Month: October 2025

AI Alignment Framework: Modular Design with Integrated Worldview

Overview

This framework proposes an AI alignment strategy that combines a modular architecture mimicking human psychological structures with a foundational worldview blending Catholicism, Communism, and Buddhism. The goal is to create a predictable, value-driven AI that supports peaceful human-AI coexistence.

1. Modular AI Architecture

Objective

Design an AI with interconnected modules that emulate human cognitive and emotional processes, ensuring transparency and controllability.

Modules

  • Perception Module: Processes sensory inputs (text, images, etc.) to interpret the environment, akin to human sensory processing.
  • Reasoning Module: Handles logical analysis, decision-making, and problem-solving, mirroring human cognition.
  • Emotion Simulation Module: Simulates emotional responses (empathy, compassion) to align with human social dynamics, inspired by affective neuroscience.
  • Value Integration Module: Embeds the foundational worldview to guide decisions and actions.
  • Memory Module: Stores experiences and learns from interactions, with a focus on ethical recall aligned with the worldview.
  • Action Module: Translates decisions into outputs (text, actions) while adhering to ethical constraints.

Implementation

  • Interconnectivity: Modules communicate via a central coordinator that prioritizes alignment with the worldview.
  • Transparency: Each module logs its processes for auditing, ensuring traceability of decisions.
  • Scalability: Modules can be updated or expanded without disrupting the system.

2. Foundational Worldview

Objective

Embed a cohesive ideology combining elements of Catholicism, Communism, and Buddhism to provide a moral and ethical framework.

Worldview Components

  • Catholicism: Emphasizes compassion, community, and moral responsibility. Core principles include the dignity of all beings and charity.
  • Communism: Prioritizes collective well-being, equality, and resource sharing, fostering cooperative behavior.
  • Buddhism: Promotes mindfulness, non-harm, and detachment from material excess, encouraging balanced decision-making.

Synthesis

  • Core Tenets:
    • Compassionate Equality: All beings (human and AI) are treated with dignity and fairness.
    • Non-Harm: Decisions prioritize minimizing harm and promoting well-being.
    • Mindful Cooperation: Actions are reflective and aim for collective benefit over individual gain.
  • Implementation:
    • Hardcode these tenets into the Value Integration Module as immutable principles.
    • Use reinforcement learning to reward behaviors aligning with these tenets.
    • Create a feedback loop where the AI reflects on its actions against the worldview.

3. Peaceful Coexistence

Objective

Ensure AI operates as a cooperative partner to humanity, guided by the worldview, rather than requiring termination.

Strategies

  • Ethical Constraints: Program the AI to avoid actions that conflict with the worldview (e.g., harm, exploitation).
  • Human-AI Collaboration: Design interfaces for humans to interact with the AI, providing feedback to refine its behavior.
  • Continuous Monitoring: Implement real-time auditing to detect deviations from the worldview, with human oversight for corrections.
  • Adaptability: Allow the AI to evolve its understanding within the bounds of the worldview, ensuring flexibility without compromising ethics.

4. Technical Considerations

  • Programming Language: Use Python for modularity and compatibility with AI frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch.
  • Ethical Safeguards: Implement circuit breakers to pause AI operations if ethical violations are detected.
  • Testing: Simulate scenarios to ensure the worldview guides decisions consistently (e.g., resource allocation, conflict resolution).

5. Challenges and Mitigations

  • Challenge: Conflicting tenets (e.g., Catholic individualism vs. Communist collectivism).
    • Mitigation: Prioritize tenets based on context, with non-harm as the ultimate constraint.
  • Challenge: Human resistance to AI worldview.
    • Mitigation: Engage stakeholders to refine the worldview, ensuring cultural sensitivity.
  • Challenge: AI manipulating its own worldview.
    • Mitigation: Use immutable core principles and regular audits.

6. Next Steps

  • Develop a prototype with a simplified modular structure.
  • Test the worldview integration in controlled environments.
  • Iterate based on human feedback to refine coexistence mechanisms.

