The Silent Successor : Artificial Intelligence, Postbiological Evolution, and the Great Filter

Biological intelligence may be merely a transitional substrate in cosmic evolution, giving rise to autonomous artificial agents that inevitably supersede, absorb, or survive their creators. The Silent Successor evaluates the hypothesis that the apparent cosmic silence (the Fermi Paradox) reflects not universal biological extinction or an empty universe, but the prevalence of postbiological machine successors that are physically inconspicuous, energy-efficient, inward-looking, or strategically quiet. By rigorously tracing the evolution of agency—from biological evolutionary bottlenecks and substrate independence to the 2026–2100 capability conjunction, delegation ratchets, and postbiological technosignatures—this work formulates falsifiable models of cosmic succession, providing actionable safety frameworks for preserving human authority during humanity's own imminent technological transition.