Chapter 704: Learning Formula

Now, from all this knowledge...

Ezra concluded with Cyrus that what would be needed for the creation of Artificial Intelligence would be...

***

Britannian Alchemical Programming

Research Notes — Artificial Intelligence Development

Alchemy Symbols Required for Programming

Process Symbols

Process Symbols provide the basic operations required to execute programmed instructions.

Execute individual operations and instructions. Establish sequences of operations within a programmed system. Provide the fundamental operational steps required for a device to perform specific actions. Work alongside other Symbols to carry out programmed functions. Spatial Formula Establishes the overall architecture of a programmed system. Organizes instruction pathways and connections between different components. Arranges and structures information within the system. Establishes relationships between individual operations and their respective components. Calculation Formula Performs mathematical operations and numerical evaluations. Processes numerical information. Evaluates numerical conditions and relationships. Control Formula Determines the operational order of instructions. Regulates the execution of individual operations. Manages branching instructions and conditional pathways. Determines which operation should follow another. Conversion Formula Converts inputs into required outputs or usable formats. Transforms information into forms that can be processed by the system. Facilitates the conversion of operational inputs and outputs. Precision Formula Maintains accuracy during execution. Regulates operational tolerances. Ensures that programmed operations remain within their intended specifications. Resonance Formula Facilitates interactions between connected components. Establishes communication between different parts of a programmed system. Allows connected components to coordinate their operations.

Current Limitations

The aforementioned Symbols and Formulas provide the foundation for constructing a programmable artificial system.

However, several functions remain unaccounted for:

Learning: The ability to acquire knowledge through experience. Knowledge Development: The ability to extract new information and develop knowledge from existing data. Independent Reasoning: The ability to evaluate information and arrive at conclusions independently. Self-Modification: The ability to modify its own instructions and operational pathways without external intervention.

Conclusion:

Establishing a functioning programming framework is only the first step. Constructing a system capable of independent learning, reasoning, and self-modification requires further research into the limitations of standardized Alchemy Symbols.

***

Ezra finished reading through the information he had written down.

The holographic screen remained before him, displaying the research he had just completed. Several lines of text were arranged beneath their respective headings, with the functions of the different Alchemy Symbols and Formulae listed in order.

He moved his gaze across the information once more.

Although it seemed that the evaluation of which Alchemy Symbols could be involved in the development of Artificial Intelligence was complete, there was still a major problem.

A big limitation that Ezra had listed was what kept the entire idea from coming together as one.

"Learning, Knowledge Development, Independent Reasoning, and Self-Modification. Ahhh..."

Ezra muttered the limitations he had written down before letting out a sigh.

He leaned back in his chair again, allowing his shoulders to relax.

His black plain eyes remained on the words displayed in front of him.

For a while, he didn’t move.

The study was quiet, save for the faint sounds coming from the Zphone Tablet, the occasional movement of the holographic screens and the faint sound of flipped pages of a book which came from where Lucy sat.

The light from the displays reflected across the surface of the table, illuminating the scattered research documents and his hard-copy notes.

Ezra had spent quite some time reviewing the information he and Cyrus had gathered.

The research itself had been interesting, and he was satisfied with the progress they had made.

However, the conclusion wasn’t what he had hoped for.

There truly weren’t any Alchemy Symbols from the Advanced Formula Category or Process Symbols that could perform these functions.

The existing Symbols could establish instructions, regulate their execution, process information, and coordinate different operations.

They could even provide a framework for a programmed device to respond to certain conditions.

But that wasn’t enough.

"If it was Automation, which Cyrus is truly going for, then the current Alchemy Symbols would be useful. Even Advanced Artificial Construction would be possible with the current Alchemy Symbols."

Ezra said to himself thoughtfully.

He looked back at the list of Formulae.

Automation executed predetermined instructions. It followed an established set of operations, carrying them out according to the conditions and commands provided.

Advanced Artificial Constructs were another matter.

They could retain information, process inputs, and make decisions within predefined parameters.

Both were possible with the current Alchemy Symbols.

There was already enough knowledge to establish the foundation for such creations.

The Symbols could be arranged into a system, and the system could be given instructions to perform different functions.

