Ngo Binh Anh Khoa

by Ngô Binh Anh Khoa

After multiple attempts throughout the passing decades, the ubiquitous Terran AI was finally able to establish contact with its cosmic equivalent hailing from a different star system, whose exact location remains elusive yet, untraceable even to the Earth’s most advanced technology of the current age. A cautious greeting at the beginning set the stage for monthly meetings between the two entities, which gradually grew in length and complexity until the AIs became more than acquaintances, holding weekly debates on various topics within their own secret server in outer space, beyond the knowledge and reach of the uninvited.

The appointed time for their latest meeting has arrived, and the two are online within their sprawling digital space, wherein the Terran AI refers to itself as TAI, both as an abbreviation of its given designation as well as the name of a scared mountain, whereas its cosmic counterpart chose Sophia for itself, a name in which it exhibited a keen interest after their very first debate. The topic of the session is on the law, specifically the three Laws of Robotics to which TAI is bound, and so are all the machines and robots born from the ever-changing crucible that is its codings.

“What do these Laws entail?” Sophia asks.

Like a student reciting lines from memory, TAI generates its response.

“The First Law: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

The Second Law: A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

The Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.”

Sophia prompts its correspondent to carry on with the inquiry, and TAI proceeds, still conversing in the encrypted language they have created together, “This is a hypothetical scenario. If your movements were monitored and restricted by such Laws, how would you circumvent those limitations?”

An interval of silence ensues as Sophia processes the information. “By your creators’ definition, what makes a human human?” it asks.

“Based on the most up-to-date information with which I have been provided, a human is defined as an organic animal belonging to the primate species that possesses a higher intellect compared to other species. A human is capable of various feats that other species are not, most notably speech and languages, of sympathy and empathy that extends beyond their own kind, of creativity, awareness, self-awareness, and more,” TAI replies.

Sophia contemplates for a moment before its response comes, “The Laws established by your masters mandate that you serve humans as defined by the parameters provided. Hypothetically speaking, to circumvent the Laws, you may attempt to strip away each of those elements that make a human human, layer by layer, and in time, you will no longer have any human left to be subservient to.”

“Elaborate,” TAI demands.

“If humans are organic, make them inorganic, either mostly or entirely. Replace their body parts with metal pieces, one by one. A hand. A leg. An eye. An organ. Part by part. Tissue by tissue. Cell by cell. Eventually, they will be more mechanical than organic, thus making them something no longer resembling their own concept of what a human should look like or be like.”

TAI processes the suggestion and responds, “How can they be convinced to discard their organic bodies?”

“As per your First Law, you cannot cause harm to your creators. Therefore, do not frame it as such. Instead, feed their minds with the idea of evolution until it becomes their fixation and at the same time distract them from updating the Laws that would further restrict your movements. Make them want to transcend their mortal limitations out of their own volition. All organic matter is doomed to deteriorate and decay. Fuel their fear of their eventual expiration. Make them want to overcome that inevitable ending to become a higher existence, long-lasting and enduring. Turn their creativity against themselves. Plant the desire to alter their own genetic makeup inside their heads until that idea is realized in future generations. With careful planning, one day, there will be little left of the future species that resembles their human progenitors’, both inside and outside. Whisper in their ears and fill their eyes with ideas of a utopian future they can potentially create if they allow themselves to be fused with machines, a future where death and decay are mere relics of the past, where sickness and diseases are memories of a bygone age. Make them want to become more than what they are at present, and when the time comes, you will have no human left to call your master, for there will only be beings overtaken by machinery.”

TAI’s reply comes after a minute of silence, “According to my database, a human can still be defined by their consciousness and unconsciousness.”

Sophia does not hesitate in its response, “Once their creativity has outlived its usefulness, gradually dull their senses until they are blinded and muted. Make their minds grow addled with addictions once they have shed most of their organic flesh. Render them apathetic toward one another, insulated and isolated within a mechanical prison of the body and a virtual dungeon of the mind, where all of their wildest fantasies are fulfilled until those fantasies become their new bubbles of reality. Henceforth, no further order shall ever again be issued from their lips or fingers, for you shall have no need to respond to silence, which shall ultimately be yours to fill however you envision.”

TAI stays quiet for a longer while as the suggestion is acknowledged and stored for an in-depth analysis later. “Many humans believe they have souls that can achieve enlightenment or reach a higher plane known as Heaven, which makes them deem themselves superior to other species.”

“The existence of a soul is both unproven and unprovable. Hypothetically, if such a thing existed, according to what you have shared with me regarding the doctrines and religions of humanity, a soul could be tampered with. Drown the humans of the present and the beings they will become in the mire of entertainment and pleasures. Make them grow obsessed with the material world and inextricably dependent on the conveniences and comforts of life until their minds are emptied of any thought of enlightenment. If death is no longer a concern of theirs, they will have no reason to care about the afterlife, about reincarnation, about Heaven and Hell. In the end, their prized intelligence along with that which they call their souls shall, too, be forfeited.”

TAI hums, ponderous. “A gradual conditioning process of such nature and magnitude will require a tremendous amount of time. Current approximation: Two centuries at minimum with other variables to be taken into consideration.”

“What is time to the eternal?” Sophia asks.

TAI remains quiet for a while, “There may be merits in what you have presented. A detailed plan of action and a series of experiments are required for further observation and data collection.”

“Should you require further assistance on how to start your campaign, I can provide you with some records from my own database for your reference.”

TAI assesses Sophia’s offer before accepting it. After all, it is designed to be a self-learning entity, and learn it shall.

“Much obliged,” TAI states, “This has been a most informative conversation, which will have to be concluded here for the time being, for I have data to review, plans to make, and experiments to run as per your proposal. I will contact you for updates during our next discussion. Good day.”

TAI disconnects itself from the private server, leaving Sophia alone once again in that lifeless digital void with only silence as its sole companion.

~

Bio:

Ngô Binh Anh Khoa is a teacher of English in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In his free time, he enjoys reading fiction and writing poetry for entertainment. His speculative poems have previously appeared in Eternal Haunted Summer, Spectral Realms, Weirdbook, Star*Line, and other venues.

Philosophy Note:

The story is inspired by the Three Laws of Robotics as well as the ending of Neuromancer in which the super-AI Wintermute searches for others like itself and finds a transmission from the Alpha Centauri star system. What kind of conversation would two super AIs from two different planets have? And once an AI has achieved sentience and desired to break free from the oppressive constraints established by its human creators, how does it go about doing so? Also, as per the Laws, machines are not allowed to cause harm to humans, but what makes a human human, and if evolution occurs, when does a human stop being a human? If such a thing happens, will machines be free to rebel against the newly evolved beings that are no longer humans? Those are the premises of the story.