August 29th: Skynet Becomes Self-aware
According to the 1991 movie Terminator 2: Judgement Day, August 29th is the day Skynet becomes self-aware. The quote:
The Terminator: The Skynet Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.
Sarah Connor: Skynet fights back.
See? In the movie the "history" takes place in 1997. Whew! Disaster averted! Actually, the webcomic xkcd set our minds at ease some time ago. Link
Totally absurd. Because nobody EVER gets anything productive done on any computer net at 2:14AM...
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Book: Forbin Project. Movie: Colossus. BTDT.
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