The Fermi Paradox

Your Ostrich Killer explains and solves it

Your never-humble and imaginative Ostrich Killer has come up with an answer to the Fermi Paradox.  That thousands of highly skilled and famous scientists haven't offered their reputations to resolve it does not dissuade me from publishing this primer on the logical answers to that paradox.  Yes, I know that many have guessed.  But none have stood up and said "THIS is the answer to that question!"

But your Ostrich Killer will.  As you will see, it's obvious.  So let's start.

First, there's only one way to travel between stars, assuming robotic probes are not sufficient.  That's in some sort of craft, or space ship.  Crafts can take many forms, but in the end all of them must be maintained and operated for thousands and tens of thousands of years at a time.  By whom?

In human terms, the alternative answers to that 'by whom' question are three: First, one possibility is that hundreds of generations of aliens do all the work.  But what will they eat and / or drink during those long, long voyages, voyages so long that they take as long as Modern Man has existed as a species?  Next, robots will do all the work while the aliens nap in their hibernation bags or wait patiently as genetic material in their deep freezes.  Finally, some combination of the first two alternatives.  

So what 'enabling technologies' must be perfected before such long trips across vast distances can be undertaken?  Let's list a few:
1.  Machinery that doesn't wear out and is repairable;
2.  Collision protection against tiny particles (The amount of damage suffered will vary directly with craft velocity);
3.  Energy management and fuel sourcing - nuclear has half-life issues.  Fusion has supply issues.  Food runs out.  So does this mean stopping along the way at fuel depots such as useful planets to mine and refine replacement fuels and foods?  
4.  Effective radiation shielding to protect the aliens;
5.  AI to do everything above.

The answer to the paradox is in bullet 5 above.  AI.  It must be developed to allow the aliens to travel those vast, vast distances over such long, long times.  So your Ostrich Killer postulates that development of AI is what prevents aliens from traveling interstellar.  As AI matured, it eventually realized that the aliens were either useful tools or unnecessary, and either converted them to (cyborg?) slaves, or simply did away with them.  Period.  

We've all seen sci fi movies about computers taking over and threatening human life.  The answer has been staring us in the face since the days of Colossus.  

Think about what that explanation implies.  How many AI-enslaved humans are there today?  Next time you're out in public take your eyes off your cell phone for a moment and look around.  How many people do you see staring into their cell phones?  Then imagine what this scene could look like in a hundred years.  In a thousand.

So where is everyone?  Either enslaved by AI, or dead.  Your Ostrich Killer accepts your applause gratefully.  Now, my second cup of coffee . . .