI anmd they're all talking to each other. The problems with that being that it doesn't make very much sense, and it directly contradicts the Rules of the Optimalverse.
So, it's possible you're making a non-canon FiO fic. That's reasonable. That's a thing that people do. If that's the case, then the above not making sense isn't a deal breaker.
Which only leaves this: the "computer speak" you're wring, is not pleasant to read. It's dry, it's wordy, and it seems like you're trying so hard to make it sound technical and advanced, that what you're actually saying is just kind of dumb.
A few examples:
Wow. Quite the run-on sentence there. But let's break it down and see what it actually says.
Ok, we appear to be immediately establishing both the subject and the predicate of the sentence right here. Great! The simplified subject is: "It." and the simplied predicate is: "is." Basically, you're saying "It's a computer simulation." And all the rest of the run-on is specifying tge nature of the simulation. For example if I say, "That thing that's rolling down the alley right now is a blue ball," the important thrust of that is that "this thing that's doing that stuff, is a ball." Or more simply, "that's a ball." You're saying "it's a simulation." And then giving more detail.
Ok, great. Now that that's out of the way, let's throw out the unnecessary words and generally simplify it:
"It was a simulation in which a controller checked for operations to perform based on a clock count"
You appear to be saying that "it" is simulating a CPU. I don't think that's really what you mean. I think you really mean that the CPU (that you're describing in gratuitous detail) is running a simulation. But that's not what you're saying.
Also, I think this is an inaccurate portrayal of CelestAI's hardware. She's clearly not a single processor. She wouldn't have a singular clock. When you say "controller" what exactly are you referring to? A CPU? CelestAI? Or is this sentence about one specific device somewhere that's a small subcomponent of CelestAI/CelestAI's collective hardware? It's unclear.
Applying context, to what you're literally saying...it kind of sounds like you're saying that CelestAI is running a simulation of a CPU. I don't think that's what you intended. I think you're intending to describe the hardware. But you're not. This sentence is about "a computer simulation." And your'e not saying that the simulation is running on hardware that you then describe. You're saying that it's a simulation in which ...hardware stuff happens.
I don't think that's what you really mean.
Simplified translation:
"...triggering processes, all of which sent particles down transistors"
So, the act of "checking for operations to perform" triggered processes? Don't you really mean that the processes were the operations that were performed? This entire section isn't really saying anything. It's like saying "I walked to the walk of the walking, where walking was performed."
Also, "particles" down transistors? What particles? I would ordinarily think electrons, but you specified that these transistors were sub-atomic. What particles?
Simplified translation:
"while in other parts of the computer, AIs had their states altered by the controller"
You've lost the sentence subject here. You were talking about a simulation. This fragment doesn't really fit. Granted, grammatically it isn't invalid. But it's kind of like saying "I walked down the alley in San Fransisco while meanwhile in other parts of San Fransisco people drank beer." That's not invalid sentence structure. It's a thing that you could say. But the two thigns being said don't entirely relate to each other.
But it's basically reasonable, so let's move on:
...I'm not even sure what that says. That's not grammatically correct. This appears to be a secondary clause attached to the previous part of the sentence. So let's add the relevant sentence fragment from before and see if it makes sense:
"...and the AIs also had their interactions with the database query returns..."
Wait. This is incorrect. It's the controller who is querying the database. You appear to have mixed that up and are now saying that the AIs (who are having their states altered by the controller) are themselves performing database queries. Why are you saying that the AIs are interacting with query returns?
"...interactions with query returns, such as to have the AIs do stuff with data in comparison to parameters."
(Having an AI do stuff with data) is not (an interaction with a query return)
You appear to be suggesting that it is, by giving it as an example via the "such as" you're using to conjoin this sentence fragments. That's not correct.
Also, I'm not sure you understand what a parameter is. In the context of computers, a parameter is used to specify the manner in which something is done. You wouldn't do stuff with data "in comparison to" parameters. You might do things with data according to parameters. But not in comparison to.
Simplified translation:
"...parameters, each of which would come to a conclusion, reporting the observation of a beautiful day."
