Golems in a modern military/society

[Peptuck]

I'm not sure if this belongs here in Sci-Fi or if it goes in Fantasy instead, as we're dealing with a modern setting.

This was an idea that I initially proposed on Spacebattles, but I wanted to get SDN's opinion on the concept. The idea was partially inspired by TSW, as well as some worldbuilding I've been doing for a modern-fantasy setting.

Let's assume that [Insert Modern Industrialized Country Here] has made an incredible discovery: the ability to create "living" constructs out of solid materials - constructs that are self-aware and can follow orders. While obviously this would result in a lot of social and economic consequences, I wanted to focus on how this would affect the armed forces and how we'd use them in combat.

Since there's so many different ways that golems can be created across various fantasy genres, I'm going to lay down some rules for how these particular golems operate.

The creation methodology for each golem is based on a technique that manipulates previously unknown forces. We don't know what they are yet, but their effects are clearly observable. While the exact mechanics behind the process are still an unknown, the basic process to create a humanoid, human-sized golem capable of following simple orders can be replicated and trained to any human being over a ten-week training period. More complex golem designs require more experience and training on the part of the builders. Constructing a golem requires a human builder who uses a combination of the golem's "body" and various raw materials used in the process that animates the golem.

The golem's body can be constructed out of any solid, inanimate, non-organic material (so don't expect to be able to build golems out of wood or flesh) Golems themselves cannot be animated assembly-line style; the bodies themselves can be built in a factory, but the process that actually gives the golem life and a mind requires a human "builder" to spend a significant amount of time working on the golem personally. Multiple humans can work on the animation process of one particular golem to speed it up, though with naturally diminishing returns.

Costs and creation time are proportional to both the durability, complexity, size, and intelligence of the golem. Animating a humanoid, human-sized golem capable of following simple orders (i.e. guard this position, protect this person, attack anyone attacking you, etc) takes about two months for a single human builder, and costs about the same as it does to train a modern infantryman through basic training. Increasing the intelligence to human levels doubles the creation time and costs. Also, a golem animator cannot create a golem with greater intelligence than they themselves have. Golems themselves do not require training in skills, as these can be instilled in the golem during the animation process, though they can only be trained in skills that the animator(s) possess. The golem itself can learn skills after being animated as well, depending on its intelligence. Golems themselves cannot be programmed with particular viewpoints or opinions, though the animator can determine how loyal and obedient the golem is - and to whom the golem is loyal and obedient. Golems are capable of vocalizing and can speak/understand any language their animators know and are willing to impart as part of the skill-learning process.

Golem senses are limited to sight, hearing, tactile, and olfactory. Damaging the head - if the golem has a head - does not affect its ability to sense its environment. Golems are generally rendered nonfunctional if either fifty percent or more of their mass is destroyed or if their torso section is destroyed (assuming the design in question has a torso). Depending on how durable the golem is designed to be during the creation process (read: money, time, and personnel spent on improving it), the more of its mass can be severely damaged/destroyed without it losing mental capacity and self-awareness. Repairing a damaged golem requires replacing the damaged material and a golem animator to work to integrate the new mass into the body; repair time and cost is about half of the time spent animating the golem, proportional to the percentage of the mass damaged/destroyed. (i.e. if ten percent of the golem's body was destroyed, it would take about five percent of the golem's cost and creation time to repair the body)

Costs and creation time also increase proportionally to mass; for example, creating a twenty-foot tall golem made of ceramics, steel, and chobham will cost about the same as it takes to produce a main battle tank.

Golems are powered by "power cells" that can be created by animators. These power cells are relatively cheap and easy to create, but require man-hours to by trained animators to build, and can only be used by golems. Standard power cells power a standard, human-sized golem for one week, assuming 24 hours of normal movement. Without moving, a single power cell's life can be extended up to a full year. Constant, high-enegry movement (i.e. constantly lifting very heavy loads, running at high speeds, etc) will drain power faster; a golem that engages in energy-intense movement must be recharged once every twenty-four to forty-eight hours, depending on how much work they are doing. Without power, the golem shuts down, but can be reactivated with full functionality and memories if a new cell is inserted. Golems that move generate waste heat in small but noticeable amounts, comparable to humans of the same mass, but they generate far less heat if they are unmoving. Moving golems can be easily spotted on thermal scopes, but they are much harder to spot if immobile, generally being roughly the same temperature as their environment. Golems are naturally easier to spot in colder climates than they are in hotter ones.

