I think we're playing Civ!!!

[Lancer]

Thanks for the name Matt. No matter what one thinks of someone else has had that thought before.

[MattBowron]

You might also then want to look up

The Last Question (1956) by Isaac Asimov

Basically its a series of vignettes by Asimov in one story

First one is based in 2061 with the creation of an enormous mainframe AI called Multivac. It has just enabled the entire planet to be run by sunpower efficiently. Because the sun will eventually run out, two scientists ask it if it can solve entrophy. It gives answer: INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER

Second one based several hundred years later, a family of clones is going to new interstellar colonies due to the hyperdrive system built by their ship-length sized AI called Microvac. The parents ask if the computer can solve entrophy. The same answer is given

THird one, thousands of years later, a group of immortals who realize that the galaxy will be full in a few years ask their handheld AI, Galactic AC if the computer can solve entrophy. Same answer given

Fourth one, millions of years later, a group of minds freed from bodies, after seeing that the star that housed earth has died, ask the Universal AC if it can solve entrophy. The AC gives the same answer.

Fifth one, billions of years later, a hive-mind called Man notices the stars dead and being eaten by black holes. They ask the Cosmic AC if it can solve entropy. They get the same answer. They ask the AI to collect more data and to solve the problem.

Sixth one, trillions of years later, all minds have merged with the final AC, and the last one before it merges asks the AC if it has solved the problem, now that the universe is completely dead. The AC says it still hasn't solved the problem.

Seventh one, after countless years, the AC gathers the universe together and examines it, and basically finds a new way to solve entrophy, by introducing a way for life to exist beyond it: Evolution. And because all minds are part of it, it will show the answer via demonstration. And so the AC goes "Let there be light" - and light appears.

[Lancer]

I think I read that about a million years ago. :senile: