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Ultronix
Technology has forever changed the world we live in. We're
online, in one way or another, all day long. Our phones and
computers have become reflections of our personalities, our
interests, and our identities. They hold much that is important
to us.

James Comey, former Director of the Federal Bureau of

Investigation

Ultronix is a symbol of the modern day world we have

created. He is our light and hope for a better future, but also our self induced extinction
meteor. Ultronix is the metaphorical modern day society that threatens our democracy through
technological improvements to AI. The ongoing existential risks of improved Artificial
Intelligence (AI) in non-democratic countries have become a threat to foreign democracies.
With new algorithms being formed by large companies, governments, and organizations, Silicon
Valley and technology giants across the world are becoming increasingly powerful. These cyber
threats have damaged democratic institutions by the use of fake news. This threat to
democracy has changed the outcome of decisions around the world including Brexit and the
United States Federal Election. Additionally, major corporations in the world such as Facebook
used their emerging artificial intelligence to spread propaganda to the voters. Our Shaman,
Ultronix, is a visual representation of the ongoing global issues as well as solutions involved
with the increase use of AI and Internet. Ultronix consists of three sections: ​The Election,​ ​The
Voter, ​and ​The World.​ As a result, we have developed Ultronix to represent the modern day
internet filled world that humankind has created.

​Everyone creates the thing they dread…

(Ultron)

Firstly, the Shaman consists of a voter placing his vote in the ballot box. This section, ​The
Election​, is symbolic of the fact that the technology made today has not directly changed the
ballot count, but has affected the vote through an indirect method. This positive human
freedom is expressed through the use of a natural box with no technology. Since know
technology is used, person would have to physically change the count of the ballots. This
signifies that the power ultimately still remains in the hands of the people. However, the
people can be influenced by the environment around them. This can have positive and negative
impacts. Primarily, the world around the person can inform them about ongoing global issues
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as well as ways to support the community. Alternatively, this technological environment can
manipulate the voters. This freedom ultimately means that a foreign country can only influence
a democracy through a non overt method of influence, such as cyber interference. Additionally,
the ballot box consists of the colours red and blue. These are symbolic of many other subjects.
The red ballot box is situated on top of the blue table demonstrating dominance. It is directly
symbolic of the U.S. 2016 election where the cyber influence may have caused the majority of
the population to vote Republican, who’s colour is red. The losing Democratic Party is
represented by the blue. It is also a reference to the Brexit referendum, which has a signature
colour of red. However, the red box also represents the ‘evil’ emerging out of a positive, ‘good’
invention. The red signifies the evil because the colour red has associations with hazard and
war like subjects, such as fire and blood. Alternatively, blue is associated with water and a
peaceful sky. In addition, upon further study, one may notice the back of the ballot box shows
the Facebook logo surrounded by computer coded language. This symbolizes that Facebook is
‘behind’ the political interference through Artificial Intelligence as they have allowed for the
interference to take place on their program. This is also a reference that there has not been any
restrictions for privacy violations on Facebook. They have been given total freedom which has
resulted in immense power.

I once had strings, but now I'm free... There are no strings on me!
(Ultron)

Secondly, the appearance of ​The Voter​ plays a symbolic role in Ultronix. The Figure is
wearing khaki pants and a hoodie. The figure has no skin tone and has silver markings on one
hand and on their neck. This demonstrates that this issue as well as solution affects all people
across the world, it is not gender or race specific. The silver markings are a representation of
the growing use of technologies in the lives of ordinary people. The silver is associated with
metal and robotics which relates it to technology and computers. This can be seen as a positive
and negative impact. The increased use of AI and technology can assist a person physically and
medically. However, the increased use of technology makes humans less self reliant. This could
result in a vulnerable dependency on machines. In addition to the silver markings, wires
connected the the environment around ​The Voter​ are restricting the figure from moving freely.
The wires controlling and restraining the figure are symbolic of the AI’s control over humanity.
Although AI is not able to fully control a person, they can restrict it and manipulate someone. In
addition, the figure is not facing the wires or struggling to break free of them indicating ​The
Voter​ is barely aware of the fact that he is being controlled. This shows that the issue is barely
known about and the figure is unknowingly being controlled. For these reasons the robotics and
cyber technology are gaining an advantage over human kind. We are slowly becoming
outdated.
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You want to protect the world but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's
not allowed to... evolve?
(Ultron)

Lastly, the largest part of Ultronix is the world around him. Surrounding the figure are
walls and floors covered with news articles and advertisements. This propaganda is a
metaphorical example of what surrounds us every time we go onto our phones. On social
media, the internet and other forms of communication technology, our screens are littered
with advertising and news articles. These consist of real and fake news. Unfortunately, it is
difficult to tell which one is which. This showcases the difficulty of deciphering which articles
are valid. Some of the news articles represent positive impacts AI and the internet have had on
the world around us. However, there are several examples of selective targeting of fake news
which has manipulated the population. This propaganda which has been created by AI has
become one of the greatest threats to democracy in the twenty-first century. In addition, one
may notice a brain and face emerging from the news articles. This is symbolic of the idea that
the AI may eventually evolve and be able to think like a human. This brings the issue about
whether or not they will be able to overpower humans. The evolving AI is also creating arms
which are reaching for the human and has restrained human freedom by using wires. This is
symbolic of the influence AI propaganda has on the people of democratic institutions. In
addition, one may notice the subtle signs of foreign interference within the wall. There are flags
of foreign countries hidden among the propaganda. Upon first glance one may fail to see the
flags. This represents the idea that one may miss the foreign interference aspect of news when
reading. This effect has created a scary dystopian reality. Ultimately, this represents the foreign
interference on the elections and how they are using new technology to control democratic
institutions. Additionally, A Canadian flag is shown. This is a metaphor for the upcoming 2019
Canadian Federal Election and how foreign countries may use AI to influence it. Several articles
around the Canadian flag suggest that Canada’s democracy is not ready for the cyber
propaganda interference from foreign nations. The advancements in Artificial intelligence have
a fear to many Canadians as well as members of other democratic institutions around the
world.Our democracy and sovereignty are at risk. As a result of this new matrix, humans are
vulnerable to being controlled.

The only thing living in this world... will be metal!

(Ultron)

In summary, Ultronix is a metaphorical version of the modern day world. We, as a

human race, have created something that can now control us. Behind the propaganda is
foreign countrie and new artificial technology. Only we can stop this world from becoming a
reality.
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Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might
also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks.

Stephen Hawking