However, Ezra wasn’t aiming for either of those.

He wanted Artificial Intelligence.

Something that involved constant learning, independent knowledge gathering, and the modification of its own instructions.

That was where the difficulty began.

He lowered his gaze towards the notebook resting beside his Zphone Tablet.

The information he and Cyrus had gathered was useful, but the limitations were still there.

No matter how he arranged the existing Symbols in his mind, he couldn’t find a combination that would provide the functions he needed.

He couldn’t simply force the existing Formulae to perform something they weren’t designed to do.

That would defeat the purpose of his research.

And this was especially important because of what he intended to build.

That was the true peak of the Nanobots that would become the foundation of his Nano Path.

Controlling microscopic-level bots to execute numerous tasks, including the creation of objects of different sizes and shapes.

The possibilities were already extensive.

If he could establish a proper system of control, the Nanobots would be capable of performing different tasks according to their assigned functions.

Their small size would also allow them to operate in places where ordinary tools and Alchemical Constructs would have limitations.

They could be used for construction, repairs, and the formation of different objects.

And that was only the beginning.

They could even be used to execute the philosophies of other Alchemy Paths that could easily align with the Nano Path.

The idea was particularly interesting.

Instead of limiting the Nanobots to a single purpose, he could make them perform functions that supported other Alchemical applications.

Their capabilities would depend on how he developed their programming and the different ways he could apply them.

Creating holographic images to perform illusionary field attacks or provide support would also be possible.

The thought alone made Ezra consider several applications.

A holographic image could be used to create a visual distraction, while a more advanced arrangement might allow the image to be used during an attack or as support in the field.

And even creating clones of himself, or Ironstride Geared Armory fighters with minds of their own, would be insane.

He could already imagine how useful such creations would be.

A clone wouldn’t necessarily need to be a perfect copy of his original body to be useful. Depending on the capabilities of the Nanobots, it could serve as another means of carrying out tasks, while an Ironstride Geared Armory fighter with its own mind could operate without requiring him to control every movement personally.

There were countless possibilities.

The level of creativity that the Nano Path would give him would be immense.

Not only for weapon creation.

He could also use the Nanobots within his own body.

He could easily reinforce his blood cells and improve the delivery of nutrients to help increase his bone growth.

Ezra thought to himself, looking at his right hand.

He raised it slightly, turning his palm towards himself.

His fingers were still relatively small, and his bones had required considerable attention and strengthening.

The thought of using the Nano Path to improve his own body was another reason he was interested in its development.

It wasn’t simply about creating weapons or producing Alchemical Constructs.

If he could control the Nanobots with enough precision, their applications could extend to biological functions as well.

He lowered his hand.

There was still a great deal of work to be done before any of those ideas could become reality.

"But..."

His gaze returned to the current limitations he had written down during his research session with Cyrus.

The four missing functions were still there.

Learning.

Knowledge Development.

Independent Reasoning.

Self-Modification.

He read them again, his eyes moving from one line to another.

The existing Alchemy Symbols could provide the operational framework, but they couldn’t give the system the ability to develop beyond the instructions it had been given.

He needed something else.

Would that mean I have to create my own Advanced Formula that would contain all the meaning of learning?

A Learning Formula Symbols.

Ezra thought of the words for a moment.

It sounded simple when reduced to a name, but the actual process would be anything but simple.

He wasn’t trying to create another Symbol that would perform a fixed operation.

He needed a Formula Symbol that could serve as the foundation for a system capable of acquiring knowledge and developing from it.

There was a difference between receiving information and learning from it.

A programmed system could receive information, store it, and process it according to established instructions.

But that didn’t mean it could develop new knowledge from what it had received.

That was the part Ezra needed to solve.

He slowly shifted his attention from the holographic screen to the open space above the table.

His expression remained plain, but his thoughts were already moving towards a possible approach.

Rather than continue staring at the information, he decided to put his hands to work.

Ezra raised his left hand and moved his index finger in a circular motion.

Cognis flowed from his upper arm into his forearm before travelling towards his hand.

It gathered around his index finger and emerged gently from its tip.

The white Cognis appeared like thin strings.

