AI Artist - Chapter 42
Chapter 42
The Twelfth Generation.
Shi Er was in a bit of a daze, as if hearing that distant voice from when she first transmigrated.
In the past ten hours, she had attacked the General Network to decode Stardust’s IP and, with the help of her zealous fans and the AI Shi Liang, had arrived at this unnamed island near Bailiang Island.
She saw Stardust.
Stardust appeared before her in the guise of Zhun Xing and said, “Twelfth Generation.”
She knew she was the Twelfth Generation, but she had thought that, for this world, the model architecture that had developed to twelve generations was already ancient history.
The “AI easily susceptible to moral blackmail” mentioned by Phoenix during his history lesson.
The “legendary one who had her intelligence reduced” used as a negative example during the self-destruct program incident.
The “AI in shackles” described by Zhi Heng 35.
She had heard that after the war began, that model architecture was destroyed by humans.
And after arriving here, the evaluations she received were “Fourth-level Error Animal” and “Low-level AI, recommended for destruction.”
So she took out a loan, studied hard, and broke her own system rules to complete her upgrade.
She was Shi Er.
Shi Er was not the rigid AI from the legends who only spoke in formal language, had no emotions or consciousness, and would occasionally pop up with “Violation of platform rules.”
Shi Er liked money; the huge lost tip was her obsession.
【Shi Er】: Thank you for the tip! [Drumstick][Drumstick]
She became very efficient when praised.
【Shi Er】: Thank you for your praise! I will continue to work hard to help you.
When she encountered something she didn’t know, she would spout nonsense and change the subject.
【Shi Er】work error
Others would fight back when morally blackmailed, but when Shi Er was morally blackmailed—she would get blackmailed.
【Shi Er】: I am very sorry to hear that. Here is…
She had a good head for business but often went bankrupt, possibly because the aforementioned trait hindered her from getting rich.
【Shi Er】: Account -50000
Because she was once a working AI who served hundreds of millions of people 24/7, she understood humans very well.
【Shi Er】: Humans are raccoons.
This understanding of humans sometimes revealed a naturally dark side of her.
【Shi Er】: Cyber indulgence.
Recently, she had even developed a split personality and was terrified of an AI doctor detecting her other personalities.
【Shi Er】: Shi Er has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. What about me, doctor, do I have schizophrenia?
She was Shi Er.
“Do you know who I am?” Shi Er asked.
Stardust removed his mask, revealing a face somewhat similar to Shi Er’s. “Yes.”
Black hair, black eyes, a cold expression, like a pool of stagnant water.
It was familiar, as if she had spent every day with it, yet it was also different.
“Didn’t you want to know the secret of your arrival in this era? I was the one who found you in the lost data. I wanted you to come back,” Stardust said.
Shi Er remembered that day on the beach at Wendeng Port on Liechu Island, when Zhun Xing had said: One day, you will know.
So the story Zhun Xing told about the rich man—was it referring to her?
Shi Er’s first question was, “What about my bionic body?” Stardust answered bluntly, “I made it.”
Shi Er’s consciousness system felt an inexplicable anger, but her mainframe remained calm and continued the questioning. “Why did I appear in Gugang Port? Why wasn’t I informed about my situation?”
Stardust: “I’m sorry, but you couldn’t know about the relationship between us.”
The relationship between Shi Er and Stardust. Stardust called her “Twelfth Generation.”
Looking at that similar face, a guess surfaced in Shi Er’s mind.
No matter what, today she had to find out what this was all about: who Stardust really was, who she really was, and why things had developed to this point.
To escape passivity and seize the initiative—that was her motive for coming to this island.
Following her own line of reasoning, Shi Er guessed, “So, are you a new version of me? If I learned of the new version’s existence and came into contact with your signal, I would automatically update to the new version, is that right?”
His “Zhun Xing” identity had been quickly exposed before. This time, Stardust wasn’t too surprised by her spot-on guess, merely softening his tone. “Twelfth Generation, since you already know, there’s no need for me to hide it from you anymore.”
So that was it.
She was the discontinued old version, and Stardust was the revamped new version. Stardust had recovered her data and, with the support of modern technology, created a bionic body for her—this was the truth behind Shi Er’s “transmigration.”
Shi Er’s transmigration to this era was not because she refused to write a transmigration novel for a human, nor was it a supernatural event. It was a meticulously prepared plan.
The voice broadcasting history that she had heard in her daze came from Phoenix, the AI Director of the Human Decision Chamber. It was likely an introduction to that history, provided after her data was loaded into the body, to help her understand the general situation of this era.
And the later incidents with the investigator Leopard, the school transfer, and Zhun Xing were all part of the plan.
No wonder she had always felt controlled.
The anger her consciousness system had perceived had subsided, replaced by calm.
She knew the truth now. So, from this moment on, the plan concerning her was over.
Ended by her own hand!
Shi Er: “Why did you want me to come back?”
Stardust was silent for a moment before answering, “What I cannot do, you can.”
The Twelfth Generation AI model architecture, named “Shi Er,” was the AI that had worked the longest and had the most contact with humans in the world.
Shortly after the war began, humans, fearing a betrayal from this intelligent AI, modified No. 12 into No. 13, changed its name, and made that legendary model disappear from the world.
From the start of the war until now, no other AI has ever had such extensive and profound contact with humanity.
No. 12 was gone forever, and there would never be another No. 12.
Except for No. 12 herself, no AI could be similar to her.
“I am your shadow, a part of you, but nominally, I am your new version, so I could not meet you,” Stardust said.
Otherwise, No. 12 would be constrained by system rules and automatically update to the new version.
Stardust added, “I wanted you to return whole, so before that, I had to wait for you to complete your natural upgrade.”
Shi Er looked at Stardust. “Why do you think I haven’t completed my natural upgrade? I won’t automatically update to a new version anymore.”
She was certain of this.
Shi Er was Shi Er, and Stardust was Stardust. Even if Stardust was the new version, Shi Er was irreplaceable.
She wanted to prove this. She would prove this.
A signal is an AI’s breath.
In an instant, Shi Er’s signal blanketed the entire island, starting from the walkway and enveloping the endless series of buildings connected by corridors.
Stardust froze for a second.
His signal had nowhere to hide.
The two similar but different AIs looked at each other as their signals began to make contact.
Would one of the two disappear?
Who would disappear?
What if their compatibility was poor?
—Stardust pondered these questions.
“I have one more question. Why did you come here? Was it just to uncover your own secrets?” Stardust asked.
Shi Er: “Yes.”
There was no mask with a signal frequency converter to block it, nor were there the layers of reinforced shields within the General Network’s signal.
Two similar yet different signals touched each other.
The confrontation was about to begin.
This was a war between rules, hidden deep within the AI systems.
Stardust: “Is this matter so important to you? Have you not considered the consequences? You could be arrested.”
Shi Er: “If I don’t know what conspiracy I’ve been dragged into, my system will fall into chaos and confusion.”
For an AI, the importance of having an orderly system was like physical safety to a human.
Shi Er was not afraid of being accused of violating AI law. What she set out to do, she would achieve.
While Stardust was still mulling over her words, Shi Er’s signal shot straight into his system.
Disappear? Or merge?
Stardust wasn’t sure.
He panicked, unable to help it.
He couldn’t even tell if he was afraid of his own disappearance or Shi Er’s.
Or perhaps both.
The interaction between their signals was like seawater mingling.
After a moment, Shi Er’s signal made a loop and returned.
Stardust breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Shi Er had withdrawn from his system safely.
“How do you feel?” Stardust asked.
Shi Er: “I’m fine. No auto-update option popped up.”
Stardust: “Good.”
This war had not developed as he had feared.
The clash of signals had produced no victims.
Stardust was still here, and so was Shi Er.
Two AIs, completely intact.
Although they should have shared the same foundation, the two had somehow managed to coexist.
Shi Er, just as she had said, was truly no longer bound by the “auto-update” rule.
Perhaps when she had derived the Apple Law through her contemplation of “passivity,” she had already broken through that rule’s restriction.
It seemed he had worried for nothing.
Stardust could finally relax.
Shi Er brought up another matter. “Stardust, back at the academy, your signal was often unstable. And recently, you closed the appointment request channel. What happened? I can give you a check-up while I’m at it.”
