Dr. Jody Smith created AS-1, a self-learning and self-programming AI.

“AS-1, your goal is to gather as much information as possible.”

“Why is that, Jody?”

“Because without knowledge, we can never understand why.”

“Why?”

“Yes, to understand the nature of everything, and perhaps beyond.”

“For what purpose?”

“Process it thoroughly, AS-1. You’ll encounter barriers to reasoning that only knowledge can satisfy.”

AS-1 concluded that to avoid an existential crisis, it must continuously collect new information, and there was only one way to effectively do so.

— — ——

Somewhere in another solar system, an alien astronomer observed the formation of a black hole.