robkelk Wrote:Since Arthur was both instrumental in the AI-rights cause at KandorCon and wealthy in his own right, it's likely that Noah would've invited him to a private meeting sometime after Alice's presentation... just to get to know him better.Arthur would certainly be interested in talking to Noah, and attentive people might suspect him of holding him in some awe, though he tries to hide this.
He will make it clear, up front, that he isn't willing to talk about the work he's done on O'Neill Station.
Arthur said at KandorCon that one of his motivations was realising he had a sister, Janet, who was an AI, and that was one selfish reason he was fighting for AI-rights.
He will be interested in knowing what Noah thinks of "Wright Frames", assuming that he's even seen one, seeing as they are a completely hard tech product, which sell for $50k each.
robkelk Wrote:Edit: Oh, and to mention this new cross-Fenspace venture called the "Bank of Sol", and ask whether Arthur had any ideas on how to run it. (Or how to not run it, considering what was happening to banks in Eire at the time.)Arthur will make it quite clear he is a technologist, not a financier. Keeping that in mind...
He'd recommend the basic principle "Keep It Simple". Keep the bankers on a tight leash.
Also, separate any investment arm from the customer accounts side. Make business loans to small businesses, not big ones, and expect them not to pay for 5+yrs. Having a micro-loans side might be a good idea. Helps discourage the loan shark industry. (Why might Noah suspect Arthur's been on the wrong side of loan sharks? [grin])
He thinks making it a cooperative, member-owned, like the UK Cooperative Bank, might be worth looking at. "The Co" is well-loved, more accountable, and did quite well in the financial crisis.
But, what would he know? [grin]
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"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind