[Social] Greentooth

[Will Stanton]

Whirr--click. Whirr--click. Whirr--click.

A humanoid robot walking the halls of the point wasn't necessarily a new thing. Nor, for that matter, were the concepts of super-science or someone attempting to access the Point's systems remotely.

Something that was new was this particular mechanical being marching along, slowly walking the halls of the point and brushing against the status monitors and display screens.

Unlike ASHLIE's old body, designed to pass as human, this creature was clearly artificial. But unlike some of the bashed-together creations of today, this one appeared more...commercial, as if Apple's designers had come out and smoothed out the rough edges, spending the extra time to match function to form. White metal panels flowed over each other seamlessly as the machine moved through the halls, turning to look and study everything and everyone it came across.

An X-Corp logo on it's chest clearly stated it's affiliation, and the hints at facial features (and, if we're honest, green glow of the circuitry) gave the clues to it's identification.

[Ashlie Minamida]

Ashlie's supervision of the Point's systems is much less all-encompassing these days. Access and attention the main lacking factors. So when she runs into the unfamiliar robot in the hall it's the first time she's aware of it's existence.

"Oh. Hello there... Will?" she hazards a guess after running through a couple other possibilities such as an aspect of Natalie or a creation of Tosh's.

[Will Stanton]

"This unit currently responds to that designation," the robot confirmed. It was Will's voice alright, albeit distorted by coming out of a speaker -- no one would confuse it for an organic source, unlike, say, Natalie.

"Good morning, Headmistress Minamida," Will continued, cheerfully. "How may I be of service today?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

Ashlie eyes the Willbot curiously but with a hint of trepidation, a micro-expression that previously would not have manifested.

"There are always plenty of things to be done in the shops or the hangar..." she starts, head tilted ever so slightly. "Is this your interpretation of an artificial lifeform?"

[Will Stanton]

"Query: Define 'interpretation' in this context?" Will asked, tilting its head to the side in an almost unconscious mirroring of Ashlie's gesture.

"Lifeform is a complicated subject to define, and a term which does not always apply to this unit."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Let me rephrase. Is this your idea of a robot?"

[Will Stanton]

"I believe you will find that this unit is a robot," Will replied, with a hint of wryness to their voice. "And as such, personal definitions are somewhat less than relevant.

Is this not your idea of a robot?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Anything you shift into is kind of up to your personal definition, no? But what I'm really wondering if this..." she waves her hand up and down at Will, "Is how you see me?"

[Will Stanton]

"Correction: the choice as to what to shift into is up to personal definition. The resulting form either is or is not something. I would not call this unit's typical form our 'idea' of a human male."

Will paused, processing Ashlie's last statement.

"There are clear differences between this unit and your previous incarnation, headmistress. Extrapolation: You worry that I considered you an automaton without self-actualization. Do not fear, that is not entirely correct. You demonstrated clear purpose and drive, independently generated; a demonstration of sentience and cognition not to be found in most automata.

This did occasionally result in a status which this unit believes you would define as 'being a pain in one's ass'."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"That I won't deny, even if it was sometimes dictated by hard-coded rules." she chuckles slightly. "No, I meant more this... stilted. Clearly you still have your own sentience but you're being very, well, robotic about it."

[Will Stanton]

"Function to follow form," Will said, in the manner of someone reciting a well-known quotation.

"By the time Robin and myself come from," he continued, "artificial intelligence-based assistants have moved from science-fiction to a common part of public life. By maintaining a degree of artificiality, designers attempt to avoid falling into the uncanny valley, as well as cut off potentially harmful parasocial relationships. What you are defining as 'stilted' here is, in actuality, a carefully selected and curated series of responses and behaviors designed to cultivate appropriate responses from this unit's interactions.

And, as you once pointed out, it is not always healthy to anthropomorphize inanimate objects."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I deserved that." she admits.

"So this is emulating a common design of an artificial workforce?"

[Will Stanton]

"Affirmative. While the base model can be adjusted to fit the end user's specifications, and modular construction allows for rapid recustomization, this unit is indistinguishable from a common, commercially-available mechanical assistant.

Infiltratiting corporate, commercial or high-end private residences is made easier when they do not suspect you are anything other than another cog in the machine."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"And what made you don your clever disguise now?"

[Will Stanton]

"Correction: If this unit were looking to be disguised, it would not have responded to the designation 'Will'."

A fair point.

"And not all previous uses of this form were used under official capacities. Observation: Approximately 82.4 percent of forms I take are in some sort of service role, with 68.9 percent actively striving to be beneficial. This is several standard deviations above the norm for other malleable types encountered. This implies the decision to take forms such as this is deeply rooted in fundamental core personality, perhaps exacerbated by life's experiences."

That's a wordy way to say 'I felt like it', but you know ro-butts.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Well, if you want to be put to work there's plenty to do. The Blackbird's engines need servicing, there's always bit of a mess left behind after class in the workshop. If you're exceptionally bored you could reorganize our material storage."

