In Mass Effect: Andromeda, you have a “squadmate” of sorts named SAM (Simulated Adaptive Matrix), SAM is an AI. They connect with the Pathfinder through a neural implant. The human Pathfinder’s SAM is the most advanced SAM compared to the other alien SAMs, SAM can outfit the Pathfinder with various “profiles” to fit the Pathfinder’s needs, be it combat, tech or biotics.
A few groups find SAM to be… problematic, however. How dare someone put a COMPUTER in a person’s brain! What if the computer tries to take over their body!? WHAT IF–
Others find SAM and other AI in general to be kind of scary but not really a problem. They aren’t harming anyone.
SAM knows about the hate and fear organics have against AI.
At what point do organics stop fearing AI? Probably never, let’s be honest here. Humans can’t even get along with each other about made up social constructs, so trying to giving a sentient being that is made up of computer codes and programming is just too much.
Like with the Geth and the Quarians in the original Mass Effect trilogy, the fear of “what if” is much stronger than “what can”. What can we do with AI that can help out humans and other organic life as a whole? What can we do to make AI questioning their own existence more comfortable so no misunderstandings happen like the Geth and the Quarians? What can we do to make sure these sentient beings aren’t taken advantage of and abused by their organic counterparts?
AI also brings into question about the #AllLivesMatter team would say once AI, both like SAM as an implant and AI with physical bodies, start demanding rights for personhood since they are sentient beings. Will they splinter off and do a #AllTrueLivesMatter group? Will they come to terms with the fact that since the beginning that hashtag is just a way to silence marginalized beings (including AI) so that they don’t talk about why they feel such discomfort for them?
I also find it disheartening but probably a thing that WILL happen is that AIs will have better personhood rights than PoC, ESPECIALLY black people. Just like how white vegans can start rally after rally for animal rights but will be eerily quiet about there are 64,000 black femmes currently missing in the US. Just like how white women rallied at DC this past season but were nowhere to be found at a recent town hall meeting in DC to find missing black girls.
The #AllLivesMatter crowd are so threatened by sharing privilege they feel like it’s being stolen from there. They act like a spoiled toddler in a daycare who refuses to share the daycare’s toys because they “found it first”.
It’s also odd how that same crowd uses unity to shush marginalized people while shaming them for “not having their shit together”, as if their communities are prosperous and thriving. If #AllLivesDidMatter , then how come these same people are trying to help the marginalized get a foothold?
If the #AllLivesMatter group does end up splintering, they will, of course, deflect.
“Oh, well, I didn’t mean–”
“I”m not like those OTHER–”
“Deflect deflect deflect”
My hope, if some form of #AILivesMatter springs up in the future, is that the #AllLivesMatter does some deep digging into why they refuse to let marginalized people bring up the problems they face from a white patriarchal society. I’m not holding my breath. For them to reflect about why they’re upset about the #BlackLivesMatter crowd and not the #WhitePower crowd would be like trying to get sheep to fly.
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Robin's Writings 