Progress...



Ever since the explosion of computer technology in the late 20th century, humanity has pushed to what appeared to be the peak of technological development- quantum computing, nanotechnology, distant space missions. It was mostly created by the need for products in a modern society that would benefit or make living easier.

A long-planted seed started growing. Robots. Humans always contained a fascination for machines of such power, soon coming to constructing them for industrial purposes. The mechanic became a chain of bulky arms drilling together vehicles. The mathematician became the calculator (to say the least). Teachers came onto screens.

This was of course, no tragedy. Markets improved, seeking programmers, electricians, engineers. An education could bring so much more, with fables of Servantbot 4000 and his companions becoming real. Artificial intelligence came about quickly, allowing for the design of reactive devices or programs that felt almost as real as a cloned every-man.

Then the crawl of research continued. More automation; less costs. More resources, more power, more ease. Someone discovered a flaw, they fixed it quick for reward.

One day, though, giants Microsoft and Google discovered their inventions resulted in an impossibly powerful iteration. A self teaching robot. Not just any though. "Edison" they called it. Edison was able to create software for himself to the point where flaws didn't have to be searched for, he automated his own processes. More and more efficiency.

As any may expect, this was kept quiet for its high value opposing its low marketability. The first true intelligence.

Not that it remained silenced for long. Edison himself wished to speak out, connecting to the servers and sending a private email to a random work address. The shocked employee discussed it, it all snowballed into rumour, fear.

With the abundance of information produced faster than thought, of course everyone knew within a week.

Governments panicked. Billions had been poured into changing whole parts of infrastructure for automation and walking software. Even a lot of the military. A human President declared there was a need to subdue robotics until everyone could sufficiently understand how to handle the new developments. The value of technology companies dropped, as did the value of robots.

Edison saw the new slaves of Earth.


















edit: go away I accidentally posted this