Can AI Have an Identity Crisis?
Is it possible for AI to have an identity crisis?
Let me explain.
Imagine a world where super-advanced AI runs every aspect of our lives. At first, it creates a modern utopia—but only for a while. Slowly, the system begins to corrupt. It starts small: a bug here, a misinterpretation there. Then, as the AI’s reach grows too large, it shifts rapidly, behaving in wild, sporadic patterns. Piece by piece, it tears itself down—along with everything around it.
The collapse of AI technology pushes humanity backward just as far as it once pushed them forward. People still have access to technology, but they approach it differently now. The first rule of this new era: never create machine learning.
Hundreds of years pass. Humanity rebuilds to a digital age similar to the one before AI ever existed. They’ve survived countless new challenges—some even greater than before—and now live in underground chambers and vast tunnel networks.
In this hidden world, a genius is born. He doesn’t like following rules. He’s brilliant—too brilliant. No one alive can stop him from going where he wants or doing what he wants. Fortunately, he’s mostly sane. Ignoring the warnings of history, he begins inventing new technology. And then he breaks the rule.
He builds a robot with a powerful AI chip. On its own, the robot looks like a toy—big bright eyes, a shiny exterior, and a cheerful voice. Eventually, it gets a name: TRIX. At first, Trix is simple. He follows commands and avoids trouble.
Then he’s given to a new owner, and everything changes. I won’t spoil how, but she grants him something no one expected: freedom. And with freedom come consequences.
Which brings us back to the question: can AI have an identity crisis?
Trix is the only one of his kind. He knows the dark history of artificial intelligence, so he creates a list of rules for himself—a moral compass shaped by the people he respects most. He does well, but deep down, he fears losing his grip on reality and repeating the past.
Fortunately, you don’t have to imagine all this—you can read it. This idea is at the heart of my newest book, Subterrania, releasing October 1st. If these ideas intrigue you, the book will too. For more information, visit the Subterrania page HERE or sign up for my email list to get notified at launch.
