Watch leader

The Watch leader played an integral role in the routine of the starships on their long journeys between the human colonies in the solar system. Their role was that of a highly skilled one. They were responsible for overseeing the starship crew when they were on their shifts. They usually shared the role with the watch officer on the navy ships. They were typically responsible for acting as an extra set of eyes, especially when the ships grew bigger and more complicated.
But as the development in AI began gaining speed and experienced some breakthroughs, the role of the Watch leader began to be looked at by the leaders of the navy as a role that could be replaced by AI and in around 2256, the last watch leader retired from service. The change from human to AI watch leaders marked a paradigm shift in the Navy as it was the first time an AI had been introduced in a leading role onboard a starship in active service. Many saw the loss of the human watch leader as a loss of a tradition. Still, many embraced the benefits of the AI watch leader as the new watch leaders proved to be more efficient in their management. Given the nature of the AI, it could interact with multiple people and stations simultaneously.
While the profession is considered obsolete in the navy, the role still exists in the merchant navy. Even after nearly 200 years, AI is still an expensive technology that the state can only afford.
Many of the so-called experts back when the change happened also predicted that when the role of the Watch leader went to the AI, it would only be a question of time before AI would run the entire navy with no need for humans. Still, to many surprises, the Watch leader was the only role to be completely taken over by AI. In all other fields where AI was introduced, it was only as a backup to humans or as an enhancement, like on the navy carriers where the AI assists the officers in charge of the fighters to watch over the flight deck and the surroundings.

Alternative Names

Watcher

Type

Administration / Management

Used By

• Empire of Earth

Related Vehicles

• Inspiration-class
• Mythological-class