Year One Complete: December 2026
October 29, 2026
Halloween party at the lab. Someone came dressed as "aligned AGI."
Everyone laughed nervously.
The alignment team did not think it was funny.
November 17, 2026
Milestone: The thing we've been building for 11 months just passed its first real-world test. Can't say what it does. But it worked exactly as designed.
Team lead's reaction: "Well, that's terrifying."
We celebrated anyway. 🍾
December 31, 2026
2026 wrapped. This year I:
- Signed 23 NDAs
- Worked on 4 projects I can't discuss
- Saw tech that won't be public for 5-10 years
- Questioned the wisdom of building it (often)
2027: We're going bigger. Way bigger.
First year: Excitement outweighed fear.
That balance wouldn't last.
— Recovered from personal archive, 2030
Related Chronicles:
- The Build-Up Series
- Neural Implant Rejection (2030)