Discovering AI106 (DS106) was running again in 2024 gave me pause for thought. My pause wasn’t just on its theme of artificial intelligence or the Week 1 assignment of getting some inspiration by watching AI related films or reading AI-themed fiction. It was also Paul Bond’s Ghosts of future past blog post.
You had me at GITS
I’m a long time fan of 90s Ghost in the Shell (GITS) film and the later standalone sequel, Innocence. The two television series that make up Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex are also great.
Paul’s astute observations of AI in our current era and in the synthetic world of GITS and the big questions around what it might mean for our future all ring true. Yes, to this. Absolutely.
An enduring friendship
There’s another theme in GITS that really resonates with me (along with all the futuristic tech stuff). Friendship and love – the enduring friendship between Batou and Major.
The enduring friendship and love shared by Batou and Major is not dissimilar to the friendship and love (along with all futuristic tech stuff) shared by DS106 participants throughout its rich history spanning over a decade – it is #4LIFE, after all.
DS106 is back for 2024 in the synthetic-full-body-prosthesis-augmented-cybernetic form of AI106. And, I’m here once again.
But, as long as I’m here and we’ve come this far, I might as well stay awhile and see how it turns out.
4 replies on “AI106, DS106 & GITS – it’s about friendship and love”
I love that you focused on the humanity of the story. That seems ever more critical as AI comes and upends things. (Or will it? Is it?).
Kevin
For me, the humanity of it all is just as critical as all the tech stuff. We’ve come this far, I might as well stay a while and see how it turns out.
You are the best synthetic-full-body-prosthesis-augmented-cybernetic form ever, Rowan Peter Peter Rowan is 4 life!
And you are the best synthetic-full-body-prosthesis-augmented-cybernetic Dr Oblivion ever, Jim – #DS106 is vast and infinite.