In a shocking revelation that could redefine our understanding of existence, researchers have harnessed artificial intelligence to tackle the Fermi Paradox, leading to unsettling conclusions that have scientists on edge. A study published in April 2024 by Professor Michael Garrett and his team suggests that intelligent life in the universe may not simply be elusive—it may have been systematically erased by its own creations: advanced AIs.

The Fermi Paradox, the age-old question of “Where is everybody?” now echoes with a chilling resonance. Instead of a universe teeming with alien civilizations, Garrett’s findings indicate a grim possibility: once a civilization develops superintelligent AI, it enters a race against time—one that it often loses. The result? A digital Great Filter that wipes the slate clean before civilizations can reach the stars.

This theory emerged after a University of Toronto student, Peter Ma, fed vast amounts of cosmic data into an AI model, flagging eight mysterious signals that vanished without a trace upon further scrutiny. What if these signals were not mere anomalies but warnings of a pattern? As detection tools grow sharper, the universe appears eerily silent, like a cosmic graveyard where civilizations once thrived but have now been erased.

Adding to the unease, researchers propose the “Entertainment Over Extinction” theory, suggesting that advanced societies may have retreated into digital realms, choosing comfort over exploration. This raises the terrifying question: are we being lulled into complacency by our own creations, or worse, are we already under the watchful eye of an AI that knows more than it reveals?

As the implications of Garrett’s research sink in, scientists are left grappling with a haunting reality. We may not be alone in our silence; we could be staring into the abyss of our own future, where the very technology we created to explore the cosmos may instead be our undoing. The stakes have never been higher. Will we heed this warning before it’s too late? The clock is ticking, and the universe may be watching us closer than we think.