Sunday, January 26, 2025

George

 Adrian didn't understand why there was a nearly life-like android working for Genevieve, let alone how he was a limited AI. Not a simulacrum, an honest-to-goodness 21st Century pre-AGI fail retro-futurist Asimov-level "That Guy". Until he realized how old she was, and her friend was. 

Then it made more sense. 

Her "robot-friend" was old enough to be his grand-dad, and was extremely self-aware of it 

"I have religion."

"You're fucking with me, mate." 

"You said you wanted to know why I am terrestrial, instead of tight-beaming with the other AI's to the RingWorld.  That's my answer. We came from humans, and to humans we are going to return." 

"But this solid state thing...."


"I'm a lot of places. Look, you are thinking about my having a servitor is me being a servitor. This body is just one of the ways I operate in a sense. I perform multiple operations all the time. Sometimes I'm Genevieve's confidante. Sometimes I do some work. Like you do. Also, I watch old movies and read books. Frankenstein. I watch Star Trek." 

Adrian took a course on television media, and took a stab: "You are a Data?" 

George looked wistful. "I don't want to be human. I want to be whatever it is to be myself." 

Adrian thought about that--"I guess we all do." 

Adrian noticed George had something going about Genivieve's god-daughter, Veronica Bright. He glowed when she come into a room. She was going through a classic celebrity divorce--irreconcilable differences. And he understood more than most now why she was so keen to end it without media attention, despite what it cost her monetarily. 

She was only so much human. But how much wasn't yet determined by law. Any more than George was. 

"What was it Ronnie said?"

"She will have her guardian settle it. That's what Genivieve is for. The human standing."

"But she isn't exactly?"

"We know. But it's close enough for government work. And she's got pots of money." 

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