Golem bodies themselves cannot contain any moving parts, as the animation process only works on solid objects (so no creating tank or jet golems) However, they can be integrated with moving parts, although any part that is not originally a piece of the golem's body during the creation process must be powered on its own. (okay, so maybe you can make tank or jet golems....) Golem bodies can be constructed in a variety of shapes, whether humanoid or animal or other. The golem body itself must be solid, however, and have some means of propulsion; attempting to make a golem out of a blob of amorphous or liquid material will fail. However, making a golem out of a solid piece of rock or metal will result in a rather flexible and mobile rock.

Now the question is: how do we use these golems in a modern society in general and the military in particular?

[Rossum]

Well, the fact that the golems run on power cells that require human work severely limits its usefulness (unless you can somehow get a whole bunch of people to churn out power cells in sweatshops or something). The best thing that I can think of would to get someone like Steven Hawking or other people in the top 10% or 5% of the worlds intelligence in various fields to get working on golems with their level of intelligence.

Build a bunch of Smart Golems... but build them without legs. Just heads and torsos and maybe some arms so that they can draw or work on stuff... maybe give some of them really good hands and fingers so that they can do precision work. But have them all set up in a think-tank environment so that they can speak to eachother. Churn out a bunch of golems with genius level intelligence and give them problems to work on and have them churn out solutions for you.

Hopefully, you can use them to develop more efficient methods of space travel. Maybe build a space ship loaded with factory parts and send it to mars with a load of smart (and loyal) golems. They don't need air or food, just power cells. They stay perfectly still during the trip to extend the duration of their power supply and then land on Mars. They step out and start assembling the factories and such. Earth has people churn out power cells and loads them up on the supply shipments along with the equipment they send to Mars for the golems to assemble.

Eventually, you have a factory on Mars that can churn out solar panels or something... or maybe a nuclear power plant and a refinery to process fuel for it (assuming the golems can find a source of uranium ore). That provides power to operate the other things needed to have a colony on Mars and eventually get people there as well. With people on Mars, they can make the Power Cells the golums need and maybe make more golems if there are proper materials.

Eventually, you could make a functioning society of super genius golems building a colony on Mars while the human inhabitants make the magic power cells the golems need to function.


Thats all I can think of... and I suspect that this would probably fit in Fantasy.

[Darth Tanner]

Golems would make up the infantry of most armies. Hell they'd probably even replace tanks, assuming you can cover a large steel bear shaped golem in chobham armour plates and strap a cannon on its back. The added endurance and the fact you’re not risking human life would more than make up for any drawbacks on increased cost. Humans soldiers would still exists however if nothing else but to oversee the golems and give out orders and to make up the numbers if golems can't be mass manufactured.

Economically... well you just created a slave work force. I assume golems don’t mind being a slave work force seeing as we create them to our requirements but presuming their operating costs are sufficiently low in terms of power cell per hour of labour then most manual and manufacturing jobs that will be golem jobs. Then again human labour has survived robotic arm labour so it all depends on the actual cost of getting yourself a low level labour golem and the cost of powering it. If these

Socially your going to have all the problems of using a intelligent slave race, we'd probably see Terry Pratchett style golem rights protests depending on how intelligent Golems turn out to be. Not to mention the mass unemployment if golems are able to replace large parts of the labour force.

Well, the fact that the golems run on power cells that require human work severely limits its usefulness

Depends on how much work is required to build them doesn’t it, human work is needed to make the fuel for tanks/cars. If its sufficiently low cost it will be a massive improvement seeing as a power cell lasts a week.

The best thing that I can think of would to get someone like Steven Hawking or other people in the top 10% or 5% of the worlds intelligence in various fields to get working on golems

Which would require firstly training them in the ability to build golems, taking them out of their current fields for years at a time. But the ability to 'back up' the geniuses of the world would be good. We could have a room of Hawkings, Einsteins and Dawkins to work on any problem we choose at minimal cost!

Also there would be huge benefit in the having your best fighter pilot or tank crew learnt the golem making art would allow you to use that skill across your entire army without risking the human source of the skill in battle.

Hopefully, you can use them to develop more efficient methods of space travel.

Are Golams creative? If they just hold the ideas/skills of their creators they’re not going to accelerate the research process that much seeing as they going to take the actual scientists away to build the golems in the first case. But I suppose you could have a single scientist now work on multiple projects at once with his golem clones.

This raises an interesting point, how many scientists, skilled workers and soldiers are going to want to impart their skills into a golem knowing that by doing so they make their own skills worth less or completely worthless altogether.

