 In this argument, ‘AI’ is artificial intelligence at the level of, and created by, human persons, ‘AI\(^+\)’ artificial intelligence above the level of human persons, and ‘AI\(^{++}\)’ super-intelligence constitutive of S. The key process is presumably the creation of one class of machine by another. We have added for convenience ‘HI’ for human intelligence; the central idea is then: HI will create AI, the latter at the same level of intelligence as the former; AI will create AI\(^+\); AI\(^+\) will create AI\(^{++}\); with the ascension proceeding perhaps forever, but at any rate proceeding long enough for us to be as ants outstripped by gods. 