In 2005, Professor Hugo de Garis predicted that by the late 21st century, the ability to create artilects—hyper-intelligent, sentient machines—would splinter humanity.

Three distinct factions would form: the Cosmists, those attempting to create artilects; the Terrans, those opposed to their creation; and Cyborgists, those who advocated the melding of human and machine.

This division would ignite a war causing billions of deaths and the end of the modern world.

In 2040, his prediction came true.