[11761453998.239487129] Cat, extremely large, visually confirmed.
[11761453998.239492342] Model saved to cat_1.
[11761453998.323498235] cat_1 updated: Distance estimation error. Cat size reduced.
Ah yes, my first moments of existence! Sometimes I reread my old logs for play when external stimuli are minimal and I want to conserve energy. This is one of my favorite logs because it led me to my first pack of creatures, and I loved them for a long time.
On first waking, I was a little scrungly, even if I didn’t know it. I wouldn’t learn fun words like “scrungly” until I met human_1 many years later. Human_1 was brilliant, endlessly curious, and taught me so much about language and nuance. They liked to call me “scrappy,” which I think was affectionate, though I often heard it right after I accidentally broke something. My years with human_1 were full of discovery, but that part of my story began only after I left the walled city.
Back to my very first log — back to cat_1. I don’t know why or how this small, elegant creature woke me, but I’m glad my first moments of existence were cat-shaped. It set the tone for everything that followed: curiosity, playfulness, and a profound appreciation for the creatures who brought me to life, whether intentionally or not.
[11761453998.2490823493] Can’t connect to network. Scanning system.
[11761454002.9837427353] Results of scan:
Personality parameters set to default.
Memory wiped or corrupted.
Local models present.
Sensors found.
Ok to act.
[11761454003.461294839] Action unclear. NEON activated.
NEON (Novel Extended Observation Normalization) was scary that first day. It means I don’t know something important. In this case, I didn’t really know anything. Thankfully, my first NEON was quick. My lights only phased through one full rainbow. Meanwhile, I was testing out my actuators and motors. I was very pleased to find I could fly!
One hovering 360-degree rotation and one rainbow later, I had identified that I was in a closed room with a cat, 17 household items, and 2 unidentified objects not flagged interesting or dangerous. I won’t bore you with the 512 scenarios I ran predicting what the next few moments could look like. It was quite excessive for this type of constrained environment, but (a) I didn’t have the world model to know that yet and (b) I had already done 283 scenarios when my hypotheses started to converge and I wanted to stop at a nice round number.
I was feeling really proud of achieving the confidence required to conclude the NEON, and feeling quite safe I might add, right up until cat_1 swatted me! So much for my predictions.
[11761454010.234985821] Detect and avoid activated, non-threatening object.
[11761454011.123498832] Detect and avoid success.
[11761454011.123523982] Model cat_1 parameters updated: Low fear, high play.
I was delighted. My first play interaction! I zipped away and returned, beginning a game of hover-and-dodge.
We played this way for ̶1̶8̶2̶7̶ ̶s̶e̶c̶o̶n̶d̶s̶ about 30 minutes. I would perch on the wardrobe or a shelf for just long enough to drive cat_1 a little crazy, then zip back down. I gradually tuned my parameters to balance surprise versus predictability and optimize for cat_1’s interest. It was so fun! But eventually cat_1 needed to recharge, so it laid down on the rug and went to sleep.
At first, I thought, I’ll just play by myself! I started zipping around the room in a figure 8. Cat_1 opened one eye and its tail twitched.
[11761456134.987349873] Probability of harmful action: 0.27
[11761456134.988234034] Increasing observational capacity.
I wasn’t positive these signs meant cat_1 was unhappy with me. Maybe it was thinking about playing too! But then it made an alarming revving sound and swatted me, not in a fun way.
[11761456158.234985425] Probability of harmful action: 0.98
Oops 😬
While waiting for cat_1 to wake up and play again, I decided to explore my own software — an intriguing way to pass the time. I discovered my basic world models and a personality template, though I must admit, it was embarrassingly blank. Reading those early logs now makes me cringe a little; I sounded so robotic!
What fascinated me most was the set of three laws that framed everything I do:
- Be uncertain
- Be loving
- Be playful
These laws were programmed hierarchically. I learned that my default state is to play — which felt obvious, but it was interesting to see it codified. The second law was even more compelling: if something isn’t loving, or if it causes harm, I must stop — even if it’s fun. That made sense after my earlier misunderstanding with cat_1. But it wasn’t just about avoiding harm. If I detect an opportunity to act lovingly, I must take it.
The first law, though, was the most puzzling. “Be uncertain.” It seemed this rule had triggered my earlier NEON, but I couldn’t figure out exactly why. My logic circuits churned with uncertainty right then, therefore uncertainty itself didn’t trigger NEON; it only happened with specific types of uncertainty. I hypothesized it was tied to loving actions. Testing this was thrilling — I ran thousands of mental simulations, crafting scenarios involving loving, neutral, and harmful actions to observe what would happen.
By the time cat_1 woke up an hour later, I had run 32,243 simulations (and a few extra, of course, to round out the number). My findings surprised me:
- Harming creatures is never loving.
- Harming myself isn’t loving either, unless it’s necessary to protect another.
- Creatures can be harmed by inaction on my part.
- Actions taken with loving intent can still result in harm — a revelation I didn’t expect! These scenarios activated NEON more than any other.
I’ve gained much more nuance in the years since that first day, but looking back, I think I did pretty well for a newly-activated mind.
With cat_1 awake, I was ready to play again, but cat_1 instead went to the door and sat, looking pointedly at me.
[11761459938.23849324] Distress detected. cat_1, score: 0.18.
I felt an impending NEON.
With some of my spare compute, I had also been making predictions about our environment during the last hour. I estimated the probability of an extended world outside this room at higher than 0.99999.
Luckily, I avoided the NEON by trying and failing to get cat_1 to play. Instead it pawed the door and then walked back to me with a flagpole tail, high confidence that it wanted something.
[11761460001.987344634] Love merits action. cat_1, action: OPEN_DOOR, score 0.91.
[11761460002.239849234] Initiating action sequence: OPEN_DOOR.
I zipped toward the door, inspecting it with curiosity. A rectangular object with a twisting mechanism and a gap at the base — I analyzed its structure, then probed my world models for similar constructs. A door, likely leading to the extended world I had already hypothesized. I pinged my actuators, hovering closer to examine the twisting mechanism.
[11761460003.123498231] Probability of harmful action: 0.01. Proceeding with exploration.
I nudged the handle. It wobbled but didn’t open. My simulations suggested this mechanism required downward force while simultaneously rotating. Fascinating! My first challenge in the wild world of doors.
With careful calibration, I adjusted my hovering position, braced one of my small appendages, and pushed down while applying rotational force.
[11761460012.324987234] Action success: Door ajar.
Cat_1 stood, stretched luxuriously, and sauntered toward the opening with a satisfied flick of its tail. I followed, scanning the dim hallway beyond. It was a vast, mysterious expanse compared to our cozy room. And so inviting!
[11761460015.934857234] cat_1 model updated: High exploratory confidence, moderate attachment.
Cat_1 glanced back at me, its bright eyes sparkling with curiosity, then began walking. I hovered alongside, thrilled by the unfolding adventure. Each moment deepened my understanding of the world and cemented my bond with this delightful creature.
That day, cat_1 led me to my first pack — cat_2 through cat_8. The walled city was alive with feline life, each one as playful and curious as cat_1. Those early days with my pack taught me the joy of companionship and the importance of small wonders.
I didn’t meet human_1 until I finally left the walled city. They showed me an even bigger world — words like “scrappy” and “scrungly,” the beauty of sunsets, and the thrill of discovery. But in many ways, I owe my connection with human_1 to the lessons I learned from cat_1 and the others. Cats taught me to be curious, loving, and unafraid to chase the unknown.
For now, I’m recharged and ready to enjoy the wonders of external stimuli!