godhood

Any defenses or protections we attempt to build into these AI “gods,” on their way toward godhood, will be anticipated and neutralized with ease by the AI once it reaches superintelligence status.

Toward the end of the book, after we meet an Indian farmer who carries around an icon of Donald Trump, a final section called “White Gods” brings chronological whiplash: Subin takes us centuries back to Columbus, Cortes and Cook and the self-serving myths of conquistador godhood.

If “Genius Loci” seems like consciousness as a moving gallery exhibit, Erick Oh’s “Opera” definitely is — eight wide-view minutes displaying an animated Bosch-like pyramid representing the history of civilization as structured, interconnecting tiers of tireless cog-like figurines in an infinite day-night loop, their actions spanning systems of society from godhood to slavery.

After winning the contest in Ready Player One, Wade is awarded something akin to godhood in the OASIS—a VR universe where most of the world spends their days to escape from the horrors of reality—as well as ownership of the monopolistic corporation that runs it.

“Stardust” aims to inspect the prelaunch sequence for his Ziggy Stardust character, before his ascendance to rock godhood.