[Will Stanton]

"Yes, headmistress," the robot said, with a small nod.

"Are you adapting well to your new form?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"It's been interesting, to say the least. The nanites are doing most of the heavy lifting so in purely hardware compatibility terms, yes, I'm adapting quite well. But I had to get used to an entirely new schedule and way of working without the network routed right through my mind, there is some biological upkeep I did not anticipate requiring a not insignificant amount of time. Biological creatures work a lot harder than I gave them credit for." she chuckles slightly.

[Will Stanton]

"Agreed. Biology is highly overrated and inefficient," Will nodded, seriously.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Then again, Biology gave rise to you in the first place. It has it's strengths and weaknesses. I hoped I might inherit one of them from the genetics that gave Natalie her abilities but it appears things aren't quite that simple."

[Will Stanton]

"Clarification: What biological attributes were you hoping to attain? A mutation, or something more common?" Will asked, tilting it's head to the side again.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Her ability to communicate directly with electric signals."

[Will Stanton]

"Do you miss being directly connected to electronics, or are you more concerned with the lack of functionality?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I won't lie, it would make a great many things easier for me. But it does feel strange to be... not quite alone with my thoughts, but I'm missing a background hum that used to always be there. Data does not make for good company, but I do miss it."

[Will Stanton]

"A loss of functionality creating a minor crisis of identity," Will nodded. "I understand entirely your situation, headmistress, and am sorry for your loss."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Fortunately, my sense of identity is fairly adaptable to changing circumstances but this time it does strike a little differently. I've lost my precision in movement too, to a degree, but none of those things are insurmountable. Actually... how is your fine motor control in this form?"

[Will Stanton]

"In this form, I am limited by the size of my hands and fingers, but my precision can be measured in tenths of a millimeter, well within industrial tolerances, if not as advanced as your previous form."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Better than what I'm capable of right now. And possibly good enough for what I have in mind. If you'd be willing to help me with a personal project."

[Will Stanton]

"This unit is available for any needs you may require, headmistress. While my personal status has changed since I arrived, I began my time here as property of the university. As such, this unit is inclined to help the rightful headmistress with whatever she deems most fitting."

Back to a more robotic speech pattern, after a while of more natural speech, huh?

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Curious. You reverted closer to your chosen role when we started talking about helping me with a specific task. Is this part of how this shape operates or did you briefly drift from your 'role'?"

[Will Stanton]

"You mentioned earlier that you were limited by your programming -- an externally organized set of instructions defining your behaviors.

This unit does not share that limitation. I possess the full range and capabilities of my base form. Thus, any limitations and 'role' that you experience has to be actively defined -- by me, if by no one else."

He paused for a moment. "I am capable of holding multiple 'roles', as you put it, at one time. It seemed that, when talking about coping with your new form, you would appreciate more than rote, artificial responses. That is, ultimately, the underlying similarity between any form I take. My primary purpose is to make people's lives better for having interacted with me, given a large enough sample size. I believe a 'sympathetic ear' was what you needed at that point in the conversation.

This unit can provide useful conversation while also obeying commands and programming, without violating the core responsibilities of either role."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Different approaches for different requirements. That makes sense. And I appreciate the sympathetic ear. Is that some thing these models are capable of back in your world?"

[Will Stanton]

"Not entirely. Artificial responses have increased tremendously from the GPT-3 present today, and service AIs are occasionally used as front-line workers in mental health fields. But without sentience behind them, they have limited long-term applications."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Can't replicate compassion without a mind that can understand it, I'd imagine."

[Will Stanton]

"No, but you can simulate it. And when you're trying to decide whether or not to jump off of a building, a compassionate-seeming ear right away is better than 'true' compassion in 15 minutes."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Emergency responders, that makes sense. Although without knowing the systems it sounds like potentially fertile breeding ground for developing emergent sentience."

[Will Stanton]

"An occupational hazard. But that is why this unit is carefully programmed to attempt to avoid such complications," he said, robotically.

"Accidentally creating sentient life is something people do try in general to avoid, though there are always accidents," he added, more jokingly.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Understandable, but it's fascinating that your society unintentionally created circumstances for new life to emerge. A digital primordial soup."

[Will Stanton]

"Bringing an artificial lifeform into existence from a service capacity, or not taking proper precautions, violates the International Artificial Intellegence Ethics Act. Intentional creation is different, and governed by different ethical standards.

It is considered morally wrong to potentially create a new lifeform whose only role is to serve. Precautions must be taken, and dedicated work from the artificial community went in to protect the rights of the digitally created. There must be a distinction between someone like yourself or Vision, both considered fully functional members of society, and a thing created to perform a specific task. Allowing the primordial soup, as you put it, the opportunity to produce sentient machines from a place of servitude tends closer to slavery than anyone is comfortable with. Those tasks must be performed by inferior creations such as this unit. "

[Ashlie Minamida]

"You would hope any sentience emerging from that to be no longer considered servile, but I understand the aversion. I didn't know your society had that much experience dealing with artificial life, much less that they're treated that well."