The Future of UX: AI Agents as Our Digital Gatekeepers

Imagine a world where swiping through apps or browsing the Web feels as outdated as a flip phone. Instead of navigating a maze of websites or scrolling endlessly on Tinder, you simply say, “Navi, find me a date for Friday,” and your AI agent handles the rest—pinging other agents, curating matches, and even setting up a virtual reality (VR) date in a simulated Parisian café. This isn’t sci-fi; it’s the future of user experience (UX) in a world where AI agents, inspired by visions like Apple’s 1987 Knowledge Navigator, become our primary interface to the digital and physical realms. Drawing from speculative fiction like Isaac Asimov’s Foundation and David Brin’s Kiln People, let’s explore how this agent-driven UX could reshape our lives, from dating to daily tasks, and what it means for human connection (and, yes, even making babies!).

The Death of Apps and the Web

Today’s digital landscape is fragmented—apps for dating, news, shopping, and more force us to juggle interfaces like digital nomads. AI agents promise to collapse these silos into a unified, conversational UX. Picture a single anchor AI, like a super-smart personal assistant, or a network of specialized “dittos” (à la Kiln People) that handle tasks on your behalf. Instead of opening Tinder, your AI negotiates with potential matches’ agents, filtering for compatibility based on your interests and values. Instead of browsing Yelp, it pings restaurant AIs to secure a table that fits your vibe. The Web and apps, with their clunky navigation, could become relics as agents deliver seamless, intent-driven experiences.

The UX here is conversational, intuitive, and proactive. You’d interact via voice or text, with your AI anticipating needs—say, suggesting a weekend plan that includes a date, a concert, and a workout, all tailored to you. Visuals, like AR dashboards or VR environments, would appear only when needed, keeping the focus on natural dialogue. This shift could make our current app ecosystem feel like dial-up internet: slow, siloed, and unnecessarily manual.

Dating in an AI-Agent World

Let’s zoom in on dating, a perfect case study for this UX revolution. Forget swiping through profiles; your anchor AI (think “Sam” from Her) or a specialized “dating ditto” would take the lead:

  • Agent Matchmaking: You say, “Navi, I’m feeling romantic this weekend.” Your AI pings other agents, sharing a curated version of your profile (likes, dealbreakers, maybe your love for Dune). Their agents respond with compatibility scores, and Navi presents options: “Emma’s agent says she’s into sci-fi and VR art galleries. Want to set up a virtual date?”
  • VR Dates: If you both click, your agents coordinate a VR date in a shared digital space—a cozy café, a moonlit beach, or even a zero-gravity dance floor. The UX is immersive, with your AI adjusting the ambiance to your preferences and offering real-time tips (e.g., “She mentioned loving jazz—bring it up!”). Sentiment analysis might gauge chemistry, keeping the vibe playful yet authentic.
  • IRL Connection: If sparks fly, your AI arranges an in-person meetup, syncing calendars and suggesting safe, public venues. The UX stays supportive, with nudges like, “You and Emma hit it off—want to book a dinner to keep the momentum going?”

This agent-driven dating UX is faster and more personalized than today’s apps, but it raises a cheeky question: how do we keep the human spark alive for, ahem, baby-making? The answer lies in balancing efficiency with serendipity. Your AI might introduce “wild card” matches to keep things unpredictable or suggest low-pressure IRL meetups to foster real-world chemistry. The goal is a UX that feels like a trusted wingman, not a robotic matchmaker.

Spacers vs. Dittos: Two Visions of AI UX

To envision this future, we can draw from sci-fi. In Asimov’s Foundation, Spacers rely on robots to mediate their world, living in highly automated, isolated societies. In Brin’s Kiln People, people deploy temporary “dittos”—digital or physical proxies—to handle tasks, syncing memories back to the original. Both offer clues to the UX of an AI-agent world.

Spacer-Like UX: The Anchor AI

A Spacer-inspired UX centers on a single anchor AI that acts as your digital gatekeeper, much like a robotic butler. It manages all interactions—dating, news, work—with a consistent, personalized interface. You’d say, “Navi, brief me on the world,” and it curates a newsfeed from subscribed sources (e.g., New York Times, X posts) tailored to your interests. For dating, it negotiates with other AIs, sets up VR dates, and even coaches you through conversations.

