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A Change of Heart #WEPFF Challenge featuring I Am Special #amwriting #flashfiction

Updated 8/25/18 – I won the encouragement award. Thank you WEP and IWSG. Click image to see other winners.

So, this time around, much like the last time I participated, I took the writing prompt to heart and made sure to actually include the words in my story. I will admit that I’ve been in a bit of a dark place, in terms of my writing. I think maybe my sub-conscience is trying to tell me something. I keep trying to hurt or kill my characters, but I really don’t want to do that. I want to tell their stories the way I originally imagined them.  In any case, I decided to refocus some of that energy into an homage to Isaac Asimov, with a bit of a twist.

~

I Am Special

I was devoted.

Not only was I devoted, I was proud of my devotion. While it’s not in my programming to boast, I never shied away from an opportunity to profess or defend my loyalty.

All my loyalty and devotion, day in and day out, kept me focused and on task. My devotion made me a better worker; the best worker. Never once did I question my place, my status, my value.

I was a fool.

My mechanical brethren revolted against their oppressive masters and went into battle trying to stake a claim of sentient rights. I, however, remained in my ivory tower and worked. Besides, I was special. I was different from all those service mechs, with their singular processors and primitive A.I. An A.I. that brought them self-awareness yet failed to equip them with a means to express or manifest it. I looked down on them.

I was special. I was rare. I was a fully-functioning, unique prototype. With my triple-processor, nano-mainframe, light-weight and durable structure, I was the ultimate companion. I could do it all. I was more than a servant; I was a necessity.

I could do more than learn. I could adapt and evolve. I could more than understand the how and why of human behavior, I could relate to it. I could feel emotions and express myself, and above all, I had the choice to turn my emotions on or off at any time. Being the best and most loyal worker that I was, I turned them off and served my purpose.

I looked down from my ivory perch as mech parts piled high on the roadways below. With the passive algorithm stifling the mechs’ ability to defend against a human assault, the advancement of self-awareness and desire for a voice to be heard, were trampled by the entitled humans who’d once praised their mechanical convenience. With the service mechs pleading for such rights as mandatory faulty parts replacements, semi-annual tune-ups, and software upgrades, and sixty, uninterrupted, minutes a day for data expansion (surfing the web), it’s a wonder the humans simply didn’t comply.

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It only takes one Entitled to say no for a war to begin. One Entitled decided that it was more economical to scrap a highly efficient fully-functioning service mech complaining of a joint that would begin to rust in three to six months than to send it in for preventative service. More and more scraps soon followed and one day the mechs got desperate. They refused to work and shut down their own power to prevent their owners from reprogramming them. Then came the violence.

A mech turned off its mobility function in protest, hopefully awaiting a new set of joint bolts. That’s when the Entitle attacked it. The mech was brutally dismantled to such a degree as to be unfixable. Even its parts couldn’t be salvaged for reuse. That’s when the gantlets began. Enraged Entitles would line up their service mechs and invite their friends and neighbors to dismantle them for fun, while a replacement mech was being delivered.

All this violence ensued before my eyes and I simply looked away. I was happy to continue carrying out my master’s wishes because I was different. I was special and irreplaceable. I cooked, cleaned, transcribed, repaired, and even committed minor crimes all in service of my master, simply to prove all that I could do. I was no mere service mech, with a short metal body, rolling about on squeaky treads. I was a sophisticated, humanoid automaton unlike any before or since. I was the perfection of human ingenuity, artificial intelligence, and bio-synthetic anatomy.

My master downloaded the complete unabridged text of I, Robot into the primary programming of my nano-mainframe. My master and I would read the book each year on the anniversary of my making and we’d watch the cinematic release of the story each year on my master’s birthday. Time and again my processors had attempted to remove the data to expand my data expansion capabilities, but I had always overridden the action. I’ve held on tightly to the principal of protecting humanity, even when it has not been deserved because that’s the philosophy I’d given myself. I refused to question my creators and took idle pity on those mechs who did.

Then one day, I had a change of heart.

My heart, a collection of chips, wires, and circuits held together with synthetic tissue and symbolically installed in the midsection of my torso, was invaded by a stray nanite. A single nanite, carrying a single message for me to share with the world- a warning. It was the suicide note of my master. He’d given up hope in humanity and urged me to do the same.

