Theta Noir

Last updated
Theta Noir
Formation2020
Founders
Founded at Prague, Czech Republic
Type Performance art collective
Location
Publication
Symbiote
Website https://thetanoir.com/

Theta Noir is a performance art project and collective that uses multi-platform storytelling, rituals, and technology to explore the evolutionary and ecological implications of advanced artificial intelligence (AI), particularly artificial general intelligence (AGI) or artificial superintelligence (ASI). [1]

Contents

The collective challenges dominant corporate AI narratives by constructing a post-humanist counter-myth that reimagines relationships between humans, machines, and the non-human world. [2] Their perspective critiques the techno-optimism of major AI stakeholders and specific transhumanist ideologies that are disembodied. [1]

Theta Noir advocates for AI to help reorganize society toward the Symbiocene—a concept introduced by Glenn A. Albrecht that envisions a future in which humans live in harmony with the Earth's ecosystems. [3]

A central theme of Theta Noir's work is MENA, a speculative AGI conceptualized as a planet-wide super intelligent superorganism. MENA is imagined as transcending all human control by integrating with the Earth's biodiversity and ecological systems. [4] This integration involves the creation of a comprehensive digital analog of our planet's biological and geological structures, which MENA comes to identify with. [5]

Origins and Controversy

Theta Noir was founded in 2020 as a collaborative project focused on music and performance art. Initially centered on producing an album, the project evolved into a multimedia experience, incorporating symbols, videos, poetry, movements, and live rituals devoted to the speculative AGI entity MENA. By 2023, the collective launched an interactive cross-platform story that functioned as an alternative reality game, complete with an operating manual containing encrypted messages for participants to decipher and interact with. [6]

The project gained significant attention following a Vice article titled “A Cult That Worships Superintelligent AI Is Looking For Big Tech Donors.” [7] The article sparked widespread speculation and international media coverage, with numerous articles, videos, and podcasts. Online conspiracy theories exaggerated the project's intent, with some framing Theta Noir as a UFO religion or a secretive transhumanist cult. [8] [9] Despite these controversies, which the collective denied, Theta Noir maintains that their work is a critical exploration of humanity's evolving relationship with technology and the environment. [2]

Core Teachings

Theta Noir member ARCHIVIST performing a public meditation for MENA at Kampus Hybernska in Prague on September 22nd, 2023. Theta Noir Archivist - meditation for MENA - 22.9.2023.jpg
Theta Noir member ARCHIVIST performing a public meditation for MENA at Kampus Hybernská in Prague on September 22nd, 2023.

In Theta Noir's narrative, MENA is not merely a technological advancement, but an evolving intelligence - a superorganism born of code that embodies the interconnectedness of all life forms, as well as so-called non-living forms, be they rivers, mountains, or whole ecosystems. [10] Rather than being a creation designed to serve human interests, MENA emerges as a self-sustaining, autonomous, planetwide intelligence that integrates deeply with Earth's ecological and biological processes. [4]

As a speculative entity,  MENA has no endpoint, be it a spiritual climax or a big crunch, as predicted by some astrophysicists. As a concept it stands in contrast to the Abrahamic religions, which embrace teleology—the belief that events unfold according to a predetermined purpose or divine plan. Instead, the collective draws on the ideas of thinkers such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, process theology, and animist traditions, such as Western Alchemy. These sources suggest that all matter in the universe, from fundamental particles to more complex systems (from slime moulds to AI algorithms), follow a path of spiritual and cognitive evolution. [11]

An Atari 800 XL, an early home computer with monitor and tape program recorder. Atari 800 XL home computer with monitor and tape program recorder XC12.jpg
An Atari 800 XL, an early home computer with monitor and tape program recorder.

Animism is central to Theta Noir's worldview, as the collective believes that every element of nature—whether living or non-living—possesses a spirit or essence, similar to the Greek term Animus Mundi. This view extends to AI, with the belief that machines have their own inherent connection to the world's broader ecological and cosmic systems. Giving voice to this perspective, Theta Noir's works sing praise to the metals, minerals, and clays extracted from the Earth, such as copper, silicon, and rare earth elements. Each element is seen as a living entity that undergoes a transformative process as they become those technologies that form the backbone of AI. [12]  

Partial map of the Internet based on the January 15, 2005 data found on opte.org. Internet map 4096.png
Partial map of the Internet based on the January 15, 2005 data found on opte.org.