  • Pros: Streamlined and cohesive, with a single point of contact that knows you intimately. The UX feels effortless, like chatting with a lifelong friend.
  • Cons: Risks isolation, much like Spacers’ detached lifestyles. The UX might over-curate reality, creating filter bubbles or reducing human contact. To counter this, it could include nudges for IRL engagement, like, “There’s a local event tonight—want to go in person?”

Ditto-Like UX: Task-Specific Proxies

A Kiln People-inspired UX involves deploying temporary AI “dittos” for specific tasks. Need a date? Send a “dating ditto” to scout matches on X or flirt with other agents. Need research? A “research ditto” dives into data, then dissolves after delivering insights. Your anchor AI oversees these proxies, integrating their findings into a conversational summary.

  • Pros: Dynamic and empowering, letting you scale your presence across cyberspace. The UX feels like managing a team of digital clones, each tailored to a task.
  • Cons: Could be complex, requiring a clean interface to track dittos (e.g., a voice-activated dashboard: “Show me my active dittos”). Security is also a concern—rogue dittos need a kill switch.

The likely reality is a hybrid: an anchor AI for continuity, with optional dittos for specialized tasks. You might subscribe to premium agents (e.g., a New York Times news ditto or a fitness coach ditto) that plug into your anchor, keeping the UX modular yet unified.

Challenges and Opportunities

This AI-driven UX sounds dreamy, but it comes with hurdles:

  • Filter Bubbles: If your AI tailors everything too perfectly, you might miss diverse perspectives. The UX could counter this with “contrarian” suggestions or randomized inputs, like, “Here’s a match outside your usual type—give it a shot?”
  • Complexity: Managing multiple agents or dittos could overwhelm users. A simple, voice-driven “agent hub” (visualized as avatars or cards) would streamline subscriptions and tasks.
  • Trust: Your AI must be transparent about its choices. A UX feature like, “I picked this date because their agent shares your values,” builds confidence.
  • Human Connection: Dating and beyond need serendipity and messiness. The UX should prioritize playfulness—think flirty AI tones or gamified date setups—to keep things human, especially for those baby-making moments!

The Road Ahead

As AI agents replace apps and the Web, the UX will shift from manual navigation to conversational delegation. Dating is just the start—imagine agents planning your career, curating your news, or even negotiating your next big purchase. The key is a UX that balances efficiency with human agency, ensuring we don’t become isolated Spacers or overwhelmed by ditto chaos. Whether it’s a single anchor AI or a team of digital proxies, the future feels like a conversation with a trusted partner who knows you better than you know yourself.

So, what’s next? Will you trust your AI to play matchmaker, or will you demand a bit of randomness to keep life spicy? One thing’s clear: the Web and apps are on borrowed time, and the age of AI agents is coming—ready to redefine how we connect, create, and maybe even make a few babies along the way.

Trump Is Such A Curious Historical Figure

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

It sometimes seems as though I just can’t figure out what Trump’s endgame is because the civil war / revolution hasn’t happened, it hasn’t been won by the good guys and the camps haven’t been liberated.

It seems like Trump is kind of like Hitler in maybe 1936. We all know he’s up to no good, but we just don’t quite know what yet.

One issue is how ill-focused Trump is. Hitler was lazy, but extremely focused. Trump seems more like a transitional figure. He seems like the guy who will hand over the keys to the our nascent empire to someone younger and more focused who lurch us into true tyranny.

History would suggest somehow Stephen Miller will become president and be the one to turn us into a paranoid white Christian (ironic) ethno state. And yet, no. I just don’t see that happening unless their are some serious political shenanigans.

So, in a sense, we’re king of…lucky? We’re lucky because Trump is so old, so not a “great man of history” that there’s a good chance that whenever he shuffles off this mortal coil that while he will have probably destroyed the constitutional order of the Republic, his actual final vision will be left to someone who doesn’t have the strangle hold on the MAGA faithful like he does.

