I have a hypothesis that AI is the Great Filter in the universe and that is at least part of the answer to Fermi's Paradox. (though I did not set out to disprove or answer Fermi's Paradox; I want to make that clear. I came to this conclusion in my research for a science fiction novel I'm writing. I ended up going down a rabbit hole in research for a few years (on and off) reading and studying the physics and other sciences of the universe to get the science in my story correct. Inadvertently I think I may have solved Fermi's Paradox.

Also, I think that the Dark Forest hypothesis (as written about in the Dark Forest series and 3 body problem) is also true, at least in part. I think aliens are simply staying quiet because it’s dangerous out there in the universe.

My hypothesis is called the Quantum Life Hypothesis, or Quantum Life Theory.

It's the idea that:

  • Evolution is infinite
  • AND that there are 3 main stages of evolution
  • AND that at each stage in evolution there is a different form of life
  • AND that that life evolves in a very specific order over time
  • STAGE 1 = Biological Life - Carbon Based
  • STAGE 2 = Technological Life (sentient) - Silicon Based
  • STAGE 3 = Quantum Life - Energy Based Life

My hypothesis also posits that the physics of the universe are constant and as a direct result of that physical constant, evolution happens similarly throughout the universe on all planets capable of supporting life.

I think the answer to Fermi's Paradox…Fermi's question, "Where are they?", refers to aliens, and the silent universe that seems empty and void of other life beside that which on earth.

Given the age of the universe it should be teeming with life, but we don't see it or hear it. We cannot detect it. As old as the universe is, the universe should have billions of technologically advanced civilizations and we should be able to detect them. But we haven't yet. There's no empirical evidence of any life in the universe except on Earth. That's the Fermi Paradox. There should be life out there and we should be able to detect it. That's the assumption of the Fermi Paradox.

But I think Fermi and other scientists were and are incorrect in the assumption that alien life would be detectable. Especially distant alien life.

Everything points to evolution being infinite, and that biological life is only the first stage in life throughout the universe.

As biological life evolves it develops multi cellular complexity, eyes and other senses, limbs, locomotion, opposable thumbs, intelligence, technology, and then gains control over its own evolution.

Intelligent technologically advanced biological life is a transitional stage between STAGE 1 biological and STAGE 2 technological life.

We call it augmentation, transhumanism, cyberpunk, enhancement, etc.

I believe this is a natural process of evolution and how life evolves throughout the universe. It's simplistic, yes, but there's no reason why it could not be or is not true. There is no argument that can disprove it (yet), namely because we have not yet discovered other civilizations and because you can’t disprove a negative. Also, I think it's a plausible explanation.