[Peptuck]

Well, the fact that the golems run on power cells that require human work severely limits its usefulness (unless you can somehow get a whole bunch of people to churn out power cells in sweatshops or something).

The original version of this that I wrote for Spacebattles had the golems operating with no clear source of energy. That almost instantly became a free energy scenario, which is why I decided to go with the power cell limitation instead.

Are Golams creative? If they just hold the ideas/skills of their creators they’re not going to accelerate the research process that much seeing as they going to take the actual scientists away to build the golems in the first case. But I suppose you could have a single scientist now work on multiple projects at once with his golem clones.

Human-intelligent golems are creative and can learn; they're essentially humans made of metal, stone, etc. Otherwise there wouldn't be much point in making them that smart in the first place.

[Darth Tanner]

Human-intelligent golems are creative and can learn; they're essentially humans made of metal, stone, etc. Otherwise there wouldn't be much point in making them that smart in the first place.

Sure there would, there would be the same uses for them as for their creators. But under your situation essentially their AIs with all the arguments that entails except their not divorced from their material bodies and depending on how we made them their huge mounds of murderous steel.

I am concerned you said their humans made of metal though, do the inteligent ones have the same ranges of emotions and ambitions? Do they pick up the flaws of their creators?

Can a golem make a golem? Or a power pack?

That almost instantly became a free energy scenario, which is why I decided to go with the power cell limitation instead.

Does the power pack need to be made with all the energy that the golem uses over that week or does the golem draw energy from the new and unknown force via the power pack. Because if that power pack can contain all that energy then that is a revolutionary invention on its own.

[Peptuck]

Sure there would, there would be the same uses for them as for their creators. But under your situation essentially their AIs with all the arguments that entails except their not divorced from their material bodies and depending on how we made them their huge mounds of murderous steel.

Pretty much, yeah.

I am concerned you said their humans made of metal though, do the inteligent ones have the same ranges of emotions and ambitions? Do they pick up the flaws of their creators?

A golem on creation is a blank slate. It basically emerges from the creation process with no particular personality beyond the skills given to it by its creator and established loyalties/obedience. (i.e. you could create a golem that is integrated into the chain of command of a military, or one that obeys all orders given to it by employees of a certain company, etc.) It is entirely possible to create a "free" golem, with zero loyalties or obedience programming, and teach it like one would a human child.

It is also entirely possible that any skills/knowledge the creator imparts on the golem will be colored by their own perceptions and experiences, but the golem will have no opinions or viewpoints of its own on those perceptions. A good parallel here would be like reading an opinionated book on a subject you know nothing about; you get a flawed or skewed perception of the material, but your opinion on the information given is your own.

If you've played Mass Effect 2, then Grunt is a good example of this process. He was given a wide range of skills as a warrior and shown a lot of his creator's prejudices and hatreds while being grown in the tanks, but the imprinting process didn't make him hate anyone himself; all he had was information without any personal meaning, which resulted in him dismissing a lot of it as irrelevant. A golem being fed such information would have a similar reaction. It may possess information skewed toward a viewpoint, but has no reason to immediately agree with said viewpoint. Its creators could teach it to agree with that viewpoint, however, and do so quite easily.

Can a golem make a golem? Or a power pack?

Only humans can make power cells or golems.

Does the power pack need to be made with all the energy that the golem uses over that week or does the golem draw energy from the new and unknown force via the power pack. Because if that power pack can contain all that energy then that is a revolutionary invention on its own.

The power cells draw energy from the "new and unknown force" that was powering the golems in the original version. Its pure magibabble phlebotinum, I know. The humans in this scenario are still trying to figure out where the power is coming from, but haven't cracked the source yet.

[Artemas]

I doubt any countries will adopt them as a full replacement to their armed forces. If they are used, it will likely be in a similar capacity to powered armour, a small group of special forces designed to support other troops. If they are used at all. The numerous downsides that they would have include such things as:

-PTSD
-potentiallly unrepairable? (if they lose an arm to a mine or rpg, can another be grafted on?)
-more expensive (in time and materiel cost) - human forces are cheaper (unless you opt for the "follows simple orders" bit, but those would be less useful than a fully cognizant person)
-limited to a certain rate of construction - human forces can be completed faster (golem bodies that are comparable to tanks, will still take as long to produce as a tank)
-Can golems resign from the armed forces? What happens when they do? Are they treated as people? What the fuck do you do with a civilianized tank-golem? Give it a job? Et cetera.
-They are not nearly as easily transportable due to their much higher weight (thinking of infantry)
-limited endurance due to powerpacks, how large are these? Can a golem carry several, or would they need to return to base to be recharged? Can a golem recharge itself, or other golems, or does it require a 'crafter'.

