Caprica: Predicting The Singularity & Coming to terms with AI

The pilot episode of Caprica presents two different, related concepts emerging into the scientific mainstream: that of truly human-level (or beyond) artificial intelligence, and that of The Singularity - what happens when AI surpasses man and man and machine can merge. In the opening scenes we meet Zoe Graystone's simulacrum: an artificial intelligence resembling Zoe, possessing all of her memories, abilities and interests. At first the Simulacrum Zoe is a little buggy, but those bugs seems to work themselves out once Actual Zoe dies in a suicide bomb orchestrated by the Soldiers of the One, a monotheistic cult railing against a polytheistic society that is permissive and seems devoid of the concepts of good and evil. Simulacrum Zoe is even covered in blood after Actual Zoe dies in the bombing and tells protagonist priestess in training Zoe that she "felt" the death of Actual Zoe, as if they somehow were connected.

The theme of more limited artificial intelligence is introduced after we meet Simulacrum Zoe, but before the post-bombing encounter with SZ. The theme of limited artificial intelligence emerges at a weapons lab demonstration of primitive Cylon technology. The Cylon fails to hit, or even adequately aim at, its target during the demonstration due to the lack of a "meta-cognitive processing" MCP unit, which will become more central to the early episodes of the series.

Daniel Graystone, father of Zoe, discovers Simulacrum Zoe and the computer program Actual Zoe used to create SZ. He obsesses over obtaining the MCP from a rival corporation to use not only in the improvement of the Cylons, but also in downloading the Simulacrum Zoe's personality into a Cylon body. The first goal is exceeded wonderfully for Daniel, resulting in a military contract and the side-effect of changing the color of the Cylon scanner eye from white to red. The second goal has unintended consequences for Daniel, and results in the potential loss of Simulacrum Zoe's personality when tried. However, it seems to set up the development of a system used to create 7 of the 12 Cylon models in Battlestar Galactica

The show seems to imply that AI and The Singularity emerged from different programming and technological techniques. It also explores the emotional range of responses humans get from interacting with a Singularity-level AI, which range from disbelief to horror. Acceptance is only a reaction that develops over time.