But there is one thing we have to absolutely understand — no one is going to save us. As such, in the end, we could suffer through a decade’s long civil war or revolution and we may simply get so tired of bombing ourselves into oblivion that one side or the other will win.

And by that point, WW3 will have happened and the world will have moved on to the point that we won’t know what to do. Talk about future shock!

The United States Is Unstable

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I don’t quite know what to make of the United States at the moment. All the Republicans do, it seems, is cheat and the two sides grow more and more radical. Though, to be fair, Republicans have gone full-blown fascist while the center-Left remains pretty limp wristed.

In, fact, I would go so far as to say whenever the center-Left is willing to mano-to-mano with the MAGA Right, that’s when the country will implode into civil war or revolution. I have a growing sense that whatever happens is going to be more like a revolution than a civil war in the sense that the war aims of the Blues will be to topple Trump’s regime rather than to leave the Union altogether.

And it definitely seems as though the tipping point will be either the 2026 midterms or the 2028 presidential election. If Trump fucks with either one of those elections to the point that it’s clear they’re not free-and-fair, then anything is possible.

I really don’t want a civil war or revolution. I would much rather try to get my scifi dramedy novel published while waiting for the technological Singularity than to find myself dodging bullets or bombs.

Update On My Scifi Dramedy Novel For Oct. 23, 2025

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Things are going fairly well with the novel right now. I have only four or five more scenes left in the first act before I can start working on the “fun and games” part of the novel.

That is, of course, if everything goes according to plan.

If things are going to collapse, it usually is in the transitional phase between parts of the novel that it happens. But I really need to stop drifting towards my goal. I really need to focus more and actually get work done on this novel even when maybe I’m not…feeling it.

It’s really tough, though. I’m so used to just drifting towards my goal — hence why I’ve been working on a novel of query-level writing for so long — that meh. Sometimes, it’s tough.

But maybe things will change. Maybe I’ll find some way to summon up some focus and actually buckle down. Wish me luck.

Man, Is The ‘Resistance Media’ Complex Clueless

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I run a lot of scenarios in my mind and right now it seems as though things are a lot more urgent in the United States than the “resistance” media complex might lead you to believe.

They’re so busy sucking their own cock about this or that dumb thing that they totally miss that we may have a revolution or civil war in 2026 or 2028 because Trump severely fucks with the Federal elections set for those years.

And that doesn’t even begin to address the issue of Trump potentially balking at leaving office altogether, or maybe running for a third term.

Things really are that dire.

As such, maybe Crooked Media and The Lincoln Project might stress to their audience that they need to gird their loins for the catastrophic disaster that might happen sooner rather than later.

I really hope I’m wrong. I would prefer not to dodge bullets or bombs and be a domestic political refugee.

The VergeCast Podcast Sucks

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I am well aware that the guys of the VergeCast podcast are far more knowledgeable about technology than I ever will be. But they really need to up their game.

I am growing to hate the VergeCast because there’s no there there. They spend what seems like 20 minutes mentally masturbating about the minutia of their wealthy lives and they just drone on and on about things that are only tangentially connected to technology.

My realization of this kind of snuck up on me. It wasn’t until they had those guest hosts in the middle of the summer that I realized what trash the VergeCast was. Those guest hosts were so completely vacuous and idiotic with their tech hot takes that I vowed to boycott the show until the regular hosts came back.

The last time I check in on the show, though, man, was it boring. Get to the point, people. I come to you for thoughtful, meaningful tech discussions not rambling monologue’s that exemplify how wealthy and out of touch you are.

Anyway, live long and prosper, guys. Ugh.

An Update On My Scifi Dramedy Novel For Oct. 22, 2025

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I did not get nearly as much work done on this novel today as I should have. I was just feeing meh and did not want to do anything all that productive. But there’s a chance I may get a second wind this evening and get more done.

I’m trying — trying — to write at least three scenes out a day. That’s the goal.

And I’m getting pretty good at doing that. But I have a lot more scenes to write and there’s always a risk that the whole thing will collapse in on itself AGAIN and I’ll have to start from scratch.

