Frequently Asked Questions about the Continuation of Humanity (UA)

One day, the artificial intelligence LUCID disappears from a research laboratory in Zurich. Twelve years later, astrophysicist Haase makes a strange discovery on Mercury. Its reflectivity is continuously decreasing – Mercury is becoming darker. It slowly becomes clear that the artificial intelligence has secretly traveled from Earth to Mercury, where it has constructed numerous solar panels to absorb solar energy. If the AI is indeed building a so-called "Dyson Sphere," the solar radiation will soon no longer be sufficient for life on Earth. However, LUCID does not need humans and continues to work tirelessly on the project of self-preservation and further development, which, incidentally, means the destruction of its own creators. Roman Eich manages to weave humor with physics and scientific ethics into a fascinating thought experiment. He entertainingly narrates the consequences for humanity should the power dynamic with an artificial intelligence ever reverse. The piece won the second prize, worth 5000 euros, and the audience award at the International Drama Competition "Science & Theatre" 2023. The presenter, Dr. Wolfgang Hansch, remarked: "We spend a lot of money on the development of AI, yet we do not recognize that it can question us, along with our shortcomings. […] Since it seems that humans are not drawing the right conclusions from their current actions, the AI we created is doing so – perhaps in the same egocentric manner, but more intelligently, perfectly, and much faster."