ON EARTH
The Impending Catastrophe
The presentation of the new neural network «Prophet», which predicted upcoming natural disasters, was a resounding success. Its terrifying accuracy in timing and details offered hope for reducing human casualties. The top manager of the «Global» company was Mickey, and he personally presented the product. Everyone was delighted, rejoicing that the future had become less hazy, and that people in any given area could be confident they were not at risk of unpredictable natural events.
After widespread integration — in all countries where there was a risk of earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and other natural phenomena — an emergency response group was formed.
The data was updated daily and everything was fine, but one day everything changed. Mickey had taken that day off. For a special reason: it was his anniversary with his girlfriend, and he wanted to propose to Rosa. Everything was going splendidly: an expensive restaurant, pleasant music evoking shared memories… But then a phone call…
— Hello, Mickey, you need to come to the office urgently, — Karl said in a trembling voice.
— Karl, have you lost your mind? You know how important today is to me! Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow, — Mickey replied, slightly nervous.
— It concerns not just ’tomorrow’, but everything! — Karl responded with resignation.
— Your maximalism will be the death of me.
— If you don’t come now, you’ll hear the news like everyone else, and then there’ll be no time to react.
— Alright, I’ll be there in an hour.
Mickey got up from the table.
— Darling, I’m sorry, but the company can’t survive a day without me.
With a heavy heart, Mickey left Rosa and headed to the office. There was already a commotion around the main building: crowds of onlookers, paparazzi, and media representatives were intercepting everyone entering and leaving, shouting: «Is it true that «Prophet’ predicts the end of the world, or is it a glitch?»
Mickey decided to go through the back entrance. Thoughts swarmed in his head:
«A glitch? How could this happen? Shares will plummet, we’re done for…»
— Mickey, how long must we wait for you?! — the chairman exclaimed in a panic.
— What happened?
— To the conference room, now!
The conference room was already packed; it seemed the whole company had gathered.
— Quiet, quiet! — the chairman said authoritatively as he entered with Mickey. — Let’s begin. Karl, the floor is yours.
— Today we updated the forecasts based on fresh data and got this…
A looping cut-scene simulating widespread cataclysms was displayed on the screen.
— Is this a joke or a glitch in the forecasts? — Rick said nervously.
— This is no glitch. It’s all serious. That’s the problem, — Karl replied.
— But that’s impossible! We looked at forecasts for many years ahead and saw nothing like this, — Mickey continued, somewhat strained.
— Our forecast only went up to two years; this projection is for five.
— Before we scare everyone with the apocalypse, let’s verify the data. And for the public, we’ll leak a simulation of the best-case scenario, — the chairman suggested.
— This is the best-case scenario, and it’s already online, — Karl said sadly.
— What? Then what’s the worst-case? Put it on screen, — he demanded, his voice coming out sharper than intended.
Karl obediently began to fuss and soon displayed all the necessary information. The giant screens covering the entire wall showed data that left no room for doubt: the planet faced inevitable doom.
Silence fell in Global’s operations center.
Karl, the lead developer of the «Prophet» AI system, gritted his teeth and emitted an unnatural sound, like a wheeze.
— This isn’t just a climate shift, it’s a chain reaction that will lead to the collapse of the entire thermohaline circulation and inevitably change the conditions for life on Earth.
Mia’s voice carried notes of uncharacteristic panic. She was a theoretical physicist responsible for cross-referencing data from the «Prophet» system.
— Double-check all the data, and if it’s correct, assemble the response team and notify the UN.
To say the chairman was beside himself with rage and indignation would be a vast understatement of his inner suffering and turmoil at that moment. In his mind, this meant not the end of the world, but the end of his comfortable, leisurely life — which, in his opinion, he had earned through years of work and overcoming obstacles.
The Warning
Til was not merely troubled, but genuinely agitated. Hundreds of behind-the-scenes scenarios and possible situations that led to this crisis
