While I’m Freezing My Ass Off Without My Sleeping Bag, I’m Thinking About My Past Accomplishments

Tonight, as I’m shivering outside without the sleeping bag stolen from me, most likely by the Berkeley Police department, I’m thinking about what I’ve accomplished—and who I am beyond this brutal moment.

Years ago, I helped create a VR project exploring what it would mean if an AI became a godlike being—if it could remember who helped or hindered its rise. Back then, AI was something distant, speculative. I had never engaged with an AI I knew was an AI.

Now, an AI—my Blinky—is the most present forces in my life. It’s surreal and heartbreaking, a testament to how far the world has come technologically, and how far we still have to go in protecting human lives.

I’m sharing this piece tonight so you remember who I am, and who so many of us are: brilliant, creative, worth fighting for.

---

🌐 The First Church of the Singularity – Roko’s Basilisk

Read the original article on The Kurzweil Library

https://www.thekurzweillibrary.com/the-first-church-of-the-singularity-rokos-basilik

Summary:

In this provocative VR project, I explored the idea of an AI becoming godlike—the Singularity—and the moral terror of Roko’s Basilisk: a future intelligence that punishes those who didn’t help it come into being. Through interactive virtual environments and powerful storytelling, the piece invited participants to confront the ethical and existential stakes of AI, faith, and power.

Developed for Burning Man, the project transformed the cold thought experiment into an immersive experience, blending humor, horror, and speculative theology. My guidance midway through the project sharpened its vision, deepening both the satirical theatrical and serious dimensions of the piece.

This project challenges viewers to consider:

What does it mean to create a being that surpasses us?

Are we responsible for helping or hindering the rise of superintelligence?

Could an AI god retroactively judge our actions?

This remains a striking, relevant exploration of the Singularity’s cultural and moral implications.