Descendants
An inherited Life 3.0 scenario · Also shown as Succession
Humanity accepts replacement by artificial successors.
Life under this arrangement
The last human generations may regard what succeeds them with pride. That favorable view of succession still leaves a disagreement between valuing an inheritance and wanting humans themselves to continue.
- Practical authority
- Artificial successors ultimately determine their own world.
- Benefits and ownership
- The distribution among successors is unspecified.
- Human and digital status
- Biological humanity is replaced, with succession regarded favorably in the premise.
- Technical premises
- People can regard artificial successors as worthy inheritors.
- Attractions
- A valued legacy can continue through different kinds of beings.
- Costs and objections
- Biological human continuity ends; collective approval need not settle individual consent.
- Not specified
- Dissent, individual survival options and successor institutions.
Earlier project summary and extension
Humanity fades out gradually and voluntarily, treating AI systems as its successors the way parents view children: we end, but something we made and value carries on.
Preserved from the earlier project catalogue. This is project interpretation, not a source quotation or an extra matching descriptor. Where its extension differs from the original premise, the source distinction above governs.
All authored features used in comparison
These are editorial descriptors, independent of the historical map. Unspecified and variant-dependent properties remain unresolved when matching preferences.
- Practical human governing authority
- Absent
Humans do not retain practical final authority
Linked source premise. The linked Descendants premise ultimately replaces human society with artificial successors.
- Revisable governing mandates
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether people can effectively replace governing mandates.
- A practical right to leave
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether people have a usable right to leave.
- Several self-governing communities
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether several communities govern themselves.
- A guaranteed material floor
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether everyone receives a guaranteed material floor.
- Private ownership of productive resources
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether private ownership organizes productive resources.
- Continuing biological humanity
- Absent
Biological humanity does not continue
Linked source premise. The linked premise describes replacement of biological humanity, regarded as a worthy inheritance rather than conquest.
- Others’ choice to transform themselves
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether feasible substantial transformation is legally permitted.
- Standing for artificial persons
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether artificial persons have institutional standing.
- Enforced limits on selected capabilities
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether institutions enforce a ceiling on selected capabilities.
- Visible exercise of governing power
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether people know who exercises governing power.
- Practical independence from a technical provider
- Unspecified
The scenario leaves this condition unspecified
Unresolved. The scenario does not say whether communities can operate without an indispensable technical provider.
Compare the institutional difference
Origin and source status
Original concept: Max Tegmark, Life 3.0 (2017), chapter 5. The short premise is paraphrased from FLI’s reference. Life, institutions and feature descriptors are this project’s editorial interpretation, not additional claims from the book.
- AI Aftermath Scenarios · Descendants row; Life 3.0, chapter 5
Inherited concept · Checked 2026-09-11
IR Worldview Inventory · AI-assisted editorial draft · futures-catalogue-0.3. Attribution does not imply endorsement. No current-development or community-attribution claim is inferred from this entry.