In a meta-bar, patrons watched a holographic projection of a popular talk show called ''Today''s Future.''


    "Good evening, I''m Rebecca Fleming here with Dr. Nichelle Jones, a good friend of mine, to discuss her newly published book ''Prompt: A New Age of AI.''"


    "Thank you for having me, Rebecca."


    "So let''s cut to the chase, Nichelle, I mean … Dr. Jones. What motivated you to write Prompt?"


    "Recent events over the past few years. During the early days of AI, it was frequently trained and tested via prompts to develop its ability to communicate with us. But now it''s used for nefarious reasons."


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    "Can you give us an example?"


    "Oh, sure. For example, since laws now prohibit a police officer''s presence unless there''s absolute proof of a real threat, people have purchased robotic pets and androids to act as protective companions and to accompany them as security guards. Their owners prompt them to adapt to emergency situations."


    "I see, and that''s a problem?"


    "Yes, it is now, Rebecca. You see, it was fine for them to act as guards or companions, but hackers have overridden their ethical subroutines, prompting them to take revenge. Currently, we have robotic vigilantes running around because law enforcement most likely won''t bother responding. And the police aren''t sufficiently funded, equipped, nor trained to use EMP mechanisms to shut them down."


    "Oh my, Nichelle, that''s terrible. What''s the solution to that?"


    "Honestly, Rebecca, I don''t see one. Likely we''ll see escalating robotic turf wars and cybernetic barbarism until society chooses to disband them altogether."