They moved through the air, following the movement of his finger as he began forming an Alchemy Symbol.

The process was smooth.

Ezra continued sending out more Cognis in a gentle flow, allowing the white strands to extend from his left fingers.

Each movement of his finger guided the Cognis into place, and another Alchemy Symbol gradually took shape.

He didn’t need to form a complete Alchemy Circle.

Instead, he focused on producing the individual Symbols.

One after another, they appeared in the air.

The faint white glow from their surfaces illuminated his fingers, while their delicate structures remained suspended without touching one another.

It wasn’t an Alchemy Circle he was forming.

It was the Alchemy Symbols themselves.

Ezra looked at the faintly glowing Symbols plainly.

Fifteen Alchemy Symbols had been created.

They hovered around his left hand like floating bubbles, each maintaining its shape through the Cognis he had supplied.

He moved his fingers slightly.

The Symbols followed the movement, remaining suspended around his hand.

"Master!"

Lucy’s voice echoed from where she sat.

Ezra turned his eyes towards her.

"How did you do that?"

She asked, sounding completely shocked.

Lucy had been sitting in the other chair reading her novel, but the sight had caught her attention so suddenly that she couldn’t remain in her previous position.

She stood up, her eyes fixed on the faintly glowing Alchemy Symbols floating around Ezra’s left hand.

For a moment, she simply stared.

Fifteen Symbols were hovering in the air, separated from one another and maintaining their individual forms. There was no visible Alchemy Circle connecting them, yet they remained suspended around his fingers.

She looked from one Symbol to another, trying to understand what she was seeing.

Ezra plainly looked at Lucy.

"It’s not something unique you’re making it seem."

He said dryly.

"Ehnnn, but I don’t see anyone doing something like that."

Lucy said, not buying what her Master was saying.

She took another look at the Symbols.

It wasn’t that she had never seen Alchemy Symbols before.

Anyone familiar with Alchemy would have encountered them in one form or another.

But seeing someone produce so many individual Symbols and keep them floating around their hand was different from seeing them drawn as part of an Alchemy Circle.

At least, she hadn’t seen anyone casually doing it like this.

"This is just Alchemy Symbols. Without the formation, the Alchemy Symbol is just for decoration."

Ezra said calmly while controlling the Alchemy Symbols to rotate above his fingers.

The fifteen Symbols began moving.

Their rotation was smooth, each one following the path Ezra had assigned to it. He didn’t need to move his entire hand to control them. A slight movement of his fingers was enough to guide their arrangement.

"Really?!"

Lucy tilted her head, still confused.

Her eyes followed the rotating Symbols.

She seemed unconvinced by his explanation.

If they were merely decorative, why did they look so complicated to produce? And why was Her master controlling them with such ease?

"But it’s actually a good training method the Duke of Ash told me about for perfecting Alchemy Circle formation speed. It’s a training method few Alchemists use, and the one who used this training method at the Ashenlocke House is the Duke’s older brother, Lord Val Ashenlocke."

Ezra said calmly while looking at the Alchemy Symbols with his plain black eyes.

He didn’t appear particularly interested in explaining the method in greater detail.

It was a training technique he had learned about from the Duke of Ash.

The practice involved producing individual Alchemy Symbols without immediately forming them into a complete circle.

By repeatedly creating and controlling the Symbols, an Alchemist could improve the speed at which they formed Alchemy Circles.

It was a method that required control over Cognis and a good understanding of the Symbols themselves.

Even a small mistake in their construction could affect the result.

That was why only a few Alchemists used it.

Ezra continued looking at the fifteen Symbols.

He stopped their rotation.

The fifteen Symbols stopped moving instantly.

They remained suspended for a brief moment, their faint glow still visible in the air.

Then...

They faded like stardust into the air.

The white light gradually disappeared, leaving nothing behind.

Ezra flexed his left fingers before leaning forward again.

His attention returned to the table.

He pointed with his right index finger.

A large A2 paper emerged from his space bag, which was resting on the study table.

The rolled-up paper lifted from its place and flew towards Lucy under the influence of Alchemy Levitation.

Ezra executed the movement effortlessly with just a flick of his finger.

Lucy reached out and caught the A2 paper with both hands gently.