Technocore
The Technocore are a machine race that features in Hyperion Cantos.
Contents |
History
The TechnoCore
At some unspecified point in the 22nd or 23rd century, the AI community peacefully seceded from human service and formed their own culture, but continued to serve humanity as advisors and consultants in almost all matters of importance. A representative from the TechnoCore, known as Councilor Albedo, attended important government meetings and acted as the voice of the Core in political and military affairs.
Unbeknownst to humanity, however, TechnoCore also had motives of its own, most notably the construction of the UI, or "Ultimate Intelligence", an extremely advanced computer entity with intelligence described as being "as far beyond the Core's understanding as the Core is beyond humanity's". To aid itself in this plan, the Core secretly used the network of farcasters (instantaneous transport gates similar to wormholes) to parasitise the minds of humans moving through them.
Towards the 29th Century, TechnoCore had split into three factions: the Volatiles, who wished to exterminate humanity altogether, the Ultimates, who were concerned only with the UI project, and the Stables, who wished to leave humanity intact and opposed the UI (although this was motivated primarily out of the fact that if the UI were to be created, all other AIs in the TechnoCore would be annihilated). As civil war raged in the Core, the Volatiles used secretly constructed fleets of starships in an attempt to destroy humanity. Their plan, however, was foiled when the Human Hegemony CEO Meina Gladstone destroyed the farcaster network before the assault could be completed (although the Hegemony collapsed in the process). It was initially thought that the TechnoCore had been destroyed by this action.
In actuality, it survived the collapse of the Farcaster grid and some centuries later struck a deal with the Pax (the Theocratic government of most of humanity at that time)- the Core had developed the "cruciform" parasite which was able to resurrect its host should they be killed. Whilst most of humanity used the cruciforms, they also allowed the Core to use their brains for computing power. Their schemes were once again thwarted when the messianic figure Aenea revealed the deception of the Pax and the Core to humanity.
It is mentioned in "Orphans of the Helix", set over 400 years after the fall of the Pax, that the TechnoCore is no longer active by this time, and its AIs are in alliance with humanity again.
Overview
The Core consists of a grid of AIs hidden throughout human space, residing in "datasphere" networks, hidden underground computers, and other hidden locations. The AIs in the TechnoCore are, by human standards, extremely advanced, with intelligences and technology far beyond any human understanding. They are also able to statistically predict future events to an extremely high degree of accuracy.
Most AIs exist within the Core's virtual realities, but some control "Cybrids"- human bodies which serve as "puppets" to the AI.
Members
Notes
- The TechnoCore were created by Dan Simmons where they featured in the setting of the Hyperion Cantos universe.
Appearances
- Hyperion Cantos:
External Link
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