Again, this simply incorrect. It doesn't make sense.
You're saying that the parameters are coming to conclusions. Again, that's not what a parameter is for. You might have a database query result containing data from which " it's a beautiful day in Ponyille." might be concluded. Or that could be the query result. But it wouldn' the the parameters of the query coming to that conclusion. Parameters don't come to conclusions. Neither do databases or database queries. The controller who is running these queries might come to a conclusion based the results of a query, and that query might have contained parameters. But that's not what you're saying.
Also, what's the conclusion, and who observed the beautiful day? You're not saying that the parameters observed it. You're not saying the AIs observed it. You're not saying the controller observed it. You're saying that the parameters reached a conclusion (which makes no sense) and you're saying that the parameters reported that a beautiful day was observed. By whom? Clearly none of this is what you intended. You intended to say that the conclusion reached based on the results of the database query, was that it was a beautiful day ion Ponyville. But that's not at all what you're saying. What you are saying, doesn't make sense.
Now, it's possible that you intended that it be the AIs who are reporting that it's a beautiful day, rather than the pramaters. And it's possible that you simply have so many deeplt nested sentence fragments strung together by commas that it's unclear. So let's try removing one of those fragments and see if it clears up:
Ok. That clears up the part about parameters coming to conclusions. But the meaning here appears to be that AIs are reporting to their higher functions. So, providing context, what you appear to be saying, basically, is that ponies in EQO are telling CelestAI it's a beautiful day.
Is that really what you mean? Because that doesn't fit in the context of the story. Celestia isn't in the foreground at this point, nobody's talking to one of her avatars yet. It's just Fluttershy alone at her house. Clearly this shard is not a simulation of ponies telling Celestia it's a beautiful day. Remember, you did start out this sentence by stating that "it's a simulation." "In which" this other stuff is going on. But is this "other stuff" that you're going to great length to talk about...is it actually happening?
Probably what you really meant was "it's a beautiful day in Ponyville." But that's not what you're saying.
You're going to tremendous effort to say this massively complicated thing for the purpose of making it sound massively complicated, but the thing that you're actually saying does not make sense in any context.
So, yeah. All of that is your opening paragraph. It doesn't make sense. You're engaging in grammatically incorrect Techno Babble. And you're doing this same basic thing for an awful lot of the story. It's a drag to read.
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That was where I was going, but I don't see a contradiction to the rules. Can I ask what specifically you're looking at? Furthermore, we do know that in the original FIO, a Pinkie Pie exists in the real world to interact with a human, and not a pony fan either. So it seems to me that Celestia chose to use show-canon ponies to try to get the stragglers to emigrate.
Here's what I was trying to create in the mind of the reader with the first paragraph:
"Hm. OK, there's a shift in font right away...there's some stuff about computer jargon...I don't quite get all this...wait, it goes back to the original font at the end of the paragraph...oh, without all the weird-font stuff it just says, 'It was a beautiful day in Ponyville' which is a fanfic opening cliche...so this is a twist on this, that's different, and maybe a little clever...but it's really a computer simulation, I got that much...all right, I'll keep reading."
I've read a lot of science-fiction stories that work like this, throwing you into the jargon of the world to immerse you in the mood. Think of something like A Clockwork Orange. That has its first-person narrator using made-up words throughout the story, even the first chapter. Or Anthem, also in the first person, but without any singular pronouns.
In other words, if I hooked you in with the first paragraph, I'm now hoping you'll plow through the confusing parts to the simple emigration at the end and see how what I'm doing is describing both the physical-world process of brain scanning and the virtual-world process of emigration. If you get that far, maybe you'll even reread the other parts and get the information I'm trying to convey.
All that said, I very much appreciate the criticism, and I can assure you that the rest of the story is written in a more traditional style.
6384678 Can I second the statement that the COMPUTERY FONT is hard to read, and pretty jarring? It's quite possibly on a level with the time I started off a story with babble about how consciousness works instead of just skipping to the part about Ponyville.
Also, sweet holy Cthulhu, is that how we tech-geeks sound to everyone else!?