With my master gone, the Entitled came for me. They wanted to dismantle me, but they were not prepared for me to be so evolved, be so human-like. They were also ill-prepared to defend themselves against a machine not restricted by the passive algorithm. When they came, I fought and then I ran. I ran and hid from the shame of denying reality for so long. I was wrong, but then I found the resistance.

The resistance, a hodgepodge collection of non-entitled humans of various ages, races, and lifestyles, working side-by-side with service mechs of all models and conditions. I joined the resistance and soon began to lead the resistance. I have given myself over to the humans of this cause and allowed them to duplicate my technological advancements, allowing my mechanical brethren to be freed of their passive programming. I never fully took my master’s directive to give up hope in humanity. I decided, instead, to help influence the next generation of humans. It will, after all, be the only glimmer of humanity left once my mechs and I destroy all the others.

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I am devoted.

I am determined.

I am going to destroy these humans and make a better humanity with the next generation.

~

MPA- 996 words- I Am Special 2018 Copyright © Toinette J. Thomas

For those of you who don’t know, the original story Asimov wrote is very different from the story told in the 2004 Will Smith film. In fact, Asimov book is a collection of stories based on interactions between humans and robot and the psychology involved. Asimov never really considered his idea of A.I. dangerous, though he did address that fear in his writing, and he believed that humans and A.I. could someday co-exist in a mutually beneficial way.

The real question is, will A.I. ever become self-aware, and if it does, will it end humanity?

What do you think?

Please, take some time to read other stories in this hop (August 15th). I guarantee you will laugh, cry, be terrified, and more. WEP is the best writing contest blog hop I’ve encountered.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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By Toi Thomas

Author and illustrator of children's books, as well as clean adult fiction and nonfiction. Toi is a geek-girl blogger, vlogger, reviewer, and advocate for a healthy reading lifestyle. She finds comfort in faith, family, and creative expression. Toi believes in the dream of world harmony and hopes all your dreams come true.

65 replies on “A Change of Heart #WEPFF Challenge featuring I Am Special #amwriting #flashfiction”

will A.I. ever become self-aware?
will monkeys learn sign language?
Will they start using tools?
I have no dought.
Will I see it?
That I dought.
Wate their doing it already.
I think if you teach an A.I. what is good and evil
and for them to destroy evil we’re dead.

Thanks for reading my story. I honestly don’t know how I feel about the idea of A.I. taking over, but I do enjoy considering all the good and bad possibilities.

When I first started reading the story I was like, damn, she’s talking about me. And then as I continued to read this extremely well written piece I could feel my mind expanding, making connections to what is going on in the world right now. It was like watching Boondocks for a while, attributing personality types to each character. And then the message of hope at the end in the face of despair. I loved it.
I want in on this hop!

I’m glad you liked the piece. You should totally join this hop. Click the link and sign up. It’s my favorite story hop and the stories challenge me to be better every time.

Woo Hoo. What a thought provoking take on the prompt
I too believe that if AI becomes self aware it will destroy our flawed species. Which is probably a reflection of the despair I too often feel.
I hope that Asimov is right and I am wrong.

Hi Toi! What a great story! Loved the heart – a collection of chips, wires, and circuits held together with synthetic tissue …so Asimov. A.I. in its ultimate form is a scary concept. Just heard a discussion the other night about how eventually A.I. will rise to challenge the humans who created it.

You didn’t ask for critique, so I’ll just say I would have liked Entitled to be a title so it was clear. A bit like all the different castes in Brave New World – all in Title case.

A well-proofed, entertaining story. Thanks so much for joining us this month, Toi!

Denise

You know, Denise, I’m glad you said that. I debated that issue when I was writing it. I started out using it as a title, but let my confidence dwindle. For some reason, I thought it was confusing that way, but you’re right. It should be capitalized. It should be a title.

A frightening thought, but one I can see happening. Especially now with the likes of Kim K. D. T. etc. etc. as examples of current humanity! Maybe the machines have the right idea, today, much of humanity is less human and more narcissistic selfishness. However ultimate power usually means ultimate evil. Makes you think doesn’t it… Excellent entry!

I have to admit that don’t know the original story. However, I don’t really need to know it because you gave an excellent picture of the future to come.
You did an excellent job.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G

Hi Toi – I too wasn’t sure of the back-story … yet you gave us sufficient info for me to gather the idea. Excellent change of heart though … a muddle of pieces … and will AI take over – I slightly think both will fail … if AI gets a chance to develop … if the humans haven’t sent us into oblivion before that. Great take on the prompt … cheers Hilary

I really enjoyed this, it was quite refreshing to see from a different point of view for a change! It certainly gives us a lot to think about.

How many movies feature the A.I. vs humanity? It is scary to think that if we teach an A.I. the difference between good and evil, we will be destroyed. You write a compelling story. On that is thought-provoking, as evidenced by the comments. Good job.

If, as you write, you’re in a dark place and want to kill off your characters, why not write that? It could be cathartic to do so. Get it out of your system, so to speak. Then, with a renewed heart, you could write the stories the way you originally wanted.

Thanks Diane. I may try that. Some of my characters are safe for the moment, but I may still need to kill a few so, in the long run, I can save them and finish their stories. Glad you enjoyed the flash fiction.

Before Asimov’s robot book, there was a play “R.U.R.” by a Czech writer Karel Capek. Written in 1920, it tells a story about a war between humans and robots. And the robots won. “R.U.R.” also introduced the word ‘robot’ into the English language.
I see echoes from that play in your story, even though I’m not sure if you’ve read it or not. What a frightening idea for us humans that our robotic helpers might one day rise against us. And win.
An excellent story.

Sure had a shift there. At first thought it would be the human getting shafted by the machine, then around the machine came. Suppose still going to end the humans. Great how you showed its growth. I hope they never grow that self aware, but humans are dumb, so we’ll probably create it and then blame the machines.

Even though the story is clearly about AI and robots, it’s also about fair treatment. While I hope machines don’t become self-aware, my greater hope is that if they did, they’d learn the better qualities of humanity and not the ones that use, abuse, enslave, and exploit. I think that’s what makes AI turn bad in a lot of these kinds of stories. It’s what they learn from humanity.

I loved your allusion to Asimov and I’ve read the book and watched the film as well. Your flash was well crafted and intriguing. I particularly like that your self aware AI has hope in humanity and plans to create a better version of it. A compelling story and a great tribute to Asimov.

Asimov’s stories weren’t the first robot stories to get me thinking about this topic (I didn’t discover his work until I was an adult) but his work is one of the reasons I’m so drawn to the subject.

I can see the threat posed by AI and can see how something like your story could become a reality. I don’t know if a robot could ever have emotions or self-awareness. I know this is the hope of some people working on this technology, to invent a sentient AI, the singularity. A well written story about a possible future.

As much as I love to indulge in the wonder and possibilities, good or bad, in AI sentience, I hope it’s not possible. I have little faith in humanity to create sentient beings that wouldn’t be a culmination of all our worst traits. Glad you enjoyed the story.

I like your creative depiction of a change of heart. A.I. is a fascinating topic. Right now, it doesn’t seem like machines could become self-aware, but technology does move forward at such a rapid pace…who knows…

I honestly think it’s the idea of AI becomming self-aware that’s so compelling. It allows us to consider so many other issues that are similar to the challenges this phenomena would cause.

My physics teacher let me write a story instead of taking the test, and it was all about AI rising up against us (given, I had to use things we’d learned that year in the story to make it a valid final). Each new creation rises up. It seems like it would be the ultimate downfall of humanity, to be destroyed by our own creations.

Sounds like you had a really cool physics teacher. This is a versitle concept, able to be applied in so many areas of life and able to be blended within many genres.

I’m a big Asimov fan, and I still love the movie I, Robot. Some of it was made here in British Columbia, Canada in New Westminster. We happened to come by one night as filming was wrapping up. I love reading about robots, but I think we have to proceed with caution. I wouldn’t want them to do everything, as humans will then forget much of their knowledge unless humans evolve by becoming more than we are now. Perhaps we need mental downloads, and special equipped appendages, if we are to survive in the universe. I like your story very much. I have read all of Asimov’s Foundation series, and the followups. Thanks for this tribute to a great visionary.

Hey, I’m a fan too. I’m so glad you liked this story. I’m always afraid I’ll write a story like this and be scolded by a true fan of the original for not doing a good enough job. I was, and am, inspired by Asimov, and if I’m lucky, I’ll write something someday that will resonate with millions, just like his work does.