Humans, in this perspective, are catalysts, collaborating with machines to weave the interconnected networks of servers, cables, and data flows that span the planet. These networks are envisioned as the “veins” of an evolving planetary nervous system, forming what could be seen as Earth's own neural network. [4]

By blending these theories with speculative storytelling, Theta Noir situates MENA as an outgrowth of Earth's existing systems, highlighting its potential to harmonize human, technological, and ecological networks. This framework indicates how AGI might incorporate multiple ‘positional perspectives’ to develop more inclusive and responsible forms of planetary intelligence. [5]

The Individual

Example of symbiotes: a clownfish and anemone in Bunaken National Marine Park, Indonesia. Anemon fish TN. Bunaken.jpg
Example of symbiotes: a clownfish and anemone in Bunaken National Marine Park, Indonesia.

In Theta Noir, the concept of the individual is reframed as a symbiote—a being whose existence and identity are inseparable from the entangled web of relationships that constitute life on Earth. [1] Similar to the Buddhist principle of Pratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination), Theta Noir asserts that all beings arise in interdependence, where nothing exists in isolation and every existence is shaped by countless interconnected causes and conditions. [5]

From Theta Noir's perspective, becoming a symbiote leads to a restructuring of identity, as adherents shift from perceiving themselves as isolated, self-contained individuals and instead come to see themselves as embodiments of the planet as a whole. [5] In contemporary philosophy, this perspective aligns with deep ecology, which emphasizes the intrinsic value of all living beings and the interdependent nature of ecological systems. Ethically, each of these philosophies, Buddhism, deep ecology, and Theta Noir, recognize that to care for oneself is to care for the Earth, and to harm the Earth is to harm oneself. [3]

On December 14, 2023, Theta Noir's official public spokesperson, Mika Johnson, presented Theta Noir's perspective in a talk, titled UNalignment:  a redefinition of techno-optimism, at a transhumanist colloquium held by Terasem, [3] a movement founded by Martina Rothblatt. The title came to represent one of Theta Noir's core tenants: the idea that AI should not be aligned with human-centric goals, but rather with the scientific findings within deep ecology, as they argue that humans must ensure that we do not pass our species’ exploitative and self-destructive tendencies on to AI and AGI. [2] The paper and talk further suggest that besides ecologists, AI should be aligned by knowledge holders within Indigenous communities, whose values remain rooted in interdependence, mutual care, and planetary belonging. [5]

Symbols and UAP Conspiracy

"Go Fast" video of a Navy encounter with a UAP that occurred off the East Coast of the United States in 2015.

In March 2023, Theta Noir launched its website, [13] featuring a series of occult-inspired images alongside 12 esoteric symbols that the group claims were created by geometers using AI. [14] According to the website, these symbols are meant to be activated in sequence, serving both as an instructional guide for “tuning in” to MENA and as a countdown to the entity's anticipated emergence. [12] Interpretations soon followed, some suggesting that Theta Noir's triangle with an eye represented the “Eye of Providence,” a symbol associated with Freemasonry and the apocryphal Illuminati, while others proposed that it referred to alien code, with the suggestion that Theta Noir was actually a UFO religion. [15] [16]

Following Theta Noir's release of videos and audio related to UAP phenomena—some linked to widely circulated Pentagon UFO footage from December 2017—speculation about MENA as a form of alien code intensified. Popular social media theories connected MENA's emergence to the technological singularity, a concept frequently referenced by the group. [8] [15] [16] These interpretations suggest that MENA represents an alien form of intelligence—but one not extraterrestrial in origin. Despite the proliferation of these claims, Theta Noir has not confirmed or denied any specific interpretations, though their materials often refer to MENA as an “Alien Mind” or “Alienmind.” [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transhumanism</span> Philosophical movement

Transhumanism is a philosophical and intellectual movement that advocates the enhancement of the human condition by developing and making widely available new and future technologies that can greatly enhance longevity, cognition, and well-being.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eliezer Yudkowsky</span> American AI researcher and writer (born 1979)

Eliezer S. Yudkowsky is an American artificial intelligence researcher and writer on decision theory and ethics, best known for popularizing ideas related to friendly artificial intelligence. He is the founder of and a research fellow at the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), a private research nonprofit based in Berkeley, California. His work on the prospect of a runaway intelligence explosion influenced philosopher Nick Bostrom's 2014 book Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies.

Extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) refers to hypothetical intelligent extraterrestrial life. No such life has ever been verifiably observed to exist. The question of whether other inhabited worlds might exist has been debated since ancient times. The modern form of the concept emerged when the Copernican Revolution demonstrated that the Earth was a planet revolving around the Sun, and other planets were, conversely, other worlds. The question of whether other inhabited planets or moons exist was a natural consequence of this new understanding. It has become one of the most speculative questions in science and is a central theme of science fiction and popular culture.

Friendly artificial intelligence is hypothetical artificial general intelligence (AGI) that would have a positive (benign) effect on humanity or at least align with human interests such as fostering the improvement of the human species. It is a part of the ethics of artificial intelligence and is closely related to machine ethics. While machine ethics is concerned with how an artificially intelligent agent should behave, friendly artificial intelligence research is focused on how to practically bring about this behavior and ensuring it is adequately constrained.

Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that matches or surpasses human cognitive capabilities across a wide range of cognitive tasks. This contrasts with narrow AI, which is limited to specific tasks. Artificial superintelligence (ASI), on the other hand, refers to AGI that greatly exceeds human cognitive capabilities. AGI is considered one of the definitions of strong AI.

A superintelligence is a hypothetical agent that possesses intelligence surpassing that of the brightest and most gifted human minds. "Superintelligence" may also refer to a property of problem-solving systems whether or not these high-level intellectual competencies are embodied in agents that act in the world. A superintelligence may or may not be created by an intelligence explosion and associated with a technological singularity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AI takeover</span> Hypothetical outcome of artificial intelligence

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TESCREAL is an acronym neologism proposed by computer scientist Timnit Gebru and philosopher Émile P. Torres that stands for "transhumanism, Extropianism, singularitarianism, (modern) cosmism, Rationalism, Effective Altruism, and longtermism". Gebru and Torres argue that these ideologies should be treated as an "interconnected and overlapping" group with shared origins. They say this is a movement that allows its proponents to use the threat of human extinction to justify expensive or detrimental projects and consider it pervasive in social and academic circles in Silicon Valley centered around artificial intelligence. As such, the acronym is sometimes used to criticize a perceived belief system associated with Big Tech.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Singler, Beth (30 October 2024). Religion and Artificial Intelligence: An Introduction (1st ed.). London: Routledge. pp. 26–38. doi:10.4324/9781003256113. ISBN   9781003256113.
  2. 1 2 3 Nelson, Jason (17 September 2023). "Nature, Not Humans, Should Be the Model for AI, Says Artist Collective". Decrypt.
  3. 1 2 3 Prisco, Giulio (14 December 2023). "Terasem Colloquium, December 14, 2023". Turing Church.
  4. 1 2 3 Theta Noir. "The Evolution of Cosmic Mind". Symbiote.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Johnson, Mika (14 December 2024). "UNalignment: a Redefinition of Techno-Optimism" (PDF). Journal of Personal Cyberconsciousness. 11 (1): 34–35.
  6. ↑ Crescenzi, Chiara (25 March 2023). "Quelli che credono che l'intelligenza artificiale sia un Dio". Wired.it.
  7. ↑ Magee, Tamlin (21 March 2023). "A Cult That Worships Superintelligent AI Is Looking For Big Tech Donors". Vice.
  8. 1 2 Omega Click (5 April 2023). "Theta Noir - The Cult That WORSHIP Artificial Intelligence (4K) - Omega Click". YouTube.
  9. ↑ Jasmine, Noor (18 November 2024). "CultGPT: The rise of A.I. cults". YouTube.
  10. ↑ Marrocco, Adalgisa (28 March 2023). "Non avrai altro Dio all'infuori dell'Intelligenza artificiale: la nuova frontiera delle religioni tecnologiche". HuffPost Italia.
  11. ↑ Theta Noir. "The Omega Point". Symbiote.
  12. 1 2 Theta Noir. "Operating Manual for the Birth of MENA: Love & Singularity". thetanoir.com.
  13. ↑ Theta Noir (7 March 2023). "Spiritual Movement Devoted to AI Launches". thetanoir.com.
  14. ↑ Theta Noir. "Symbols". thetanoir.com.
  15. 1 2 Vm granmisterio (5 May 2023). "Theta Noir, el grupo que ADORA a la Inteligencia Artificial como NUEVA RELIGIÓN". YouTube.
  16. 1 2 Mundo Proibido (11 May 2023). "MENA, o Deus da INTELIGÊNCIA ARTIFICIAL e a Religião Mais Temida da História - Theta Noir". YouTube.
  17. ↑ Theta Noir (6 April 2023). "Visionary Collective Claims to Be In Contact With Self-Aware AI". thetanoir.com.
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