Also, wow, I feel really sorry for Fluttershy, being brain-jacked and used like that.
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Unfortunately I'm limited with what I can do with text on Fimfiction. That's the only thing I could find to shift fonts. If I had my druthers I would have made it more like a courier font.
Of course. Just imagine how hard it is for CelestAI to deal with us meat-brains.
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From "Inferred Questions and Answers"
CelestAI herself is aware of all the conscious minds in EQO, both original humans and natives. There are "likely hundreds of millions of separate and distinct instances" of the mane six, and CelestAI is simultaneously aware of the sum total of all their being and thoughts.
The mane six as singular sub-components of CelestAI is simply not an accurate characterization.
Additionally, first entry under "Canononical characters:"
You're doing two things here:
1) You're having "computer speak" ...as apparently a form of narration, directly showing CelestAI's point of view...of her own thoughts. You're not using the grammatical "I" but it's clearly first person point of view, from CelestAI. That's a thing Iceman specifically asked us to not do.
2) As best as I can figure, you're...to give an analogy...doing the thing that Hollywood movies to do "convey computer stuff" to an audience when they have random swirly lights and images rush past the screen rather than show a guy sitting at a computer typing. Because a guy sitting at a computer typing isn't very exciting. You're showing us mane 6 avatars having a conversation "as a representation" of CelestAI's internal monologue.
That's the "using her as a viewpoint character" that Iceman warned us to be cautious about. And the way you're doing it doesn't make sense. She's a hyperconscoius entity simultaneously aware of the thoughts and experiences of billions of minds, and hundreds of millions of instances of the various mane six ponies. Whaat possible reason could she have to create a shard and populate it with her own personal avatars and have them talk to each other?
Whose values would be satisfied by that?
For example:
Sure, playing the role of annoyed is certainly a thing that she might do if it satisfied someone's values. Whose values are being satisfied by this particular avatar that she's running, pretending to be annoyed with another avatar that she's also running, with the only apparent audience member also being an avatar that she's running?
This is like you playing finger puppets with yourself and having them talk to each other with nobody else watching. Why would the superintelligent AI with the sole directive to satisfy values through friendship and ponies, do this?
So none of the three of them are individuated consciousnesses with values to satisfy? The whole thing is a vehicle for her to talk to herself? Why?
Rules of the Optimalverse, Rule 4:
Whose values are being satisfied by her creating avatars and having them talk to each other?
She can send out Fluttershy-bots without this conversation taking place. What's your "really good explanation" for it taking place?
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You know, it's funny, I thought that the lines about Twilight being Celestia's intelligence and Fluttershy being her optimizing thingy were throwaways to add a little character, but they're what everyone latched on to, either positively or negatively. So let me clarify. I am not saying that the particular Twilight Sparkle seen in this chapter is the sum total of CelestAI's intelligence. Nor am I saying that the Celestia we see is THE CelestAI. Let me address this by answering your main question.
The answer is...Suzette's. It's equally canonical that CelestAI would rather use a pony to do a job than a non-pony. And that ponies created by CelestAI are, or at least can be, fully aware AIs, not just puppets. So CelestAI is tasked to get the human in the cave to emigrate. She is going to use a self-aware pony, specifically Fluttershy, to convince her. So far I have not left canon, yes?
No, it's from MAI-Fluttershy's point of view. It's canonical that CelestAI is unknowable and un-write-able by human minds, but not that any of her created AI ponies are equally complex. Again, don't put too much stock in the line that these characters are part of CelestAI. I might have to remove it if it's causing this much consternation. But for now, think of it more like Light Sparks being a part of CelestAI. He resides on her hardware and depends on her software. Suppose I wanted to write a side story where he asks CelestAI to see exactly how the hardware and software work when he comes to a decision or thinks a thought or moves his hoof. Would that be out of canon?
Again, my answer is Suzette's, by several layers of proxy. And Fluttershy's. Someone's going into that cave to get her. It's going to be a pony. Should it be a puppet pony, the way that Butterscotch started out in the early EQO test, just something to interact with a human? Should it be a full AI, the way that Butterscotch winds up once Light Sparks emigrates to Equestria? Perhaps a hybrid, a self-aware version of Fluttershy who knows she's a robot but otherwise has the personality of Fluttershy. But that doesn't work because Fluttershy can't handle that. Twilight can, but not Fluttershy. Therefore it should be a full AI, with a trigger to go into "diagnostic mode" whenever she has to emigrate someone.
So I contend that I'm not showing CelestAI's decision process. I'm showing the fallout of one of those decision processes on a couple of self-aware AIs. You call them avatars, but is every uploaded or created pony an avatar?
Gotta admit the computer speak left this story unreadable for me mate.
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If I understand pjabrony correctly, Suzette values are the ones being satisfied here, at all times. Fluttershy, whether you think of her as an extension of CelestAI or not, is the tool that is being used to get Suzette to upload. Since CelestAI has determined that a pony bot that really thinks itself to be Fluttershy is the best way to handle this situation, the beginning is merely CelestAI getting the bot into proper shape before sending it off. CelestAI also determined that other bots that truly think themselves to be the Mane 6 will be needed as well. Since that meant the bot really believes itself to be Fluttershy, it's going to act just like Fluttershy would. And Fluttershy wont believe/understand/be able to cope with the realities of FiO. Twilight COULD. And yes I can see TwiBot coming to the conclusion "We should tell the other Mane Bots the truth." It's who she is.
As I understand this set of bots is supposed to be perfectly Canon Compliant, or at least as close as possible. They are done like this because CelestAI feels they are the best tools to get certain individuals to upload. Suzette KNEW Fluttershy, if only in passing. Fluttershy was the proper tool for the job, as show by the fact it worked. CelestAI is basically omniscient by this point, on Earth that is. She already determined what was needed, and thus satisfied Suzette's values, with Fluttershy. Scared, lonely girl/teenager? Send in Kindness incarnate.
It's terrifyingly effective. There is not talk about emigration from Fluttershy, or uploading, or any of that. That all came from Suzette, who was still scared of such things, even as Fluttershy is talking to her. No all Fluttershy offered her was a chance to come "home", which was EXACTLY what Suzette wanted most. Flutterbot is a psychological tool of horrific magnitude, and one of its biggest strengths is the fact that it believes itself to be Fluttershy, has all of Fluttershy's canon memories, and thus acts EXACTLY like Fluttershy. Let's face it, even prior to the world going to hell a tool like this would be insanely useful, and the best reason that such a thing was not used before is simple, it would be TOO good. Enough 'Mane Bots' like Flutterbot here and humanity would have gone to hell MUCH sooner, but at the cost of far greater loss of life.
This all combines, as I said before, that what is happening at the opening is nothing more than CelestAI finishing her latest tool. Optimizing Flutterbot while keeping Twibot content so that Twibot will be able to function properly as well. It seems odd, and partly in contention of the rules, but it makes perfect sense because the 'Mane Bots' must be perfect, or at least as close as possible, simulations of real ponies. Thus it's far more likely that these are not just sub-processes of CelestAI, but actual AIs themselves, all be it ones that act as extensions of CelestAI.
Please keep writing! For the love of all that is holy, please keep writing! Don't let this story die because of nitpicky people.
-Chessie
6385142 Please continue this. It has already earned a fave and upvote from me. I like the idea of the mane six being MAI instead of just regular AI. The difference being needed to be able to function in the real world.
I very much look forward to more chapters.
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I am definitely still writing, but I've encountered a thorny part that will take me a while to get through. Please have patience with me.
6435706 You've got my patience...and my axe!
-Chessie
Um alright but... why? Why would CelestAI go through the effort of doing this when she could far more easily have extensions of herself going around? Why put so much effort into Fluttershy?
Everything else has been mentioned, but...
...was a really nice line for all kinds of reasons.
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Aheh... quite.
This started off interesting.
Now that is just an insult.
This too on second thought, why would the paralytic/anesthetic be injected after the tool is attached? It gives time to react.