SimCity version# 52, would you shut it down?

[Independent voter]

The current version of SimCity is 5, say version 53 of comes out in the year 2217. Version 53 has full AI support with AI so real, you can no longer distinguish between SimCity characters and real life humans in the real world. In addition version 53 of SimCity introduce full neural interface so once you plug in, it's as if you actually are in the SimCity universe. If that's not enough, you have a whole universe of planets to work on including an unlimited number of alien races.

Problem is, you jacked into SimCity with your neural interface one night, had a few at a local pub and you revealed that you were the owner of this simulation and you actually existed in the real world while all the SimCity denizens were merely virtual AI NPCs. They laughed at you so you turned the moon neon pink for a few seconds to prove it.

Problem is, you want to install a new game on your PC which will require you to uninstall SimCity version 53 to make room, but if you do that, the SimCity universe you created will disappear, vanish, poof! And now the SimCity denizens are begging you not to delete their universe.

Do you delete it? Or do you keep it up and running? What obligation do you have to these simulated people?

[Ryme]

So basically, are you ok with killing something with AI?

I think we had a thread on this a couple days ago; I wouldn't be OK with doing it but I think I could be pushed to it with a decent enough reason, this isn't it though.

[Foosha]

I'd fuck with them and push the disaster button a few thousand times before I pull the plug tho

[Belize]

Talk about an existential crisis waiting to happen...

[Fugus]

If you like this thought experiment, you should really watch the movie "The 13th Floor" you would love it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0139809/

[Logwyn]

Keep it running. Go buy another hard drive add it to system. Install new game. *shrug* why not keep them "alive".

[Deleted]

Get another Hard Drive and keep it running. Never buy the next version of Sim City as I'd be scared of creating another "universe" that could so easily be destroyed.
Make sure everyone lives long and happy lives but somehow make them sterile. That way, at one point, they'd all die of old age and I could shelve the HD (since time goes faster in there and you said it's realistic so I could do everything).

[Revi]

I think I would manage to uninstall it, yes.

[Cosmic Janitor]

I would question why someone made an AI so complex in my fucking SimCity game, made by EA no less, and why the game runs like crap because of it..

[Templar 331]

Is this one DRM like 5? Will they know what I do in SimCity?

But seriously, depends on the city/universe that develops. If it's some evil, war torn universe I'd go crazy with destroying stuff before deleting it. If it was peaceful, I'd probably shut it down and save it to a portable hard drive.

[Clone]

I would keep it man. To these AIs I am basically god. Have fun with it. Have a zombie apocalypse, or add a kaiju to the sim every month just for laughs.

Or I can just back up the save files before uninstalling.

[Rudkobing]

If I want to play a new game. I'm playing a new game.

[Piglord]

This is one of the more interesting topics on here. What constitutes life? If something perceives existence does it exist? I'd let the program go.

[Mistame]

I'm still waiting for a SimCity that doesn't suck. Let them tackle that hurdle first.

[cuafpr]

buy a new hard drive problem averted...

[Immitis]

can i fuck ai?

[May90]

That's an interesting question. When does virtual entity become a person worthy of preservation? In the "She" movie an OS exhibited all qualities of a real person, and yet, one could say, it was merely a very complex computer program. Where is the boundary separating virtual AI as merely a program from a virtual AI as a sentient being? I'd say, as soon as the AI starts talking about self-preservation without us specifically indicating it to do so, it is a sentient being. So, if you are going to uninstall SimCity 52 and its population starts begging you not to do it, without the developers intending such a course of action through direct programming - then you should listen to them and not perform virtual genocide.

[Ahovv]

Uninstall.

[Deleted]

The current version of SimCity is 5, say version 53 of comes out in the year 2217. Version 53 has full AI support with AI so real, you can no longer distinguish between SimCity characters and real life humans in the real world. In addition version 53 of SimCity introduce full neural interface so once you plug in, it's as if you actually are in the SimCity universe. If that's not enough, you have a whole universe of planets to work on including an unlimited number of alien races.

Problem is, you jacked into SimCity with your neural interface one night, had a few at a local pub and you revealed that you were the owner of this simulation and you actually existed in the real world while all the SimCity denizens were merely virtual AI NPCs. They laughed at you so you turned the moon neon pink for a few seconds to prove it.

Problem is, you want to install a new game on your PC which will require you to uninstall SimCity version 53 to make room, but if you do that, the SimCity universe you created will disappear, vanish, poof! And now the SimCity denizens are begging you not to delete their universe.

Do you delete it? Or do you keep it up and running? What obligation do you have to these simulated people?

It depends, if can simulate emotions as in react and "feel" as real people I'd keep it up and running. If they weren't aware of the issue I'd might pull the plug...

I think I'd have more problems with killing off the AI world than if I had a button to kill every single living human being on this planet including me.

- - - Updated - - -

can i fuck ai?

I'll be honest, if you could be God...I doubt anyone would uninstall this game.

[Doctor Amadeus]

So I wouldn't delete it, touch it or shut it down, if this is actually life, I wouldn't actually destroy life for my convenience, I would leave it as is, and do some research elsewhere and find the best scientist in the world to come look at it and help out.