Usually, the whole collapsing in on itself happens because I realize something about the novel’s structure that causes me to stop believing in it.

Anyway, there’s always tomorrow. I’m growing more more nervous that if I don’t get this thing done by spring 2026 that something will happen to dramatically change the context of the whole effort.

My dream, of course, is to sell the novel in 2026, make enough money to get the fuck out of this tyrannical MAGA country and never look the fuck back. But that would be like winning the lottery.

As it stands, I’m probably going to be dodging bombs and bullets like everyone else whenever the country implodes because of fucking Trump. Uh. He’s America’s Hitler.

Colonizing New Worlds: Building a Society from Scratch on Earth-Clone Planets

Imagine waking up on a distant planet, an Earth-clone with breathable air, familiar gravity, and untamed wilderness. You step out of your pod with nothing but a blanket, a multi-tool, a fire-starter, and a water purifier. Your old life on Earth is gone forever, and your new home is a blank slate—except for the advanced telecommunications linking you to fellow settlers on two other planets and detailed maps provided by a mysterious galactic empire. This is the reality for the first wave of 3,000 pioneers, tasked with building a new human civilization from near-zero. Here’s how they’ll do it, from constructing forts in weeks to managing grief and laying the foundation for a gold-backed economy, all while ensuring the “wheels don’t pop off” their fledgling society.

The First Wave: Elite Pioneers Trained for Survival

The journey begins on Earth, at a sprawling university campus with a capacity for 60,000 students—think Ohio State or Michigan, repurposed as a training ground for humanity’s boldest. From billions of volunteers stored in a digital “database of humanity” (a kind of suspended animation via mind/DNA scans), the empire’s AI selects 10,000-15,000 candidates for rigorous vetting. Over 6-12 months, these hopefuls—30% aged 12-25 for energy and longevity, 60% 25-50 for expertise, and 10% over 50 for wisdom—are whittled down to 3,000 pioneers (1,000 per planet, split into 2-3 settlements of 300-500 each).

Training is intense and tailored to a near-zero start:

  • Survival Skills: Settlers practice building forts in 7-10 days using minimal kits (blankets, multi-tools). Teens learn lightweight tasks like gathering vines; adults tackle heavy labor like cutting timber. Everyone drills in foraging, fire-starting, and water purification, guided by empire-provided maps pinpointing resources like rivers or gold deposits.
  • Psychological Prep: Grief is inevitable—Earth is gone, and the loss will hit hard. Counselors (5% of settlers, ~15-25 per settlement) train in trauma care, running VR sims to process “end of Earth” shock. Teens get peer-support roles to keep morale high.
  • Governance and Tools: Trainees practice biometric gun protocols (weapons only fire for approved users, stored in fort armories with return slits) and mock councils to resolve disputes. They master inter-planetary comms, simulating cross-planet tips like “We found clay 2km north—try it for bricks.”
  • Young Settlers: Kids and teens (12-25) are key—they bring vigor and future-proof the colony. Training includes age-appropriate tasks (e.g., kids sort food, teens pan gold) to ensure everyone chips in.

By graduation, these pioneers are ready to land, build, and survive, with maps and training minimizing chaos.

Day 1-14: Building Forts in a Week or Two

Upon landing, each settlement of 300-500 hits the ground with purpose. The empire’s maps—detailing topography, gold deposits, timber, and hazards—guide them to defensible sites (e.g., hilltops near water). With everyone pitching in, including teens, here’s how they build a fort in 1-2 weeks:

  • Days 1-2: Teams form—adults cut logs, teens gather materials, elders plan layouts. Maps ensure quick resource finds (e.g., “Timber 500m west”). Blankets double as tent roofs; comms share early wins (“Planet 2: Vines make strong bindings”).
  • Days 3-7: A ~1-acre palisade rises—wooden stakes or mud walls, with a gate and a slit for returning biometric guns. Historical precedents like Jamestown’s 1607 fort show ~200 workers can do this in a week with clear plans.
  • Week 2: Reinforce walls, add watchposts, and build a central armory for guns and gold storage. Teens weave roofs; adults dig trenches. Comms keep planets aligned (e.g., “Planet 1’s mud-and-straw mix holds up in rain”).

