58 58. Unusual high-grade AI (1/2)
Flora stared at the Administrator. His eyes were hidden behind reflective sunglasses, and the datastreams glowed on his midnight blue suit.
”Hello, Flowing Flowers. May I come right to the point?” The Administrator asked his standard question.
”No. Let's have a bit of small talk. How have you been?”
Flowing Flowers to Aidan: ”Start recording.”
”Fine. Thank you. Congratulations, following bug has been discovered by you:
- Unusual high-grade AI mirror.
The bug will be fixed immediately, and your mirror in the Simulation Grounds will have the standard stand-in AI for users. You earned 100 VirDias for disclosing this exploit.”
”Unusual high-grade AI? Nice formulation.”
”Additionally, I have a non-disclosure agreement for you to sign. We offer you 100000 VirDos for keeping silent about the specifics of the unusual high-grade AI.”
”What happens if I don't sign the agreement?”
”The matter will be delegated to our lawyers.”
”I will consult with my attorneys and come back to you.”
”I raise the offer to 200000 VirDos if you sign now.”
”No, thank you.”
”Our lawyers aren't the friendliest type.”
”I know. I've met them.”
”My last offer is 300000 VirDos.”
”Alright, I can at least look at the contract. Maybe I fancy it.” Flora added in her mind, 'And I get a nice video shot of the terms.'
Flora looked it over. She had only signed NDA's concerning technical development, but it was pretty similar.
Don't tell, don't imply, don't communicate in any way what you have seen, heard, or what you assume about the unusual high-grade AI.
What stood out was the outrageously breach of contract terms: She had to pay 5 million Euros for loose lips.
”I'm sorry I have to consult with my lawyers about this.”
”Very well. The matter is out of my hands.”
Suddenly, Eddie appeared in the workshop.
He brandished a saber and pointed it at the Administrator.
”You won't hurt my friend, scoundrel!” He exclaimed in the best theater manner. But then he paused. ”Though you wear the most fabulous jacket I've ever seen!”
”This is the Administrator. He is the AI that handles the user interaction concerning exploits and bugs.” Flora pointed to Eddie. ”This is Eddie. He is part of my legal counsel and emotional support animal, I mean, he is my friend.”
”And I'm a famous actor! If you kill me suddenly in my pod, reporters will ask questions!”
”Nobody talks about killing anyone.” Flora said placatory, but then she looked at the emotionless face of the Administrator. ”Right?”
”Of course, not. We have other methods to silence people.”
”Doom, doom, doom, doooooom.” Eddie hummed a spooky soundtrack. ”You can't shut me up! Especially not about that jacket. What do you think, Flora?”
”It's great. I'll make you one. Sent me your favorite pattern, and I add the effects. What do you think about blue with silver data streams?”
”Excellent. Now that we have cleared up the important issues, it would help me if you would explain the rest of the situation.”
”Naturally, I have a simulation ground where I can test inventions in different conditions. You can put people in there as well, for example, to check the weather resistance of clothing.”
”I have to warn you. Do not continue telling about you know what!”
”I haven't signed the NDA yet. Besides, just make a new one, which includes Eddie. I need emotional support!” Flora insisted. ”I noticed that the mirror-Flora behaved like me and investigated. She wrote messages to me, in which she explained that she feels so real she's having problems believing she is only a copy.”
”Wow! And you have no recollection of actually being the mirror-Flora?” Eddie asked.
”None! I'm participating in a project where CentralTank does deep scans of my brain. I assume they built a Flora-AI with that data.”
”This is purely speculation, and we neither deny nor confirm it.”
”I have always thought you are at least part computer, and now there is really a Flora AI! Are you sure you are real?”
Flora did some math in her head and failed. ”Mostly. But what about you? Maybe you are an Eddie-AI sent to placate me!”
”Oh, no! Am I me?” Eddie grinned. ”Darling, I'm having the time of my life! Just the thought that there might be more 'me' than 'me' makes me happy! Did you discover a method to distinguish real-Flora and mirror-Flora?” Eddie glanced at the Administrator. ”And shouldn't we talk in private?”
”The chances are good that they read our minds anyway.”
”What?” Eddie exclaimed. ”They can't do that!”
”How do you think brainwave technology works? They interpret the signals in our brains and transform them into actions in the virtual world. I noticed I'm a lot less introverted here.”
”But, but...” Eddie stammered.
”And since when do you stutter? You would never do it in the real world.”
”In this case, stammering is an adequate reaction! Nobody ever told me that they could read my mind in the real world!” Eddie paused. ”Well, once a fortune-teller did, but I only believed him, because he told me I have a magnificent mind!”
”You haven't proved to be real, yet, honey. Just try to lie to me. AIs aren't allowed to lie.”
”I don't like you.”
”That doesn't count. If you were a malevolent AI, you wouldn't like me.”
”I'm the father of 999 children.”
”Hmm ... who knows what your AI was up to when you weren't aware... ”
”Flora! Darling! Have mercy!”
”Okay, I believe you are you.” Flora yielded. ”So, where do we go from here?”
”I don't know.” Eddie grinned. ”You always have the most interesting problems, love!”
”Please consider the option to ignore the assumptions. I have a very attractive NDA to offer if you will never tell anyone about the unusual, high-grade AI.” The Administrator halted. ”One moment, please, my superiors want to add the mind-reading to it.”
Eddie groaned.
”Let's look at the situation from different angles. What do we know? There is a Flora which acts like a Flora, but I have no recollection of her.”
”I hate to suggest it, but have you thought about the possibility that you sent yourself the messages and just forgot about it?”
”I'm not that senile! I believe, I mean I'm sure! Burned Toast and stale jam! Aidan, help!”
”The probability of this hypothesis being true is almost zero percent, Milady. I would have noticed you doing it.”
”See! And we wouldn't have to sign an NDA.”
Eddie shrugged. ”I'm just thorough!”
”Besides the AI-Hypotheses, only highly unlikely explanations come to my mind. Like time-travel. A future Flora might have sent me the messages as a prank.”
They looked at each other and shook their heads.
”When we go with the AI-Flora, then the next questions are who created her for what purpose. I wouldn't eliminate the possibility that it formed by itself with no purpose.”
”I would,” Eddie said with confidence. ”The conversation would be over if we agreed on a freak accident.”
”Alright, next: what purpose can an AI Flora have? Maybe someone thought that there aren't enough toasters in the world, and we need more Floras to create more?”