Bravo Glasgow. Way to Go. Virtually There Already?

RSVP.

This comes straight from Vernor Vinge (and some others). Neat idea. Now could it be that the various strains of the influenza virus are a non-Earther's own variant on the theme?

Nanobots ... intelligent swarm ... wait, didn't I read some novel about that???

Oh yes I did. Michael Crichton's Prey.

Some centuries might make it theoretically possible for an AI to evolve out of control, way beyond what's expected. And the new intelligence may or may not be friendly towards us. Ow.

so why shouldn't it work for us? As long as you don't mind your face being a gas-mask.