I'm a bit further on in the book now and it just doesn't get any better. By that, I mean, it looks as if every civilization will ultimately be overrun by AI.

In fact, it's probably why our universe seems so empty. No one is broadcasting into space because the window of a technical biological civilization is so short. A few hundred years at best.

A machine civilization that takes over after a biological civilization wouldn't have any need for broadcasting. Everything would be tight band and targeted to the recipient.

In fact, we should be looking at where energy is instead of where planets in the goldilocks zone exist. Machines probably already rule the galaxy and it's only because we're "out in the sticks" with little energy and resources that we've not been overrun yet.

We are doomed.