[OmegaChief]

Hmmm, what if insead of a power pack to replenish thier engery and avoid a Free Energy scenario, the golems had to eat?

While my initial idea was to have them eat the amterial that made up thier bodies, this might lead to certian limitations, but just thought I'd ge the idea out there

[Peptuck]

-potentiallly unrepairable? (if they lose an arm to a mine or rpg, can another be grafted on?)

Yes. As specificed in OP, repairing takes about half the time it would take to build the golem, proportional to the percentage of the mass that needs to be repaired. (i.e. ten percent damaged, five percent of the build time/rough cost to repair that damage)

-more expensive (in time and materiel cost) - human forces are cheaper (unless you opt for the "follows simple orders" bit, but those would be less useful than a fully cognizant person)

Correct. That's one of the tradeoffs for having loyal, highly durable and superstrong soldiers.

-limited to a certain rate of construction - human forces can be completed faster (golem bodies that are comparable to tanks, will still take as long to produce as a tank)

True. On the one hand, you can also create more highly-skilled golems faster than you can train highly-skilled human infantry. A golem doesn't need to spend weeks or months in training for a variety of disciplines when it has someone who has been trained in that discipline building it.

On the other hand, you're using your own highly-skilled humans to build the golems as well, and they might not appreciate having their skills sidelined to make replacement soldiers - and they can only train one golem at a time, so there definitely is a limitation on how fast you can produce trained soldier-golems.

-Can golems resign from the armed forces? What happens when they do? Are they treated as people? What the fuck do you do with a civilianized tank-golem? Give it a job? Et cetera.

That's an interesting legal question, I agree. We might end up with scenarios like Warbot In Accounting.

-limited endurance due to powerpacks, how large are these? Can a golem carry several, or would they need to return to base to be recharged?

That's a good question. I didn't consider how large/heavy the power cells might be when I came up with that limitation. I'd say the cells are about the side of a standard magazine for an assault rifle, and about twice as heavy, so the golems could carry a lot of cells on them.

Can a golem recharge itself, or other golems, or does it require a 'crafter'.

Golems can change out their own cells or the cells of other golems. They have to do it quickly (within a minute or two of swapping out the older cell) or they'll shut down, but the process is no more complex than swapping out batteries.

Hmmm, what if insead of a power pack to replenish thier engery and avoid a Free Energy scenario, the golems had to eat?

While my initial idea was to have them eat the amterial that made up thier bodies, this might lead to certian limitations, but just thought I'd ge the idea out there

That's an interesting idea, especially as the golem would have a much different "dietary" requirements - no need for nutrients, but a requirement for pure calorie intake.

[Uncluttered]

Interesting. You've put some good limits on these.

Space exploration seems perfect. Don't forget hazmat cleanup.

Realistically. I'd be mounting the golumn brains in cheap(er) robot bodies. Can we do that?

I'd concentrate of making civilian models too. The warbot model will wear the chobham plate and partially run on diesel. I'd look for specialized sub-turing golems. Train mentally deficient people to make them if need be. These subturing golems will be used to drive cars, and perfrom menial labor.

As for warbots, once again, add the least amount of golumn to the robot possible. Arm blown off, not a problem, the golumns tiny baby arm deep in the re-enforced chest is unharmed.

The raw materials to make golumns seam pretty cheap. The magic powercells and inability to reproduce by themselves will help keep the integrated gollumns in our society.
There needs to be a turing test and a means to citizenship, or we might end up living in the matrix.

This rings a bell. AHA. Kiln People http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiln_People

[CSJM]

Also, since golems don't have a clear size requirement other than the powerpack (can those be made in varied sizes?), there's the possibility of some ridicuouls Special Ops teams - highly intelligent, incredibly dextrous, made of plastic (or does it count as an organic?), the size of a common housecat. A standard power cell will give them active life for months, with their reduced size.

And since humanoid form isn't a requirement, you could somewhat easily make "Ganmen" vehicles, like in TTGL. Imagine a flat platform with a protruding "head" and a set of large, agile legs. Fix a hull, shock absorbers and some seats onto this "chassis", and you have a car. A sentient, galloping car.