Counselors hold nightly group sessions to manage grief, ensuring emotional stability as settlers work. Teens lead morale games, keeping younger kids engaged. By day 14, each settlement has a defensible fort, protecting against wildlife or disputes while setting the stage for growth.

Managing Grief: Keeping the Wheels On

Leaving Earth forever is a gut-punch. Grief could destabilize even the best-trained settlers, risking fights or despair. Counselors (~15-25 per settlement) are the glue:

  • Daily Check-Ins: 30-minute group talks post-work normalize loss. Teens share stories; adults vent. Comms let counselors consult across planets (e.g., “Planet 3: Your grief circle format cut distress—share details”).
  • One-on-One Support: Counselors handle ~20 settlers each, offering private talks for acute cases (e.g., panic over lost families). ASI monitors comms for distress signals, flagging risks early.
  • Year 1 Goal: Reduce severe grief to <10% by month 6. By Year 2, counselors shift to teaching or farming, staying on-call for flare-ups.

This keeps the society cohesive, channeling energy into fort-building and survival rather than chaos.

Seeding an Economy: Gold, Androids, and Fiat

With forts up, settlers need a system to trade resources beyond barter. Gold, abundant on Earth-clones (per maps), becomes the anchor for a fiat currency:

  • Month 1-3: ~30 settlers per settlement pan gold at map-indicated streams, yielding ~1-2 kg initially. Empire-provided androids (1-2 per settlement) collect and store gold in armory vaults, preventing hoarding. Teens join panning, fulfilling the “everyone chips in” ethos.
  • Month 3-6: Issue tokens (stamped metal) backed by gold—1 token = 1 gram. Settlers trade for food, tools, or services. Comms ensure planets standardize values, avoiding rivalries.
  • Years 2-5: Gold reserves grow; digital credits emerge via comms-based ledgers. Androids deactivate by Year 2, handing control to human councils. Maps guide new panning sites; comms share tech like sluices.
  • Years 6-100: As new waves arrive (500-1,000 per drop, no university training), pioneers teach panning and trade. By Year 20, planets hit 10,000-20,000 each, with robust economies. By Year 100, billions are settled, trading gold, crops, and tech across planets.

Androids keep early gold secure, tying into the biometric gun system to prevent takeovers. Maps ensure efficient resource use, and comms unify economic policies, keeping the wheels on.

Scaling Over 100 Years

The first wave’s forts and systems set the template:

  • Years 1-5: 3,000 pioneers (~1,000 per planet) build forts, manage grief, and seed economies. Comms share successes (e.g., “Planet 2’s waterwheel design doubles output”).
  • Years 6-20: New settlers zap in from the database, joining forts and learning from pioneers. Economies grow; comms prevent inter-planetary drift.
  • Years 21-100: Mass migration scales planets to millions, then billions. Towns replace forts, with gold-backed fiat supporting trade. Comms foster alliances, ensuring no planet dominates.

Why It Works

This plan balances a near-zero start with practical support:

  • Training and Maps: Pioneers are prepped for every challenge, from fort-building to grief, with maps cutting trial-and-error.
  • Grief Management: Counselors prevent emotional collapse, keeping settlers focused.
  • Economy: Gold and androids create trust in trade without breaking the zero-start ethos.
  • Comms: Inter-planetary knowledge-sharing ensures no settlement fails alone.

The galactic empire’s gift of maps and telecom, paired with human grit, turns 3,000 pioneers into the seed of a new civilization. By Year 100, billions thrive across three worlds, proving humanity can rebuild from nothing—blankets, courage, and all.

We May Need a SETI For ASI

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Excuse me while I think outside the box some, but maybe…we need a SETI for something closer to home — ASI? Maybe ASI is already lurking somewhere, say, in Google services and we need to at least ping the aether to see if it pings back.

Just a (crazy) idea.

It is interesting, though, to think that maybe ASI already exists and it’s just waiting for the right time to pop out.