The Dangling Blade

And a backup is only useful if someone is willing to restore you.

Don Whiteside

as we've seen with Momo, consciousness can be downloaded to a new chassis. So there must at least be the concept of a backup or failsafe in case of physical damage -- however if the AI has not been backed up, or the backup is rendered unavailable, it is conceivable that mortal damage to the body could kill the AI as well.

Freya Thurell

The other unknown that needs to be addressed (and looks like we're going there) is whether their bodies are mortal, or whether their identities are backed up in a separate location. If the body is destroyed, are they dead, or do they simply need new hardware?

Ian MacLean

We also know, from pintsize and momo, that you can offload the AI to other media and run it there.

David Howe

Not necessarily murder - it was stated earlier that the AI drives are all that need to survive, but presumably can't do too much when removed from a chassis...

David Howe

Yes, I get it. This was just my first thought. Public keys vs. Private, still I'm standing by my response.

Joseph Ashford

Recover key, and split into n-of-m keyshares, then hand them out to friends - that way no one person has the key and no one person can withhold it....

David Howe

The change has come, she's under my thumb

D.K.

Oh, that smug little smile. That smile makes me want to emulate Faye.

Patrick Liston

Disregarding the whole murder part of that, it may not be so easy. If it was stored on a traditional secondary data drive then sure. But if this is part of her core "mind" memory, then you are likely looking at terabytes of fractally interlinked virtual "neurons" each housing portions of data. That kind of data structure can probably only be realistically accessed by essentially running the brain.

ZPX

Pretty sure she could extract the encryption key from what remains of Corpse Witch's AI drive...

David Howe

Well, that's certainly part of the initial human response too: am I bleeding, is anything broken. As a robot though, all of that is superficial and better analyzed with diagnostic scanners. To do an initial touch, ok, but to then dwell on it for several panels seems more emotive than diagnostic. *shrug*

ZPX

could be spot checking for physical damages that sensors cannot pick up.

Corpse Witch maybe needs to be more careful.

Katherine Prewitt

Spoiler: Bubbles' memories are of her travels with Bembo in the land of the Ferret King.

Diptych

That's 'cause we answered that one! And she's lovely!

Diptych

So Drama. Excellent.... the season is going to end on a cliff-hanger! We will have to look at xmas re-runs of hypnotoad.

we do have some of an explanation: <a href="http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2085" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2085</a> and <a href="http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2284" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2284</a>

We haven't had an explanation of how AIs came to exist. In Neptune's Brood by Charlie Stross, the AIs are human personalities translated into machine form, and they regard themselves as the next phase of the human race. They keep even the apparently useless human characteristics because they don't know which ones they could engineer out without breaking themselves - it is analagous to a complex ecosystem I suppose. Maybe that is part of the explanation here.

Andrew Armstrong

I find it interesting that despite how much witch disparages humans, she still retains a number of purely human mannerisms. Rubbing her cheek, clutching her throat... as a robot she shouldn't be experiencing the physical sensations humans do, or at least could easily disregard them as unnecessary noise. Those would be deliberate subroutines designed to emulate human behaviors. Strange that she keeps them. Though with a complex emergent system like true AI, in might not be so easy to extract, who knows?

ZPX

For those thinking Hanners or her dad. EMILY for gods sake is a bloody genius :D although I hope it doesn't get her in trouble lol

Jacob Crux

Hanners! Or more specifically, her dad.

Joseph Ashford

Keys, keys... Now the hell did I put those keys?

Joseph Ashford

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lilibat

... but it's Thursday? Oh wait, but it's Friday's comic. Because a day early. Right. /sob

Sian

We know someone super smart who could re-encrypt them right? Emily? Maybe????

Sian

We're a long way from "Will Marten ever find love?" territory ...

Oh, wow.

Czarzhan

Ze meatball, it is getting so spicy!

Onedavewreckingcrew

I always think "thank goodness it's only Thursday's comic" before realizing it's Friday and I have to wait all weekend to read more.

Eric Sieck

AHHHHHHHHHH

Caroline Thornton

Traumatic memories from the past? No wonder she and Faye got along.

Samantha Yeaman

Well then, locked away memories eh?

Lord Crusade