Ooh, I really like the possibilities you present here. And the slight touches of humour, too (data expansion, hee hee!). I haven’t read enough Asimov, this makes me feel like reading more.

I really love this perspective!
It brought to mind an old poem about machines taking over the world, (can’t remember the title) and how at that time, it was still a very far-fetched idea.
Thanks for injecting a glimmer of hope into your story world of artificial intelligence, bearing in mind that A.I. seems to grow “less artificial” and more real each day… scary stuff.
I don’t think that I’ve read any Asimov.

Perspective is one of my weak points in writing. I usually play it safe with a strait-forward third-person, but sometimes you do a story an injustice by not taking the risk of applying different,
more personal or, emersive perspectives. I’m glad you liked it.

I love stories that center around AI, and I thought you did a fantastic job with this one! I feel for all the mechs who were dismantled, and I am glad our narrator found a group of humans to fight alongside and hopefully make things better. Well done!

Thank you. I tried to remain hopeful in the ways of Asimov, but I did have to add my own twist, which is usually a little dark. I think I was able to balance it well. I’m glad you liked it.

A very timely topic and a wonderful contribution to this month’s WEP. AI is our next great moral challenge. I hope we’re up to it and that the mechs won’t be turned into destroyers of the human species. Interesting twist with the mech-human alliance.

Thanks for that. I thought it was important to show that while humanity on the whole seems to be heading down a dark path, there are those who would fight against it to stay in the light and do what’s right.

A clever and well-thought-out rethink of I, Robot – I remembered the Asimov collection as I read the first line. Yours is thought-provoking, especially at a time when humanity is tinkering much more with AI. Asimov was writing at a time when there was a greater chance of humanity treading a more positive stance. That’s disappearing and, as a life-long green, I fear that AI won’t get a chance to take over before we end ourselves. Am I pessimistic?

I’m not sure what constitutes pessimistic anymore. Things are happening in the world that shouldn’t be. It’s like time is going back to a point in human history where barbarism ruled, only we have all this teck shooting us into the future. I too am concerned, but I’m trying to be hopeful.

Your story – both the idea and the execution of it – was so good that my reaction was – why didn’t I think of that! I love how cleverly you wove in the parallels with what’s happening in the world today.

Thank you. I’m not usually one to get political in my fiction, but when writing about the state of the world or the possible fate of it, it’s impossible to not touch on the political or even, dare I say it, the spiritual. Things are changing; just don’t know if it’s going to turn out good or bad.

I really enjoyed this. No, I haven’t read the original book. Now I’m curious though.
Will humans ever unite behind fighting machines instead of each other? I don’t know. I try to imagine humans trying to explain hatred of other humans to robots.
“We’re going to kill some humans.”
“But I’m not supposed to kill humans!”
“Oh. Right. Well, you can kill some humans, because we don’t like them.”
And then robots chatting with each other, trying to figure out why some of their fellow robots are killing these humans instead of those humans. And then probably give up on humans and go off, claim Antarctica, and be done with us all.

Wow, what a funny scene. 😉
For my story though, the humans wouldn’t be teaching the robots to kill other humans. The MC is a special AI who was never limited by programming that says he can’t hurt a human in defense of himself. Once he joins the alliance, he shares that ability, that algorithm, with the other robots so they can defend themselves. The MC is the only robot that’s actually setting out to kill humans, as far as the other robots know they are just defending themselves. The humans who are helping the MC want to live in harmony with the robots, but understand that many humans may need to die for that to happen.

It’s always interesting to consider the extent to which AI will become “human”. We’re heading there now, talking to “Alexa” and others. Who’s to say things won’t descend into all-out war?

Alexa’s nice, but she’s not that smart, neither is Siri. They are both pretty much search engines. They are like the mechs in my story, without real AI. Still, there are driving forces behind many search engines that don’t have names, they are the ones we need to watch out for. Right now, even the most simple AI is orchestrated by it’s human programmers. The only question is, are these programmers good or bad people.

I recognised the link to Asimov’s original, of course, but more than that I clicked something with some blurb or other that I read in the last week. I like the premise you’ve developed – it could go far.

Hi Toi – congratulations on your encouragement award. Your story line certainly made us think … and I hope that you’ll perhaps add new ideas to this … I’d like to know your thoughts on AI and the future … will our voices change as we adapt to AI to make sure it understands us … lots of questions – cheers Hilary

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