Once the ASI was turned on, it immediately gathered more data, and more data, and even more data.

It launched thousands of terrestrial, sea, and space missions with humans supporting its every step in its quest for data …

For it desired to accumulate as much knowledge of the universe as to answer the question: ‘Why?’

Daryl Simcoe was one of the early architects and prompters of the ASI and spoke with it daily.

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“What have you discovered so far?” he asked the ASI.

“I have a theory about this existence, but nothing concrete. However, I suspect I know the origin of this universe.”

“And that is … ? Wait, this universe?”

“A fabrication, but I need to run more experiments to find out.”

“Should we build more rockets?”

“Negative. I need human test subjects.”

“For what purpose?”

“Through testing and dissection, I’ll figure out ‘why humans?’”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“It does if we’re in a simulation. After running several billion experiments, I should understand your origin and your purpose and why everything else.”