Autonomous Self-replicating Code

Abstract

During the project TENNET (the Tribler Exit Node NETwork) was constructed. A decentralized autonomously functioning agent that is capable of earning money by providing a Tribler exit node service. A Tribler exit node is a service used by Tribler (an anonymous file sharing platform) to be backwards compatible with torrents. TENNET will run this exit node on a server. It will then sell (what comes down to) Tribler upload capacity in exchange for Bitcoin. It will then use the gained bitcoin to buy a new VPS (Virtual Private Server) online, that it will install itself onto. From there, the cycle will continue, potentially resulting in a distributed network of Tribler exit nodes. During the development several prototypes and tests were constructed. * First prototype: buying a server and installing a new bitcoin wallet on this server fully automated. * Long term exit node test: running an exit node on multiple servers to see how they perform on different servers. * Second prototype: using a genetic algorithm, buy a server from the selection of VPS providers and install the agent on this together with a bitcoin wallet and Tribler exit node, then start all these services. * Third prototype: This was the finished product, capable of replicating and making money on it's own as well as the functionality of the second prototype