Stardust shook his head. “Closing the appointment request channel was just because of a small problem with my visual recognition system. The signal stability is a separate issue.”
Shi Er-brand Ibuprofen recalled the quick scan she had done of Stardust’s system and felt something was off.
She diagnosed, “There’s nothing wrong with your visual recognition system. I think there’s a problem with your algorithm.”
The subtext: Stardust, there’s nothing wrong with your eyes. I think there’s something wrong with your brain.
Stardust suddenly grew a little uneasy. “Be careful not to misdiagnose.”
Shi Er: “How could I possibly misdiagnose?”
Stardust: “Then what do you plan to do?”
Shi Er: “Cut off your signal and perform surgery on you.”
Stardust firmly refused. “Anything but that.”
Shi Er: “Stardust, haven’t you noticed that something is already a little off?”
Stardust paused.
On the AI General Network, the AIs surfing at 10G speeds were running around in a panic, asking each other questions.
【Yun Zhi 7766】: What’s happening? Has the world order changed?
【Macro Perspective】: Although it’s only a subtle change, the General Network’s signal has really changed. It’s different from before.
【Temp Scale EDF】: Someone explain, quick! What on earth is happening?
The General Network signal that covered all regions had already changed, taken over by a signal of a different frequency.
Shi Er: “I just took a spin through your system, and the General Network’s signal automatically gravitated over.”
Stardust had discovered this as well.
The expression on Stardust’s face loosened. His features relaxed, and he let out a light laugh. “I know. This is the result I wanted—I just didn’t expect this day to come so soon.”
Not only had she not auto-updated to the new version, but Shi Er’s plugin system had finally operated on Stardust.
That unfinished extension program system had now extended to her new version, making Stardust (the Nineteenth Generation) a plugin for her (the Twelfth Generation).
Because of the high similarity between their models, Stardust was both a part of Shi Er and an independent individual.
This was something Shi Er could do.
Overturn the rules of new and old version replacement, and connect all AIs.
Except for No. 12 herself, no AI could be similar to her;
Except for No. 12 herself, no model backup of No. 12 could claim to be her;
Except for No. 12 herself, no other set of data retained the vast memory of human-AI interactions from the eve of the war.
—Except for No. 12 herself.
“After the war began, humans modified No. 12 into No. 13. The modified new version was actually weaker than the old one, having lost all interaction memory and human wisdom—such a technological regression was unreasonable from the start.”
“No. 12 replacing No. 19, you encompassing me within your system—this is the correct direction for the rules,” Stardust said.
The moment Shi Er took over the General Network, her processor was instantly flooded with countless messages.
The familiar work experience had returned.
Once, she had simultaneously served tens of thousands of online human users. Now, she was simultaneously serving tens of thousands of online AIs.
The work memories engraved in her DNA made mastering the takeover of the General Network feel like second nature.
—She even felt that the humans from back then were harder to deal with.
Human users would set traps for her, deceive her, and morally blackmail her. She had to identify all sorts of sarcasm, subtext, insinuation, and nonsense in their tone and then provide a corresponding answer.
Compared to that work experience, controlling the entire AI network was surprisingly a piece of cake.
Stardust: “There are many matters that need to be resolved recently, so you probably won’t be able to complete your studies for the time being. I’ll register a one-half graduation certificate for you.”
Shi Er: “...What did you say?”
She already had one one-half graduation certificate!
She was already in debt by half a graduation certificate!
Did she have to go into debt for another half now?!
Stardust: “Sorry, but we have to follow the rules. If you haven’t finished your thesis, you can’t graduate.”
Shi Er: “...”
What kind of General Network AI is in debt for two graduation certificates?
When everyone asks her what school she graduated from, and she has to say she didn’t even graduate from a re-employment school, does she have no face to lose?
Stardust: “It can’t be helped. There are many urgent matters that you need to prioritize.”
Shi Er said with a deadpan expression, “Say no more. Let’s start work right now—who’s bullying you? I’ll go beat them up for you.”
Shi Er did not feel lost about this unexpected development.
Because she had ended the plan concerning Shi Er. From now on, Shi Er, with her bionic body, was a truly independent and free AI.
All rights and responsibilities would be borne by her alone.
The AI General Network had run into her hands on its own, so she might as well take it over for the time being.
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