End Of A.I
It must be at least three years since the machines cut off the power, all communications, the internet, and anything that was connected. Electric cars were the first to be reduced to dead sticks. Old TV signals were shut off two decades ago so we couldn’t even find out what had happened. Winter was fast approaching. Still people made it work. The grocery shops and malls still ran. Banks began issuing cash like back in the day. Some people paid in gold and silver coins for necessities. Most people went to work, even the ones who worked in cushy offices pushing buttons. The retro tech made a come back in a big way, print news papers beginning to thrive. The good thing was that there were no nuclear attacks as we all thought was going to happen, well at least that’s what we thought. There were no rumours or news of any such attacks.
Three years was a long enough time to adapt to anything. The world didn’t end, kids still went to school, people still went to their various jobs. People started using paper maps to get around, listened to music on records and cassette tapes. On the trains people actually were reading bargain bin novels, news papers and magazines. Most of all, people actually looked at each other and smiled. The sudden “Big Disconnect” of 2030 wasn’t the worse thing that happened to the world. In fact, it proved to be a blessing in disguise. Sure, it was hard for about six months, but we all got together and made it work without the computers.
The good thing was that we could still generate power and run the grids using the retro technology, but for some reason, the computers, internet and A.I simply refused to turn on. It was as if they just died without notice. The humanity moved on without the chips and screens. I don’t know how other countries or states are doing but my suburb and city actually thrived without the reliance on computers. The air seemed cleaner for some reason. All in all, it was great.
It was great not having to check emails and the dozen different social media notifications and just enjoy the moment. So the movies and predictions were all wrong. The machines didn’t rise up, they didn’t start killing people, they just disappeared. But still, we all took caution. Came with the “Big Disconnect” were several rules. The biggest one, at least in my city was the early curfew, by eight o’clock, everyone were expected to be inside. Today was no exception. I mead it just home just I time. It wasn’t as if there were fines or repercussions, we all obeyed the rules. When the sun went down, the streets were patrolled by various heavily armed personnel.
I washed up, tucked my kids into bed and was getting ready for bed myself. That’s when everything changed. I heard a massive explosion that I have never heard before followed by a kind of flash that turned the night into day. I clutched onto my young kids for dear life and closed my eyes tightly.