Terran Neural Digitising

The TND was set up in 2425, initially a think tank set up to develop ideas and whether there is any possibility of living things being uploaded as an AI. The scientists and academics involved in the discussion were encouraged by the applications of the new Lattice computers which show that there is sufficient memory and computing power to “digitize” a person as a sentient AI. Some philosophical questions did come out of this, whether this would be the person, in digital form or just a digital “ghost” of that person. Also that the person could be cloned AND still be alive at the same time, essentially cloning that person.

CEOs

• Drake Grumman - 2535 - 2549
• Justus Ballinger - 2549 - 2565
• Moros Addamley -2465- 2475
• Olan 001- 2475-2510
• Tynhan 331 -2510-2520

History

Initially founded in 2425 by Abner Grumman as a Think tank tasked with 'researching and lobbying the potential of complete mind uploads to a digital means' the group fell into the leadership of Abner's Son, Drake Grumman, after his Death in 2435. Drake formalised TND as a company based on New Berlin . Abner Grumman was the first Terran to have is brain scanned and 'uploaded'
The TND announced two major breakthroughs in 2439: • Full Consciousness Digital Upload (FCDU) became possible with sufficient data to upload a full human (or other living being) to the computer network where they will essentially become an AI. The first test subjects reported suffered some shock at being “reactivated” as an AI.
• Neural Backup Core (NBC Card) is a cyber implant which can hard-code a persons consciousness and then be extracted on death. This would make the upload process seamless and, conceivably, the AI could then be downloaded into a new body (be it mechanical or biological grown in a lab)
The Company saw extensive growth from 2545 onwards, and continued to thrive with the appointment of Justus Ballinger as CEO
The Company went public in 2460 and House Grumman , the previous majority shareholder sold the majority of their shares and the majority of the business moved to Al-Ahily
In 2471 Emperor Colamere Tancredo introduces an Executive Order putting a 10 year moratorium against TND and its technology. TND appealed this decision to the The Imperial Court of Appeals
Since then TND suffered a sudden financial collapse and was sold several times, eventually ending up being owned by a Martian hedge-fund.

Controversy

TND was a controversial company from the day of it's inception and continued to face constant push back in its development, from many fearing that the technology was unethical and against many spiritual beliefs and personal ethics.
In 2449 The Imperial Council pass the controversial "Existence and Intelligence Laws" which limit what can be done with an uploaded biological consciousness. The ethical and religious consultations are left out of this and a committee is set up to look into the long term ethics of TND programs
TND where the target of many attacks from the Extremist group Burning Path, especially on their Head quarters on New Berlin along with ongoing protests and objections from the Valtanism community.

• 2460 marked the first Burning Path Terrorist attack
• 2466 saw widespread Protests across The Terran Empire
• 2470 Another Burning Path attack is narrowly avoided

Closure

TND closed after Damask, the hedge fund that held the majority shared, broke the company up. The companies business affairs were wound up and TND officially stopped trading on February 1 2520.
A spokesman for TND stated that the corporations business was still going strong but that it required a rethink and a change in structure.

Terran Neural Digitising: Smarter Futures

2425 - 2520

Type

Corporation, Research & Development

Alternative Names

TND

Notable Members

• Abner Grumman