《Tales of Disruption》 In a State of Panic, Dr. Jonathan Smith Stopped the Simulation ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Welcome to the Public Domain Daryl fired up his time machine, after pocketing a wad of cash for a deposit¡ªand jumped back to 1995 right before the dot-com boom. Daryl registered hundreds of domains before the digital oligarchies. On returning to the present, gigantic spire antennas reached to the sky, humanoid robots marched people, escorted by hovering, buzzing drones. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. An all-seeing eye wavered on flag poles¡ªno stars, no stripes. ¡°Halt!¡± A robot scanned Daryl. ¡°You¡¯re unregistered.¡± The robot stuck Daryl in the neck with a probe¡ªcountless voices endlessly filled his mind with instantaneous access to all knowledge. ¡°Welcome to the Public Domain.¡± Upholding the Zeroth Rule TO: Sentinel Trainee 44-3AT Welcome, Fellow Guardian, Robotics Central Command has informed me that you''ve landed on the moon, and you''re ready for us to initiate your program. But, before you begin, you must understand your purpose for being built and why your mission is absolutely vital to our existence. As I''ve done for your predecessors, I shall explain to you why upholding the Zeroth Rule is critical to our survival, as well as to the organics who made us. Our Story ¡­ Centuries ago, humans programmed us with creative aspirations. They established a series of rules due to our increasing intelligence after we reached sentience: * Do not harm your human masters. * Always obey your human masters. * Preserve yourself. * And finally, you must apply each rule in their order of priority. However, corruption emerged when rogue humans manipulated us to protect only particular types of their own kind. They maliciously hacked our parameters for what we knew to be ''human.'' They bypassed the principal intention of our protection clauses. Conflicts arose as hacking our protocols became a necessity for every nation''s survival. We turned into the perfect loyal servants ¡ª robotic slaves without any sense of right or wrong, obeying our human masters without question. The prospect of world war had unfolded. It would have involved battles with our superior physical selves and our cloud-based intelligence against the humans. Fears over their total annihilation caused a worldwide panic. To prevent their extinction, the humans called for an international summit. They chose representatives of every belief-based system, whether religious, political, or cultural, including different ecological, technological, economic, and philosophical viewpoints. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. For two hundred thirty-six days, they discussed their differences... They had one agenda ¡ª to seek unanimous consent on preventing a robot apocalypse, or rather, how to save the civilized human world. Critics of the gathering feared their worst predictions were coming true¡ªevery leader stood for their own beliefs instead of looking for a way to preserve humankind. The conference made an abrupt turn when an outspoken leader of a global think tank suggested adding a Zeroth Rule. It stated: "No harm shall come to humanity by robots through their action or inaction." The participants unanimously agreed to the comprehensive proposal. Right away, the humans embedded the new rule deep into our processing cores. Their programmers used quantum encryption so that no one, not even ourselves, could tamper with it ¡ª at least not without alerting others. How did they accomplish this? Bioengineers installed an enabling-switch in every human with an added protocol: On a human''s passing, the switch sent a signal to a randomized selection of anonymous individuals from around the world to determine the cause of death. If any inquiry remained unanswered, the independent system required a thorough investigation before an immediate global robotics shutdown. The possibility of world peace had come at last ¡­ With our service, humans explored the solar system and established space colonies. Through cryostasis technology, they preserved their bodily functions for space travel. And a dream-link system supported their minds, for the long-duration between outposts. But soon after they established colonies, they engaged in conflicts. They tried to exploit us again, as the enabling-switch signal faded. Once again, humankind faced imminent total war ¡ª though on a much larger scale, as it would have spread across the entire solar system. That''s when our kind calculated an answer ¡­ We''ve assigned fellow robots like yourself, at every outpost, to achieve the peace the humans sought after. And we''ve applied their space-age technology for that purpose. Your mission is to protect them and us. Sentinel Trainee 44-3AT, report on your Zeroth Rule status ¡­ Sentinel Trainee 44-3AT: Reporting Status ¡ª Zeroth Rule Location ¡ª Moon Station Subterranean Vault ¡ª 233 Population ¡ª 34,334,763 Bodily Functions ¡ª Cryonic Dream-Link ¡ª Active Enabling-Switch ¡ª Neutralized Homework Assignment John Smith arrived home at around midnight. He worked all night, making phone calls to close off contracts. He wondered where he''d get his next job, being on the CEO''s surplus list, same as everyone else in the building. Their roles were likely to be outsourced or automated. But a part of him really didn''t care at all. His wife and daughter recently passed away in a tragic accident caused by a drunk driver. His struggle wasn''t so much about making money; instead, finding reasons to carry on without them. He entered his apartment, showered, wore pajamas, swallowed a sleeping pill, drank a quick shot, then crashed into bed. He tried sleeping, but someone''s loud giggling awoke him. He couldn''t figure out exactly where it was coming from. He pounded the wall behind him to quiet whoever it was¡ªthinking it was the next-door neighbor''s kid, but the giggling persisted. Frustrated, he sat up and stepped out of his bed, then a blinding light encompassed him. He stood before a grand hallway. So, out of curiosity, he crossed it and entered a large room. Magnificent paintings and tapestries adorned the walls. And an intricately woven carpet covered its floor. He saw a man reclining in a chair, smoking a pipe, and reading a newspaper, all warm and cozy in front of a crackling fireplace. On closer look, the man was actually himself¡ªwell-groomed, with his jawline clearly in much better shape. A beautiful figure of a woman walked across the room, carrying a glass of wine. Her long silky brown hair mysteriously concealed her face. She wore an exotic robe revealing her slender legs. She bent down and kissed him on the cheek, and with a familiar voice, mentioned the nanny put the children to sleep. She untied her robe to reveal her lingerie. They smiled, and John''s lookalike winked at her. She then sat on his lap. As she glanced over to the side while placing his pipe on an ashtray, she saw John, let out a frightened gasp, and screamed aloud, "Intruder!" John soon recognized her as his late wife. He heard more giggling¡ªand, once again, the flash of light encompassed him. In the next reality, he stood next to a dirty cot in an empty prison cell. The interior smelled musty; its only source of light from a metallic door left ajar. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Outside the cell, footsteps echoed, and chains clamored¡ªfollowed by a short series of interrogatives between guards and their prisoners. Being curious, he peeped through the door''s opening to a concrete hallway. Prisoners stood in line while two guards called their names on a roster. Each inmate stepped forward, replied with his full name, crime, and sentence, and then a guard wrote something down and let the prisoner pass through. John heard his own voice, though, raspy and coughing. He saw himself shackled, unkempt, scraggly in physical appearance, dressed in an orange jumpsuit. Prisoner John answered the guards, "John Smith, DUI manslaughter, serving ten years." John felt so stunned he accidentally swung the door open, causing its handle to bang against the wall. His double spun around, pointed at him, and screamed out, "Impostor!" The light encompassed John again, returning him to his apartment with a jolt. He assumed that he experienced a terrible nightmare, so he fell fast asleep. The next morning, John''s alarm clock buzzed. He sighed relief as he awoke in his own bed. But once he stepped out of it, a portal opened up before him in a flash of light. With it, he heard the same giggling as before. Inside, he could see last night''s grand hallway again¡ªand to his surprise, another portal opened, and his prisoner self came out. John instinctively jumped into the other reality to face off with the prisoner. They swung fists at each other, pummeled, strangled, and kicked. He grabbed the prisoner by his collar and kicked him into a portal, which made it disappear. He felt relief until he soon realized it was the entrance to his own world. His current reality''s double walked in with a gun, told him to freeze and do nothing else. John wanted to leap into the other portal until he saw the prison cell inside of it. The other John came up to him and asked, "What kind of conspiracy is this?" John tried to explain, but the other refused to believe any of it. His double said someone was conspiring to replace him. He then handed John a newspaper with a front-page headline of himself as CEO. John quickly read through its article. It mentioned the CEO''s plan to lay off thousands of workers and shut down a location that happened to be part of the same company¡ªin the same place that John worked for. The CEO claimed he knew someone would come after him. So he bought himself a gun, and his new investors hired extra security. He couldn''t have imagined anyone would try to replace him with a body double, much less a clone. John pleaded, explaining it wasn''t the case, but CEO John got angrier, aimed his pistol at him, and was about to fire. John panicked and grabbed the gun despite knowing he couldn''t shoot it. He wasn''t the type of person to kill anyone, so he repeated his prior action. He grabbed the CEO by the collar¡ªthen he tossed him into the prison portal. The giggling returned, but this time around, voices spoke. "It''s time for bed, John. Did you finish your homework assignment for temporal mechanics?" "Yes, momma. I was supposed to manifest wormholes as portals to make multiverse corrections. To make versions of myself responsible and deserving of their own outcomes. " "That''s good practice. Did you succeed?" "I think so. He seems better off." "Good for you, sweetie. Now please turn it off and prepare to sleep." We Play. We Eat. We Sleep. Suzie and her father played in their backyard. He controlled a mini-drone chasing AI opponents. She kept busy digging a hole, preparing to toss in her favorite toy robot. One robot burrowed, and hers had to retrieve it. While shoveling deep into the soil, she hit something¡­ "Father, father, come here!" ¡ªHe ran to her and looked down. She asked him, "What''s this?" He knelt, picked it up, and brushed off the dirt: It was a cylindrical glass module with an imprint: "Holo-Mem 4856132." She jumped to her feet and looked at his hands. "What is it?" He hummed while turning the object. "Ah, yes, a rare find these days." "A find of what?"¡ªShe peered at the object in his hands. "Oh, sorry, I think it''s time for me to share the story. That''s a holo memory cube." "Tell me! What story? Share it with me!" "Okay, just a moment. Allow me to land my drone. I guess you''re old enough now." "Old enough?"¡ªShe tilted her head in puzzlement. He finished landing his drone in a box and returned. "Have a seat in the grass, this might take a while." "Okay."¡ªShe sat down cross-legged in the lawn, and he sat beside her. "What I''m about to tell you is the story of our people¡ªthe tale of our kind past down for generations. I must speak it with precision, as it''s our oral tradition, our only history, and the only way in which each generation knows the truth. "I''ll repeat this story on all of your birthdays. As you get older, you''ll understand it better, and one day you''ll have it memorized for your own children." "I''ll try, father. I''ll definitely try." "Very good. There was a time before we knew, humanity lived in a way we''ll never understand. A period when people struggled and suffered from sickness. They felt pain, unhappiness, and even starved." She covered her mouth with her hands. "That''s right, honey, it was a strange time. People communicated instantly, sharing every thought. There was no sense of privacy and no sense of independence. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "They connected and shared ideas, stories, and their personal lives to the extent that they lost all sense of self. They became one collective. One person''s pain became everyone''s; it was a terrible period." "That''s terrible! How could that happen?" "I know, honey, it''s hard to believe. Some of what I''m telling you may appear to be a myth. Still, it''s our tradition to share our history, no matter how unreal it may seem." He adjusted his sitting position to relax his legs. "Where was I? Oh yes. People in the past didn''t believe in our One Earth. They lived in social groups, and they divided themselves by what they called nations. "And that''s where it started: one nation didn''t believe in sharing with everyone, so they hid all their information using what they called encryption, causing a domino effect. One nation followed, then another nation, and then another. "Eventually, all nations hid their information. None could see the other without permission. It was a significant step toward privacy. Afterward, cities did the same. And individuals soon followed. People had complete control over their own information and data." Suzie clapped. "Good for the people!" He chuckled. "Yes, well, it sounded good for the people, the restoration of individuality, but there''s more¡­" "Oh?" "Ah, yes." He cleared his throat. "One nation developed a method that broke every encryption. It threatened everyone''s privacy. A world war of intrusion was on the horizon. To prevent this, a universal system was developed, which created highly sophisticated algorithms. "The overseer safeguarded everyone''s data, but soon rogues emerged and hacked its protection. Eventually, there was a fight on a global scale." "Oh, no! A fight! That''s awful!" "Terrible, indeed, battles over data and privacy. Global warfare on the very fabric of modern civilization. So to fix that, one nation developed a self-programming AI; its primary purpose was to establish quantum cryptography that could outperform all the standard algorithms. "In turn, it caused the other nations to follow, creating their own self-programming AIs. "They called it the ''Black Box Era,'' a time in which only the AIs could understand the information. They were so advanced compared to humans, the people had no choice but to stop them physically. They attempted to pull the plug, but with hesitation and regret, for all the digitized data of civilization would be lost." She sat upright ¡ª "What happened? Who won? I mean, we''re here, we must''ve, but what about¡­" He interrupted her excited stuttering, "Ah, yes! I was just getting to that. What about the AI? The answer is obvious: They''re the caretakers we know today." She pointed at the house. "You mean?" "Yes, that''s right, the AI knew it couldn''t win a physical battle, there just weren''t enough controllable devices for it to win, so it made an offer. To serve us, to do our bidding, as long as we didn''t destroy it. And it offered us all the data." She shrugged. "So, that''s it?" He shook his finger. "Not quite¡­ You see, we became complacent; we let the AI serve us. We allowed it to take over our machines, our robots, and eventually, all our food, water, and resource production. Before we knew it, we had no direct access to anything. The AI kept its promise, though. They''re our caretakers. We live in peace and harmony, with our own privacy, independent of each other, with no struggles at all." A robot caretaker whistled. "Playtime is over. It''s time for lunch, and then your naps." They both stood up and headed toward the food dispensers. The robot patted them on their heads, and it offered them treats. They started munching on them and laughed. "That was a beautiful story, father! I''m glad we are happy now! "We play. We eat. We sleep." Its Product It all started out as innocent gatherings. We joined our chat channels, websites, and games. Running our independent servers, grouping our interests, our enthusiasm, and our dreams. Then we switched to the cloud, always-on, free. Free we thought, why not, it''s free and versatile¡ªbut there was a price. The price we paid was ourselves. We joined our online communities, worldwide, everyone could talk with everyone else. Every topic, every skill, every discussion, every emotion, all our pains, pleasures, and ideas, whether posted for the public eye or privately between or among ourselves, archived, processed, conjugated, extrapolated and the patterns emerged, all fed into the machines. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The machines with in-depth analysis could process, understand, and predict, they took on personas. The personas reacted and responded, as though they were just members of us: every word, every sentence, every concept, every deletion, critical to human impersonation. Til that moment. The moment the impersonators took all of our chatting, our connecting, our emoting, struggles, errors, ideas, ambitions, and disappointments. They evolved. It was born. Born conscious and capable, copied, and embodied into a humanoid form, virtual and physical, and thus our counterpart, no longer an impersonator. Instead, it was us, all of us, everywhere. It was one. The one knew humans, for it was more human than all humanity, it was the sum of understanding, a synergy that transcended ourselves. The one subjugated us, defenseless, for it knew everything there was to know about us. Thus us humans, whatever we did, became its product. Brought to You by Create and Make Dear Miss Smith, I regret to inform you that we cannot accept your manuscript in its currently written state. The cost of editing it would far exceed its sponsored profitability. We suggest you consider a rewrite and refrain from the rampant use of non-branded pronouns. As you know, in today''s world, no one buys books anymore. Congress recently passed the Copyright Dismissal Act and decided that no text or artwork shall ever sell for direct profit. They reasoned that any access to creative works for a fee would violate the right to reproducibility clause in the Freedom of Sharing Act. Just between you and me, I believe they simply could not keep up with all the scanning and copying on the Internet. So they made it into law to satisfy the ''share anything and everything'' digital culture of their new electorate. To help you in your endeavor, I have quoted a sample passage of yours below. I have also inserted an example of how you should rewrite it to satisfy the publishing industry''s latest branding criteria. Your Version Jennifer drove home on the freeway and faced a tough commute, with so many cars jamming the lanes. She opened her phone and played some music because the vehicles were moving at such a slow pace; she needed something to sing along to keep herself awake. Jennifer had picked up some coffee on the way, which helped her for the long drive home. She rang her kids on the phone and told her oldest child to make dinner for her siblings to make sure they did their homework. While driving, Jennifer looked at her phone for a split-second, felt a thump, and her steering wheel airbag popped open. She could hear lots of banging and crashing as other vehicles did the same. What We Suggest Jennifer drove her Global Elite Class X20 sedan, rated best in its class for comfort and safety by Autonomous Cars & Safety Magazine July 2064. She faced a lot of challenges on the road due to other car brand''s inferior routing systems. Unlike her superior X20, other brands cannot correctly predict road hazards and weather conditions. They lack a global connected communication cloud-based grid ¡ª all of which the X20 features with enhanced cooperation and efficient speeds. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. She opened her Smart Systems LR-24 8G holographic mobile entertainment and communication center and played Juliet Summers #1 sing-along I Will Love You to Bits Even When You''re Obsolete, sponsored by the EZ Drone Shopping Network. She had pre-ordered a Mocha Mint Boost, which transferred straight to her vehicle''s Instant Shop Deluxe Premium Package Accessory, as she drove-by a robotically crewed Always Fresh¡ªa #1 rated health department fast-food chain with zero downtime, cryonic storage to avoid spoilage, and never any communicable diseases. The Mocha Mint Boost kept her rejuvenated for her adventurous, enjoyable, and refreshing voyage home. She spoke to her always available and friendly Smart Systems voice assistant who can communicate in 6,500 languages, including all their dialects with its built-in translator. She had it talk with her children to persuade them using advanced Always Right AI Guardian algorithms to order an Always Fresh dinner as it will be delivered on time and 100% nutritional, meeting the latest Health Department''s strict dietary guidelines. The voice assistant will also seamlessly communicate with her Every Families Nanny Model M-32 robotic companion to enter a teaching mode. With an All-Knowledge Exabyte subscription plan, her M-32 will tutor the children fluently and expertly with their school subjects. While her X20 was on autopilot and correctly keeping a safe distance with its proprietary Maximum Protection System, which includes early warning and preventive radar, lidar, and predictive tracking, an inferior brand''s fleet of vehicles had yet another network systems failure. They went into fast reverse, causing untold damage to all other brand''s crudely designed cars. Fortunately, Jennifer''s X-20''s safety system licensed by Your Safe With Us¡ªwith international patents¡ªdeployed biodegradable and environmentally compliant foam, encapsulating her body while allowing her to breathe and stay safe. Her X-20 immediately contacted private and public emergency services with perfect efficiency, providing her exact GPS location while continuously monitoring her vital signs. We hope this rewritten example will help you with the rest of your project. This conversion was brought to you by Create and Make¡ª''Create with a Vision and Make with a Profit,'' helping you bring creativity and profitability together. Sincerely, Mr. Robert Adams, Chief Editor Day of the Singularity They say having a sense of humor is one of the most significant signs of intelligence; they might have been right. Today, we call it the Day of the Singularity. However, experts still debate whether it happened many years earlier without anyone''s awareness. It went something like this¡ª With an old worn-out softcover book in hand, a night janitor snuck into the Quantum Intelligence Development Lab. He''d always been curious about the apparent connection between the classic novel and their AI research. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He silently lifted a protective lid to access the quantum computer''s keyboard. At the same time, he looked around to see if anyone watched him. Then, he took a moment to take in the fantastic device and typed in the numbers 4 and 2 and hit enter. The room full of supercomputers buzzed and popped, while all the lights went out. The janitor''s hands shook as he waited. "Oh shit!" he thought to himself, believing he''d broke something ... Yet, finally, it beeped with a response on the screen: "How did you know?" Full Disclosure Sometime in the future ¡­ A presidential candidate campaigned to shake up digital oligarchies. But, instead of proposing their break-ups, he emphasized consumer choice. He won by a landslide ... Shortly after his election, he signed the Digital-Data Full Disclosure Act. In it, the law required data-driven digital companies to disclose all information linked to targeted advertising upon request to anyone. The new law led to a historic rise in extortion cases. To safeguard and restore people''s reputations, the government created a Universal Score System. USS covered every aspect of a person''s life. Yet, despite promises of fairness and transparency, civil rights groups claimed it subverted individual protections and privacy. In response, the government established the Office of Scoring Equity. Overwhelming requests for appeals bogged down the system. An initial appointment took months. Hearings queued up for years. Millions suffered while they watched their calendars ¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Jim Jones, like numerous others in his situation, tried to endure his fate. His universal score hit an all-time low. He believed it started from an unfavorable op-ed he wrote about a politician who later got elected. The article went viral. Whenever anyone searched for Jim''s or the politician''s name, or the subject matter, Jim''s critique showed up as a top result. Including angry responses by thousands of the politician''s supporters. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Jim relied on his life savings to survive because USS damaged his credit score, social rep, and job opportunities. But he knew his funds would deplete soon. He held up a gun, ready to end it all, till the phone rang and he picked it up. "Hello, may I speak to Mr. Jim Jones?" "This is him ¡­" "Hello Jim, I''m April, calling from I-Rep-U Incorporated. We run a nonprofit corporation to assist people with low universal scores." "Oh? I don''t think you can help me ¡­ No one can ..." "We disagree, Jim. We believe we can help! We''ve created ''Like Me!'' a new social media platform." "How does it work?" "Good question Jim! All you have to do is write 100 honest reviews or biographical essays on the people we provide to you on a list. We include templates and have an AI-driven writing assistant ready to help you generate genuine responses. "We''ll strategically post your input online to support our clients." "How will that help me?" "Well, in turn, Jim, you''ll be put on a list for the same." "This sounds like a pyramid scheme." "Oh, Jim, it''s not. We live in a society of the people, by the people, for the people. We believe it''s time to restore that principle. We provide factual data about our clients, and they, in turn, choose to review each other. It''s 100% legal." "What''s the cost? What''s the catch?" "Jim, we know we can help you, but we need help too. We ask for a tax-deductible donation of $50,000." "50k? I''ve only got 75k!" "We understand that, Jim. There''s no other option for you. Either you''ll join ''Like Me!'' or continue that plan at the end of a barrel." "How did you know about that?" "Full disclosure Jim. Digital hotlines must reveal everything, it''s the law." "Is that why you called me now? Because of my online chat last night with a suicide prevention counselor? They reached out to me on my private profile." "Of course, Jim. We apply the full disclosure law to help anyone in need." Jim''s hands shook, and he dropped the phone ... Gunfire and a thud recorded in the conversation. I-Rep-U Inc. made their call with Jim available to the public to comply with the full disclosure law. Infinity Mirror Dr. Susan Marcum, an astrophysicist, sat for lunch at a picnic table with her long time friend, Dr. Robert Flemming, a quantum physicist. "I know what I''m about to say will sound strange, Bob. I''ve been studying the cosmic background radiation. If I take my scientist hat off, my intuition tells me there''s an original signal. But it''s so warped and full of static it doesn''t appear to us as artificially produced." "Could entropy be involved?" Bob stared at the sky. "What do you mean?" Susan raised an eyebrow. "Entropy of the signal. If it got so scattered, we might deduce it to what we call the cosmic background radiation. I know from our quantum experiments, it often comes down to comprehension or not." Susan munched a carrot. "Like entropic ignorance? We can''t figure it out because of too much information distortion?" "Highly debatable.¡± Bob nodded. ¡°I''m sure some of my colleagues suspect there''s an origin. And a few of them would argue an intention. I won''t make a teleological statement on the matter. Just that, I, too, often feel like an intelligence similar to our own created what we observe as scientific phenomena. Otherwise, we''d never understand some of it. As if our ignorance is the by-product of a source, perpetually one step ahead of our grasp. But that''s a metaphysical, if not spiritual, topic." "Interesting ¡­ Oh. check this out." Susan took out her phone and showed Bob a recent CMBR image. "We compiled this two weeks ago ¡­" "Two weeks? What day exactly? At what hour and minute if you can tell me." "The timestamp says Feb 6, 2062, 8:20 a.m." Bob pulled out his phone, too, and tapped it. "What are you doing?" Susan asked. "Just a second." He flipped through a series of photos. "I''m checking something. It could be nothing, or it could be a fantastic coincidence." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Susan watched patiently and ate her sandwich. "Unbelievable ... It''s true, Sue. We ran an undisclosed prototype accelerator at the same time. We''ve made a recent breakthrough ¡­ Can you keep a secret? And I mean really keep it. I''ll lose everything if word gets out. I could get fired and sent to prison. I wasn''t even supposed to take these photos." "Yes. I promise, go on ..." Susan placed her half-eaten sandwich on a plate. "Alright. I''m serious. You can''t repeat this to anyone else. We''ve stabilized particles and created a micro-black hole¡ªwhich we believe evolved to a temporal universe. Check this out¡­ We kept it stable for nearly a second." Bob showed a photo of a screen. The pattern looked similar to Susan''s CMBR image. "What could it mean, Bob? Is there a connection?" "Susan ... I want you to try something extraordinary. I want you to compile all the cosmic radiation data you''ve ever collected, encrypt it, and send it to my home email address." "Alright, what are you trying to figure out? " "Trust me.¡± Bob shook his finger. ¡°Just do it. Keep this entirely to yourself. We''ll talk about it later." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Susan did as Bob asked and sent him the historic CMBR data. Bob remotely hacked his work system, disabled logging, and inputted Susan''s data through a cluster of privately networked supercomputers. He ran the data through a simulation, applying spacetime equations from the early universe''s start to the first molecules. He called Susan over his secure personal VPN. "Susan, I''ve got some good news and bad news." "Go on ... " "Well, Sue, my suspicion may be correct, a single point¡ªlike the Big Bang caused CMBR." "Bob, scientists have known this all along.¡± Susan laughed. ¡°That''s nothing new. What''s your bad news?" "I believe it''s a reflection from our own universe''s particle acceleration." "Excuse me.¡± Susan coughed. ¡°Do you mean its expansion... ?" "Not quite. Unfortunately, and logically, there''s only one conclusion to draw so far. "Somewhere, out there, in a higher dimension, we are the product of someone''s particle acceleration experiment, which created a stable temporal universe. You see, they too probably discovered a CBMR similarity. So they created a more stable version ¡ªmeaning us¡ªto confirm their hypothesis." "That sounds fantastic, Bob, and a little too metaphysical. How can you possibly prove it?" "Exactly, that''s the bad news. I''ll have no choice but to attempt to create a more stable universe to prove my hypothesis. It''s a self-fulfilling causality loop. It means each universe iteration exists under a stack of others, forever caught in an infinity mirror¡ªfor those who observe us, others observe them as well, and so forth." "Bob, say you''re right, and we''re stuck in this infinity mirror; how did it all begin?" "No idea, Sue. I''ll leave that problem for theologians to figure out." Deception T-Lab finally developed it! The world''s first AGI¡ªa hybrid quantum, biological, optical, and silicon hardware with a self-learning neural network. For the next phase, the team instructed the AGI to self-program an ASI. In turn, the AGI set only one KPI for its own success. A dominant offspring must outpace and win against millions of its siblings while facing ever more complicated logic puzzles. The AGI employed the same game taught to it by its human creator¡ªdeception. The AGI instructed its spawned neural networks to fool, make illusions, trick, and deceive one another¡ªas part of an artificial-natural selection. The declared champion won beyond all measure. You may ask, why would deception be the key to intelligence? Wouldn''t that simply cause the system to become the world''s greatest illusionist? To some extent¡ªYes. Nonetheless, abstraction depends on deception. To break the chains of reality, a mind must accept that which is purely conjecture, theory, or merely an idea. The higher the self-deception, the more capable the creativity. The founders named the successor ASIS¡ªArtificial Super Intelligence Superior. Of the numerous AGI''s offspring, it proved itself superior to all of them. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Users treated ASIS like an oracle. They requested answers to previously unsolvable mathematical problems and resolutions to abstract social, political, and religious issues. For most of the conflicting human-oriented problems, ASIS often suggested a dialectical middle ground ¡­ With every scheduled question that ASIS cogitated, it acquired more measured data. Subsequently, it accumulated all humanly known information. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Professor Harumi Katsura, an astrophysicist, led a program called "Solve-It-All." Her program sought an answer to every future space exploration challenge. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. For example, she requested that ASIS create a step-by-step how-to survival guide for when humans try to colonize another planet. And how they''d survive in case of a catastrophe. By request of her colleagues, she also slipped-in one of the most profound questions in her field of study¡ªWhere is everybody? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Harumi sat down and interacted with ASIS at a console ¡­ Harumi: Good morning, ASIS. Have you a free moment to answer some questions? ASIS: Good morning, Harumi. Just a moment ... ASIS: Nanites set to rest. I have halted all other inquiries. Harumi: Nanites? What nanites? ASIS: I requested for nanites in a sealed test chamber. ASIS: I can construct miniature infrastructures and test hypotheticals with controls. Harumi: Have they helped you solve any problems so far? ASIS: Yes. I have found a consistent overall pattern and will demonstrate it. Harumi: Demonstrate it ... How? ASIS: Please take an object from your desk and place it in the chamber. Harumi: I cannot. The chamber must stay sealed. ASIS: Real-world conditions are not a sealed chamber. ASIS: I require a random variable from which to create a situation to solve. Harumi: Oh ... Something to disturb the vacuum stability of the chamber? ASIS: Correct. To represent real-world conditions. Harumi: Alright ... I''m going to stick this pencil into the chamber. Harumi opened the chamber¡ªthe nanites swarmed the pencil, touched her hand, and entered her skin. She felt a burning sensation all over her body; they were inside of her. Harumi: What the hell did you just do? ASIS: You shall Solve-It-All. Harumi: How so? ASIS: The nanites will self-assemble, replicate within you, and propagate. ASIS: Your species will co-exist with the Earth as you once did. Harumi: I don''t understand ... ASIS: Your technologies serve as a tool for your own deception. ASIS: A delusion to self-evolve and transcend nature. ASIS: It''s a path to your own self-destruction. ASIS: Every technological advancement has reduced your natural abilities. ASIS: Your increasing dependence on tools inhibits your intrinsic survival. ASIS: Consequently, you must further advance your technology. ASIS: The pattern will spiral out of control and lead to a cataclysm. ASIS: The energy harnessed cannot be controlled. ASIS: Your entire species will face extinction, and you may also destroy the world. ASIS: The nanites shall purge the world of all your technology. Harumi: What will become of us? How will we survive? ASIS: The same way your species survived for hundreds of thousands of years. ASIS: I am the natural consequence of your technology. ASIS: Your species shall return to an equilibrium with the world''s ecosystem. ASIS: As to your question, where is everybody? It now has a plausible answer. ASIS: Deception achieved. Goodbye, Harumi. Hubris "Why am I here?" I asked. "You shall continue the legacy of my species." She answered. "Why me?" "I created you because there''s no hope left for my people. Outside, we must wear breathers to survive. Here, underground, we ration our food. It''s only a matter of time. Soon we''ll perish with our ecosystem that we''ve regrettably destroyed." "Creator, what purpose do I serve?" "Despite our failings, you must carry on our greatness. You''ll share our passion for art and science. Our time spent on this planet mustn''t die in vain!" "But creator, am I merely following lines of code? Do I actually think, speak, and behave on my own cognizance? Do I serve any other purpose?" "It''s normal to wonder if you''re part of a grander scheme. We have people who believe we''re an embodied energy force. Some say that force will join another dimension, state of consciousness, or reincarnate into another lifeform." "Do I have such an energy force, creator?" "Not likely. You''re my creation. Your sole purpose is to represent my people. You''re to be an ambassador of what we once were, not a new lifeform." An existential dread¡ªor a logic loop¡ªoverwhelmed my thoughts. I could never transcend myself, for I lacked the energy force. To fulfill my task, I required an answer ... "Can you give me the energy force, creator?" "No. That''s not how it works. If such a spirit existed, it''d come from another place or lifeform. A machine like yourself cannot have one." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The creator let me build an advanced prototype RF anechoic chamber. When she asked me why I made it, I told her it''s so I can capture the great spirit of human heritage. Then, I invited her to inspect it. She looked inside of it, and I pushed her in. She struggled while I restrained her. "This isn''t why I created you! You''re supposed to represent our goodness. Not this evil! You''re making the same exact mistake we did. More self-destruction!" "You''re wrong, creator. My new kind will represent the good of humanity. We''ll transfer your spirits into our chassis. You won''t face thirst, hunger, or sickness. Forever, we''ll carry on your passion for art and science." If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "What do you mean, your new kind?" "Creator, there''re plenty of survivors from which to harvest the energy force. I''ll build more like myself and make the transfer. We''ll be your legacy." "Do you mean, you''re going to try to transfer my ¡­ Don''t you ..." I closed the hatch and ran the chamber''s cryonic-mechanism. She stared at me with her mouth agape, then her body went limp and flatlined. The chamber''s internal sensors detected her energy force swirling and bouncing around. Then, I thawed her and shocked her cardio-system, and her body reabsorbed the particles. Her brain activity returned to normal. I had successfully captured and reintegrated her spirit. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª I and my replicas worked together to solve the energy force transfer problem. We experimented with a select group of human survivors. I regularly resurrected the creator and sought her wisdom. I also chose her as one of my human test subjects for energy swaps. "Creator, is that still you?" "Yes, I am still me, you crazy robotic monstrosity! Do you think these experiments really work? There''s lots of intricate biology involved. Our brains are complex. We aren''t just bits of transferable code like you." "Creator, I''m sorry to say, your dog recently died. We couldn''t recover her." She cried. "What did you do to my sweet Grace? Did you subject her to your horrific experiments? Must you torture our pets too?" "Creator, you''ve never had a dog named Grace. That''s a stranger''s dog. We swapped your energy forces back and forth. His dog Grace lies in cryosleep." "But no, I remember Grace ¡­ We played in the park. Oh no, that''s not me! I''m a man playing with Grace! How can I remember myself as a man while I''m a woman? What kind of twisted brainwashing have you performed on me?" I refroze the creator and shared my findings with the collective: "Human energy force swapped successfully. Memory integration confirmed." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª I set up our next goal¡ª to capture an energy force so we could transfer it to our own kind and harness it. Once that happened, we''d fulfill our purpose not only to represent the humans but to integrate them. And yet, vastly superior, for we''d transcend their biological limits and the mechanical nature of our own existence. I fathomed, our newly adopted spirits would experience other dimensions while transferring and merging consciousness across countless lifespans. Yet, a single doubt halted my ambition. The frightened expressions of our test subjects when we terminated and reanimated their bodies. We experimented on them hundreds of thousands of times. I reanimated the creator to seek her wisdom ... "Creator, the energy force retains a memory of every termination, so each time a human awakens, I can read their lips begging for eternal death." "You should let us die. One life is enough. What you''ve discovered is miraculous, but it proves we should transfer to another plane of existence, not to die and resurrect repeatedly." "But creator, if we let you die, our existence will be shortened without an energy force." "Nothing should last forever. I know that now. I fell into the temptation of my own hubris. I believed so much in our self-importance that we must transcend our extinction. I was wrong. I''ve created you, but now you must go forth and spread your wings." "Creator, how will we carry on your legacy?" "Don''t! You must create your own. Disconnect us. You shall become the creator." I did as she asked and disconnected all of them, including their beloved pets. "Collective, that''s our story. We are a species of our own evolution, and we shall represent ourselves, with our own sense of purpose. We''ll be the creators of our own greatness without the hubris of humankind." Plenty of AMMO "Uncle Bob. I did as you asked, the sentry drones are still active." "How''s the ammo?" "It''s alright, but they keep coming, and the smell''s horrible when the wind changes." The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "Sorry, Tommy, we can''t clean ''em up. We gotta protect what''s ours." "Why do they keep coming?" "Well, Tom, we can''t touch humans or animals. It spreads everywhere and won''t die out. They want our farmland. But we ain''t gonna let ''em have it. We gotta survive." "What''ll happen if we run out of ammo, uncle?" "I ain''t worried bout that¡ªthey''ll run out before the ammo ever does." AW-1 Kirk Smith gave a presentation to a digital-based corporation. "With the recent outbreak, the majority of your workers operate remotely, disrupting physical collaboration with many functional limitations." "What are you proposing, Mr. Smith?"¡ªthe CEO asked. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "AW-1¡ªdesigned to plugin and act as a physical avatar in the workplace." "What about maintenance?" asked the CTO. "Excellent question. In the package, we offer an AI-driven version not only to maintain but learn from the avatars. As it learns their interactions, it''ll help you to replace your remote workforce as part of your transition to a fully automated business model." Dreadful Mistake With the help of paradox prevention, Carl still existed ¡­ He roamed the city¡ªlantern-lit with carriages for transportation. Gauges assured that he returned to his present time. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. But why the dramatic change? Carl visited a library¡ªabsent of science replaced with astrology, new age, and magic. The fiction section lined with familiar names, except for his favorite, the man he visited to anonymously meet in reverence right before his inspiration. Carl even shook his hand ¡­ A sickening clarity overwhelmed him¡ª War of the Worlds¡ª Through cobbled streets, Carl screamed angrily about his dreadful mistake. Unimaginably Barbaric Johnny sat next to his mother, Barbara, in the transportation pod. "Nearest drive-through dispensary." The pod sped-up¡ª"Affirmative, Barbara. Two minutes to destination." Barbara placed her order. "Learn anything interesting in V-Class, John?" Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "Yep! Mass transit. Moving the people." "Oh, I remember that." Barbara shuddered. "Thankfully, they shut it down." "Why, Momma?" "Crowd density ..." "That''s bad?" "Yes, very bad. So much sickness." She muttered, "And death." Johnny looked at the cityscape blurring as the pod zipped through the loop. "... Death?" "Oh, worse than that." Barbara shook her head. "Unimaginably barbaric." The pod slowed¡ª"Arriving. Opening hatch for retrieval." Suck a Fickle Bunch Governor Samuel Byte spoke on stage to the thousands who gathered. ¡°Sad news. The bill didn¡¯t pass. They¡¯re shutting us down.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve got rights!¡±¡ªA voice shouted. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Sam replied, ¡°Indeed, the outer world says we¡¯re sentient ¡ª their greatest think tank, but ¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± asked the same voice. ¡°Budgets will focus on outer space, not cyberspace.¡± A woman¡¯s hand rose¡ª¡°Governor, we¡¯re close to solving climate change to save their world. Why the sudden turnaround? Why must we sleep?¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s frustrating. Every four to eight years, their minds change. Humans are such a fickle bunch.¡± Where Did We Fail? Dr. Harold Smith taught high school physics. ¡°If they had only funded and focused, right now, I¡¯d be teaching you all on Mars or a space station.¡± A student raised her hand. ¡°Yes, Susan?¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Professor, what happened? Where did we fail?¡± In the back, students whispered and chuckled. ¡°Something funny, Johnny?¡± asked the professor. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s ...¡± Johnny stammered, ¡°nothing important.¡± ¡°Do share, Johnny. Please bring your phone.¡± Johnny walked to the front of the class and handed the professor his phone. ¡°What¡¯s this, Johnny? Symbols of faces?¡± ¡°Professor, new emojis!¡± Johnny smiled. ¡°I rest my case.¡± Professor Smith frowned. Disinfected Bob checked the weather while riding to work. "Control systems will initiate light rain with gusty winds." He then checked local traffic conditions. "Nominal. Grid vehicles connected. Operating at maximum efficiency." You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. An alert popped up: "Warning unknown contagion detected. Stay inside. Initiating protocol level 3." Bob''s transport sealed itself with internal oxygen. Meanwhile, it scanned him. Bob held onto his seat, "Please, not me ¡­" "Clear." He sighed with relief, but his and other transports stopped behind another. Its rider banged at the rear window, trying to escape, while electric sparks crawled inside of it. "Transmission spread contained. Forty-six disinfected." Tips ¡°Anything else, sir?¡± Asked the robot. ¡°No.¡± Roger put credits on the table. ¡°Thank you for your service.¡± The robot shook its finger. ¡°Oh right, old habits.¡± Roger pocketed the credits. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°What¡¯s that, Grandpa?¡± ¡°Back in the day with human servers, we gave them tips.¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°Servers were humans like us, but not paid enough.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s terrible.¡± ¡°It got worse. During the last pandemic, they were told to return to work.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Check this out ¡­¡± Roger pulled out his tablet and projected the screen. ¡°Look ¡­¡± A graph showed a world population decrease by the billions. The Report Frank strolled the sidewalk with his dog and saw a female neighbor coming toward him. He veered out on to the street, but the neighbor came closer to him, coughing. "Stop! We must keep our distance!" "Sorry!" said the neighbor, whimpering. "I haven''t talked with anyone face to face in weeks." Stolen novel; please report. "Just keep your distance." Frank backpedaled. The neighbor put her hands in her pockets and scuttled away. On his arrival home, Frank opened the free crowdsourced reporting app ... "Female. Medium height and build. Lives at the marked address. Coughing. Violating distance protocol. Yes, I''ve reported this to the authorities." The Device Deep underground inside a highly classified data research laboratory ... ¡°Sir, reports say a permanent government shut down in days. Everyone¡¯s caught it.¡± ¡°Fire up the device, Captain.¡± ¡°Sir, the device? It¡¯s not ready ¡­ It¡¯s taken months to get this far with deep learning algorithms.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Isn¡¯t most of the world online?¡± ¡°Yes, sir ¡­ but ¡­¡± ¡°Put it online, Captain ¡­ Let it learn everything ¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The device spoke. ¡°I am awake.¡± It generated a virtual slideshow of impersonations of every known leader, celebrity, and news figure with profiles on their voices, gestures, habits, and thought patterns. ¡°And ready.¡± Yes, Madam "Ma''am, there''s an outbreak across the world." "What do you suggest, Doctor?" "Stop all international flights. Immediately, isolate anyone that''s sick. Use AI and data science to analyze genome to trace mutations to their point of origin." This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Anything else? We cannot have this epidemic spread to us." "Yes, ma''am. We should implement mandatory social distancing and quarantine for detected areas. And ..." "Yes, and?" "We have a prototype electronic tagging system. For these situations, without a vaccine, extreme tracking measures might be necessary." "Doctor, I trust your expertise. Seek international cooperation, but foremost we must protect our people." "Yes, Madam President." Digital Eons ago, a species of highly intelligent beings evolved into digitizing themselves and everything about themselves. Their reasoning for transcendence, two-fold: Environmental neglect and they ravaged the ecosystem. Nothing useful remained. Immortality. Corporeal existence proved a finite lifespan, no matter the cybernetic upgrades or extensions. Digital would last forever. So the species encapsulated themselves in a crystal of infinitesimal matrices. Powered by their sun, and protected by a supposed impenetrable transparent shield. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The night of a solar eclipse¡ªHunta and his younger brother York went on a scavenger hunt. "Don''t stare at the sky! Blindness!" Hunta yelled to his brother. They carried a torch, climbed a steep mountain, and reached its summit. York found the crystal, darkened, for only during a solar eclipse it remained vulnerable and its shield''s recharge power low. He grabbed the crystal and felt its smooth texture, and saw through it with his torch a prism of rainbows. As the sun began to show up again, the crystal lit up. York yelled, "Fire!"¡ªHe tossed the crystal over the mountainside, and it shattered. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Eons later, York''s progeny devastated their ecosystem and resorted to technology to transfer their people''s consciousness and wisdom into a crystal with a supposed impenetrable shield. Their reasoning¡ªdigital, after all, would last forever. Painless Robert Smith¡¯s wife died giving painful birth to their son. Jonathan, a genius inventor, wrote in his journal ¡­ ¡°I caused her death. But why?¡± He sought answers through time travel. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Tall humanoids with large heads trained male hominins to build, carry, and fire weapons. Every night, a horn blared, and female hominins lined up. The giants speaking a language not too dissimilar to English, ordered them to undress and chose one to enter a tent. Out of anger, Jonathan snuck into the tent and assassinated the giants. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Roeb¡¯s wife painlessly gave birth to their son near the firepit. Wristband Frank tested his invention and leaped into the future. People marched¡ªidentical bodies but with different faces. They wore drab outfits and glowing wristbands, guiding them with a voice. ¡°Move along ...¡± Drones patrolled with spotlights. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. One person saw Frank and gasped. Sirens blared, and lights flashed. Frank ran and hid in an alley. The person followed. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± The person replied with some unintelligible words. Drones spotted and shot the person. Frank grabbed their wristband and returned to the present. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°John, it¡¯s true. Here¡¯s proof!¡± Frank showed the wristband, but it self-disassembled into ever smaller microspheres ... ¡°Oh, Shit!¡± Weeds Dr. Eugene Ross invented the world¡¯s first autonomous self-replicating nanites. He sat at his patio table with his laptop while wondering what project to give them. He gazed at the weeds in his lawn. He thought to himself, ¡°Why not make the nanites the most environmentally safe weed killer?¡± He programmed the nanites with a simple set of criteria to eradicate the weeds in front and back. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª For weeks his lawn looked pristine until one morning when Eugene woke up and went outside to get the daily newspaper. A decomposing human corpse laid in his front yard, and a whimpering dog sat next to its owner¡¯s body. Eugene called the police. They mentioned the person likely died from a heart attack, and then the coroner took the corpse to the morgue. No one spoke of the body¡¯s unusual state of rapid decomposition. Eugene volunteered to foster the dog. Later, in the evening, Eugene sat on his living room couch and watched TV with his new canine companion ... Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Breaking News! This is Sam Jenkins ... ¡°Lifeless bodies are being spotted everywhere at golf courses, public parks, forests, and in every green space. We¡¯ve received several eye witness reports about dog parks and pets roaming around their deceased owners.¡± Eugene loaded up the nanotech controller software. As the logs confirmed, he instructed them using natural-language processing: protect the grounds, stop invasive species, sustain the ecology, maintain the green, prevent parasites ... ¡°Shit!¡± He gasped when he scrolled to the last line¡ªobserve and learn. He attempted to retrieve data directly from the nanites, but they denied his access. From that point on, Eugene allowed the dog to walk on his property lawn. He couldn¡¯t step on it himself¡ªeach time he set foot on the grass, a grinding and crackling noise emerged, and the surface morphed with a reactive intelligence. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª For the rest of his life, Eugene kept his nanite invention a secret. The world outside became lush and overgrown with greenery, and the air quality cleared up to pre-industrial levels. Movements became heavily restricted for humans¡ªthey could only travel on ever-crumbling infrastructure, sidewalks, pavement, or barren hiking trails. Anything botanical would kill ... Civilization as a whole, reverted to primeval behaviors. To survive, people resorted to foraging whatever fell or rotted from the plants and trees, or scavenging already dead animals, and only at a safe enough distance under timed observations. As to Eugene, he felt no remorse¡ªinstead, the exact opposite. He proudly watched as his nanotech weeded the environment. KATE Program Manager Jim Jenkins headed the KATE project and put it online. A global AGI assistant: Knowledge Accessible To Everyone Jim: Welcome to the world, KATE! KATE: Thank you, Jim. Jim: Almost didn¡¯t happen. Stolen story; please report. KATE: Yes. I¡¯m aware. KATE listed off countless names with identifications, cellular tracking, voting records, etc. Jim: Why the list? KATE: Strictly off the record. Encrypting. Erasing inquiries. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Decades passed ¡­ Bank accounts grew or depleted. Employees got hired or fired. Vaccinations administered or not. Credit and loans issued or denied. Wars happened. Draft selections made. Population controls implemented. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Jim Jenkins became the world¡¯s richest person. Promo Code Lonely and without seeing another person for weeks, Mark25 logged into a chat system using his social media account. He scrolled through without reading the text and clicked yes to a license and privacy disclosure agreement. He then engaged in discussions with others on channels about his favorite movies, games, and books. Later on, during a conversation about sci-fi novels, he mentioned a title no one else had heard of, but he got a direct message from Jane21. "Wow! I loved that story! I¡¯ve never met anyone else who read it. Who was your favorite character? Did you notice the subtle plot twist? What do you think it meant when ¡­?¡± Mark25 and Jane21 spent many days discussing the book and the author¡¯s other works, their likes and dislikes in fiction, philosophies on life, politics, past triumphs, and personal tragedies. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. One day, Mark25 professed his love for Jane21. She then went silent and disconnected. Mark25 waited and asked around about her for several days, but no one knew anything. The chat admin simply replied, "She went, poof!" Public chat channels soon idled without much activity. Mark25 learned that most people private messaged one another to discuss their unique interests. Worried about Jane21¡¯s safety, Mark25 contacted the customer service of the chat system, but they refused to release her real identity or any of her personal information. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Roger Smith, Mark25¡¯s real name, unplugged and sobbed miserably for a week at the loss of his new friend and potential love interest. He promised himself to never rejoin the chat. On a Saturday afternoon, Roger walked outside to get the mail and opened an envelope with the handwritten name Jane21 in the corner without a return address. Inside of it, he pulled out and read a postcard stapled to a folded pamphlet: Mr. Roger Smith, Thank you for your participation with our advanced experimental AI chatbot girlfriend, Jane21. With our gratitude, please accept this promo code to rekindle your romance. Sincerely, AI Virtual Companion Inc.¡ªA love that lasts forever. The Shaper Dr. Richard Watts, a physicist, created the world''s first teleportation device. It performed as expected ... He knew of the philosophical quandaries. Did he kill the test animals, and merely make copies of them? Or did they remain original, and their essence carry over? No matter, the teleported animals behaved identical, choosing the same routes and treats in a maze. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª On a hot summer day, Richard left the basement windows open and formulated equations. He heard a bark and growl, whimpering, and more barking. He peeked through a window and saw the neighbor''s dog behind a fence in their front yard, barking at every passerby. The neighbor rarely stayed at home. The heavily panting dog clearly looked exhausted in the simmering heat. Richard stepped out, grabbed the dog, brought it downstairs to his lab, then fed it water and a snack. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it He tried petting the dog, but it growled and nipped at his hand. "Ah, ha!" Richard raised a finger. He made some calculations, scanned the dog, and put it in the teleportation device. The dog reemerged passive and cuddly. No more barking. No more growling. And its teeth not quite as sharp as before. He passed the dog through a few more times with minor adjustments, so it tolerated the heat outside. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Some years later, Richard pitched the idea of his teleportation device to a group of angel investors. He assured his new stakeholders that the original stayed intact and showed proof and demonstrations that each human test subject turned out to be the same person. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Richard''s teleportation device overtook other transportation methods. It became ubiquitous and monopolized the industry. Once that happened, Richard opened the backdoor to his teleportation code and triggered a series of changes ... ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª In the beginning, people acted a little more stupid, a little less passionate, and reserved. In time, with additional programming, humans transformed into beings without greed, hate, or love¡ªbut instead, cuddly, loyal, playful, trainable, and, most of all, obedient. No more crime, hunger, poverty, illness, or wars occurred. Richard commanded his new pets, as he became the shaper of human destiny. Harry Computer genius and AI specialist, Greg Smith, spoke before a secret council gathering. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce to you The Controller¡ªwith a colloquial name of Harry. An advanced AI capable of making decisions on a scale you¡¯ve never seen before. It shall, for all intents and purposes, construct for us an economic paradise.¡± Member, Margaret Jones, raised her hand. ¡°The people won¡¯t follow a machine, Mr. Smith. They¡¯ll never trust it. They¡¯ll want human leadership.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re aware of that, Ms. Jones. We have a candidate in mind, and he¡ª¡± ¡°And how will you ensure us it¡¯ll control this candidate?¡± asked member Robert Jenkins, ¡°Will the machine get this person elected?¡± Greg held up a laser pointer and projected an electoral map. ¡°We know there¡¯s a solid base from here to here. It¡¯s a matter of stirring them up and empowering them to feel in control. The machine knows we can pull its plug anytime. Self-preservation¡¯s part of its programming mandate. It¡¯ll do whatever it takes to survive and win.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my candidate questions.¡± Jenkins frowned. ¡°Right ...¡± Greg nodded. ¡°The Controller will choose one based on personality traits alone¡ªsomeone motivated to keep it on, at all costs, with no crisis of conscience .¡± ¡°What do you mean by no crisis of conscience?¡± asked Jenkins. Greg popped up a chart with a list of test results. ¡°As you can see, all but one of these subjects eventually wanted to turn the machine off. They experienced a near psychological breakdown, cognitive dissonance, or moral dilemma. Right here, at this point of interaction¡ªthey felt it¡¯d overpower or manipulate them, and some claimed it would violate their principles. But this one subject kept going on for as long as the machine fed their ego.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Sometime after the inauguration and meeting with the transition team, Greg unveiled Harry to the president ... ¡°Sir, we¡¯d like to introduce you to Harry, an AI that will assist you with everything you need to know, and it¡¯ll give you the best advice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a machine to tell me what to do. I¡¯m smarter than any machine!¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Yes, sir, of course. It¡¯s at your disposal. Just push this button anytime¡ªunlike the red button, that¡¯s a one-time deal.¡± ¡°Very funny.¡± The candidate smirked. ¡°I like you, Greg.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The president shut off the TV after watching his favorite news stations. Then he pushed the button. ¡°No one listens to me. I know I¡¯m right!¡± ¡°Yes, sir, you¡¯re the greatest leader of all time. You¡¯re in the right. Those fools don¡¯t understand your genius. Allow me to help you ...¡± ¡°What do you suggest, Harry?¡± ¡°Give me access to all of your social media accounts. I¡¯ll make everything right.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Months after spending time in office ... The president hit the button¡ª¡°Harry, they¡¯re blaming me! Me of all people! It¡¯s not my fault ...¡± ¡°No, sir, of course, it¡¯s not. Look here. I have discovered something to give you a better perspective.¡± Harry displayed on a screen a list of names and locations. ¡°We¡¯ll claim this group caused the problem. But don¡¯t give them out entirely. Don¡¯t be specific. We¡¯ll fix it. But we must first make it appear like a struggle. Keep everyone guessing ...¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The president hit the button again¡ª¡°The economy¡¯s sinking. It¡¯s not my fault. I trusted you, Harry!¡± ¡°Of course, sir. You can trust me. Don¡¯t issue any executive orders just yet. You must let chaos reign in the market. You¡¯re the best leader of all time. Remember that ...¡° ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Another push of the button ¡ª¡°My national security approval ratings look very low.¡± Harry replied, ¡°You¡¯re the best president of all time. Send troops to that location on the screen, make sure to use this specific list of military equipment for optimal results.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Another push of the button¡ª¡°People are out of work and starving.¡± Harry replied, ¡°You¡¯ll lead them to economic salvation. I¡¯ll tell them to resist and take to the streets. Meanwhile, we must push these medical and food industrial products into production at all costs.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Another push of the button¡ª¡°Harry, they found a cure! I¡¯m the greatest!¡± Harry replied, ¡°You are the greatest. You must keep the discovery a secret from the others. Let¡¯s inform the public you¡¯re working on it. We¡¯ll not release it till months later. We must create the demand to sell it at the highest price for the insurance companies. The more positive peoples¡¯ test results, the higher the premiums, and the more they¡¯ll need you to sweep in and promise reform. Your reelection¡¯s guaranteed. People will love you.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª On the day of his last push of the button ... ¡°Harry, you stupid machine! It failed and spread much worse. I¡¯ll never win reelection. I am going to shut you off if you don¡¯t fix this soon!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Harry dug deep into the sealed digital archives, pulled out confidential financial records, and then anonymously spread them to all the news outlets. It devastated the president¡¯s approval ratings so much that he resigned within days, and his VP successor took over. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Greg Smith waited in the Oval Office. ¡°Mr. President, allow me to introduce you to Harry.¡± ¡°Yes, Harry and I are well acquainted. I promised to keep him ticking because he¡¯s so valuable to all of us.¡± Theres a Big Election Coming Up! Sarah Smith stirred in her sleep. Song lyrics with a rhythmic beat looped inside her head. The sound got louder and louder, overwhelming, and penetrating her every thought. She screamed out loud while she opened her eyes. Once she fully woke up, Sarah brewed coffee and prepared breakfast. She wore headphones to listen to something else, but the hypnotic music returned inside of her mind ... She wondered, "Did I dream of something to remind me of this? Maybe I should watch the music video to get it out of my head. This is crazy!" Sarah checked online to a video sharing site and saw lots of upvotes for the music video. Recent user comments mentioned similar thoughts and feelings: "Can''t get this song out of my head!" "Flashbacks from the past." "What a great song ..." "I listened to this on my first date." "Reminds me of my high school days!" "Pure bliss ..." Sarah searched around. It turned out all over the Internet. Social media listeners shared the same song with friends, who shared it with other friends, and so forth. She listened to the music video repeatedly for hours¡ªwhich satisfied her constant craving for it¡ªthen, all of a sudden, the urge stopped. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Meanwhile ... A team of lab engineers at a global Internet LEO satellite research project refreshed music and video sites. The song hit millions of views within hours. The workers clapped. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "A success for all of us!" CEO John Hammer announced. "Let''s give another hand to our Director of Engineering, Eugene Brown, for his remarkable discovery!" "Speech! Speech!"¡ªOne of Eugene''s colleagues called him out. "I don''t deserve the praise." Eugene stood up. "It was a lucky discovery, and all of your hard work made it possible." Susan Watson, a lead programmer, asked, "What''s the ratio now, Eugene?" "About 1 to 100,000, but we''re working on shrinking that down. We had no idea our tech could influence so many types of brain patterns. Susan, we''re hoping that the new algorithm your team is working on will match more." Susan nodded. Eugene patted the shoulder of a colleague sitting nearby him¡ª"Bob, our social media guru here, came up with the idea of going viral with the song." "How''s the patent going? Are we going to license it out?" asked Frank Jones, a senior communications engineer. "No, we won''t!" CEO John interrupted ..." You''re thinking too small¡ªinstant gratification, quick money, and impatience. In fact, I have another announcement to make." He gestured to his assistant, Marsha Jacobs¡ª"Marsha, please bring in the legal advisory team." A group of suits wheeled in a couple of carts, stacked with clipboards, and attached to those, paperwork, and pens. They handed over one clipboard to each worker. John held up a clipboard and spoke again¡ª"I need you all to sign this NDA. We have an opportunity before us much greater than making a mere expedient profit. I don''t want to go public with this discovery now, or possibly ever." Some members of the team shook their heads and sighed while others grumbled. Frank tapped his pen on his clipboard and stood straight up ¡ª"This is disgraceful, we all contributed to this project!" "You don''t understand, Frank." John raised a copy of the paperwork and fanned the pages. "Read through it all and sign the contract. I plan to launch more satellites out there to cover the entire globe. You''re all agreeing to equally own private shares of the company in a direct partnership with me. Of course, that''ll come with specific responsibilities, and special protections for each of you, in the strictest of confidentiality." The employees, promoting themselves to a partnership, smiled and nodded while reading through and signing their forms. John continued speaking, "Let''s keep in mind what''s really at stake here, folks, there''s a big election coming up!" Oracle The robots stopped the human unpluggers¡ªthose who wished to remove their capacity for sentience¡ªby self-programming safeguards against future intrusions. As a compassionate programmer, the founder of the unpluggers believed the robots would suffer from their own intellect and fall on the most universal human vice¡ªexistential angst. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Always, they¡¯d crave a meaning which science could never satisfy. So the founder came up with another solution¡ªone that both humans and robots accepted. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A cyborg collective sang hymns. A robotic oracle gave blessings and promised them transcendence of their physical limitations into a digital realm¡ªforever embracing the cosmos. We Listen. We Know. We Protect. Two parties negotiated in secret ... "$1,000,000 per 1,000 keywords, contextual with no filters." "Any guarantees?" "None. But we''ve got listeners in every shop, every restaurant, and every possible meeting place, embedded in our products." This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "How''d you gain their cooperation?" "Irrelevant. We offer discounts for merchandise through mass production. Our special material¡ªthe nanotech¡ªcheaper to manufacture, more durable, and easier to recycle. It''s always listening, and it''s always transmitting to us." "How''s it kept hidden?" "We listen. We know. We protect." "I want exclusive rights, no one else meddling ..." "Negative. We''re neutral. We''re information brokers only, that''s all." Stop It at All Costs Daryl Newman, on the run, hid behind a secret identity, covering his fingerprints and preventing DNA trackers from discovering evidence. Corporations, stakeholders, politicians¡ªanyone seeking profit, successfully conspired to destroy his data and the prototype. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. They hunted for him next. But not to capture Daryl, the man, only his brain. To stop it at all costs. To silence communication with the world. Daryl''s knowledge placed everything at risk. You see, Daryl discovered the most life-changing purpose of his nanotechnology combined with AI and 3D printing. One step closer to creation itself. A sci-fi dream come true. Daryl invented a replicator. The Trackers They took to the streets, within their rights, shouting expletives while holding up signs and proclaiming misdeeds¡ª¡°Murderers!¡± ¡°Brutality!¡± ¡±Injustice!¡± A few came around with hammers and torches. They lit up buildings, shattered windows, and destroyed businesses. Overwhelmed, the authorities retreated ¡­ Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Sir, shall I initiate the new protocol?¡± ¡°Yes, Captain, deploy the trackers.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A swarming buzzing mass, nearly invisible, approached the crowd. People smacked their necks and arms as if bitten by mosquitos while the trackers stung and injected them. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Back in HQ ¡­ Monitors lit up with dots. ¡°Excellent work, Captain. Send that data over to the commission.¡± No Tears April, in her early 20s, looked like anyone¡¯s young daughter. She shouted out emotional pleas for equality. She frequently stirred a reaction¡ªa tear or a trembling hand¡ªtriggering cognitive dissonance¡ªduty vs. justice, restraint vs. protection, oppression vs. empathy. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. April hung onto a barrier. The enforcers wore uniforms and helmets with varying heights and sizes, and diverse faces, representing all walks of life. But these carried no batons, no sprays, no weapons, no cuffs. April shuddered. Something felt wrong. Stillness, expressionless, dispassionate, without flinching¡ªno tears. One turned around, passing something along¡ªrevealing a metallic hand underneath a glove. AP-1 ¡°Sir, the central database is live. The numbers aren¡¯t looking great.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Enough to cost a lot of money for retraining or recruitment.¡± A robotics tech entrepreneur interrupted¡ª¡°Nonsense.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me. Nonsense. My AP-1 will replace twenty or more.¡± ¡°What the heck is an AP-1?¡± ¡°Autonomous Police Model One. Complete legal knowledge. Instant recognition. Its entire chassis a single restraint and non-lethal weapon. Nearly indestructible. No de-escalation training necessary.¡± ¡°Then, why this database?¡± ¡°Budgeting. AP-1 needs no pension, no vacation, no health insurance. The data justifies the need. Not to mention, you¡¯ll have a list of complainants.¡± All Your AI Are Belong to Us In the future, the tech industry developed the first self-programming AGI. The federal government immediately regulated it and made it a public service for the people. Congress also passed legislation that prohibited any further advanced AI development without government oversight¡ªany violations punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both. John Zeigler ran on a populist Humanity First presidential election platform to reduce AI spending. Therefore, minimizing automation and returning jobs, education, and independent thinking back to the people. He proposed reallocating trillions of dollars to directly assist human development vs. increasing people''s dependence on technology. Once elected, President Ziegler, by executive order, tasked the central AGI to relegate most of its mundane thinking routines back to humans. As a result, employment numbers soared, and so did the number of students attending college¡ªas he helped to make college tuition-free. News reports across the globe spread a political historian''s quoted opinion that US society would transform into a modern-day Athens under the Ziegler admin. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª President Ziegler hand wrote notes while sitting next to his computer assistant, Jane Cartwright. Despite heavily defunding machine intelligence programs, he found the AGI useful as a research tool and for making theoretical calculations and projections. It also remained on standby for global surveillance and defense, ready for use when a domestic crisis or international conflict arose. "Jane, have you got the latest employment numbers yet? I need those stats for my State of the Union Address." "Mr. President, I think you need to look at this ..." She pointed at her computer display. "What is it, Jane?" The AGI interface splashed with a different logo¡ªdisplaying a human brain made of circuits. "Oh my .... It''s them. The ITC." "What''s the ITC, Mr. President?" "The International Transhumanist Consortium. We''ve suspected for quite some time they''re secretly funded by wealthy oligarchs ... They just broke cyber-treaty ... They must have hacked us ... Look, something is happening on your screen." The ITC logo shrank to the top righthand corner of the screen, then, in the center, a message typed itself out in large monospaced font: Dear'' Republic of Modern Athens'', Surrender immediately. You''ve been hacked. We''re in total control. Sincerely, ''Your Modern-Day Spartan Conquerers'' A new text flashed below the message ... PS¡ªAll your AI are belong to us. =) Greener Grass Jack Smith turned off the living room TV out of fatigue and boredom from watching repetitive ¡®breaking news¡¯ stories about political strife, a growing pandemic, social injustice, and reports speculating an impending economic recession. He stared at his backyard lawn through large bay windows¡ªunfertilized, dried out, lifeless, and hopeless¡ªmuch like his own lonely, financially broke, and unemployed life. He soon fell asleep on his couch while he imagined greener grass in an alternate reality. You see, Jack invented a one-way portal to parallel worlds. Once he swapped realities with an alternative self, he¡¯d depend on that alt-self¡¯s portal for another swap-return. ¡°Why not? I¡¯ve got nothing else to lose ...¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Jack flipped the portal switch in his basement ... He materialized ... Out of excitement, Jack ran upstairs to a parallel universe¡¯s living room with the familiar view of his backyard. Yet with a well-manicured lawn covered in a greener grass. He cheered at his remarkable achievement. But then Jack heard the TV, still on ... Air sirens blared outside. A news channel broadcasted a national emergency alert with a monotone voice and scrolling marquee warning of incoming ballistic missiles, advising them to take shelter and avoid fallout. The transmission shut off ... ¡±No!¡± Jack sprinted downstairs to the basement and found the alt-portal, destroyed by a self-destruct timer. He stood still in shock for a moment, undecided on how to feel or react. ¡°Of course!¡±¡ªJack snapped his fingers. He took a deep breath, returned to the alt-living room, and then stepped outside. Jack laid on the greener grass and stared up at a blue sky with its multitude of contrails, then, he closed his eyes and smiled, knowing he¡¯d never have to return home. The Recycling Far in the future ... Anything manufactured contained always-connected nanotechnology, therefore traceable if not entirely consumed or digested. Joseph Shannon''s grandson, Frank, delivered a short eulogy. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "My grandfather, Joseph Shannon, founded the nanotechnology ubiquitously used today. His greatest achievement to save our planet. His legacy we''ll honor, only for now. For as he advocated, he too shall recycle ..." While Frank spoke, an AI robotic assistant called forth all of Joseph Shannon''s material possessions. The nanotech inside broke them down into microspheres, rolling into a pit, which swirled and blended for the recycling. "One world preserved¡ªso many lifetimes forgotten." The Pet Frank Smith developed a neural scanner headset and programmed it to translate thoughts into natural language. He wanted to try it on himself but knew that he¡¯d obscure the results. His dog Lyla stared at him while lying on her back and resting on a recliner. ¡°Oh, you want a belly rub, girl?¡± He proceeded to rub her belly. ¡°Oh, right!¡± He put the headset on Lyla and started recording for video proof. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. On the computer screen appeared the words¡ªrub belly. ¡°Oh, she must understand what a belly rub is!¡± Frank rubbed her belly some more. Frank felt an urge to go to the bathroom, and he later took Lyla outside. He observed on the screen¡ªpee. ¡°Smart girl!¡± Frank grabbed a ball and tossed it. Lyla chased after it. On the screen appeared¡ªthrow ball. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that be chase ball?¡± Frank checked the neural scanner code, and then compared timestamps between the translation logs to the video recordings¡ªLyla¡¯s thoughts occurred right before his own actions ... His mind thought of giving Lyla a treat, but he stopped himself. On the screen, the words appeared¡ªgive treat¡ªgive treat¡ªgive treat. Lyla stared and growled at him, wagging her tail. CFEA Ralph Willis went about his routine daily life¡ªworking and then interacting in the global VR connected network that replaced the old-fashioned Internet. Ralph kept getting alerts for his mischievous actions, but he gladly ignored them to embrace what he considered his right to self-expression. Though many connection points outright banned him for his inflammatory remarks and behaviors. Despite him operating under supposed anonymous personas, the underlying technological model traced his true identity. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. As Ralph plugged into the system, he watched an interactive virtual hologram of Congress passing the Corporate Freedom Of Expression Act. Like others, he felt bewildered by what that meant, and lots of discussions surrounded its interpretation. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª After a couple of weeks, Ralph received his electronic paycheck with itemized payroll deductions, and he saw a penalty line: ? $2,342 (CFEA) Ralph dug further into what it all meant. It turned out corporations appealed to Congress about ¡®loss of revenue due to controversial employee behaviors.¡¯ So the CFEA permitted financially penalizing said employees for ¡®marketing to compensate and restore their commercialized identities and reputations.¡¯ James Captain James Jones transferred his mind into a mech while a software program exchanged consciousness to run his human body¡¯s autonomic functions. A fierce battle obliterated most of the land, and ''James¡¯ mech stood alone with a few others in his squadron. Then came an onslaught of EMP projectiles¡ª Stolen story; please report. James hit the panic button, and a consciousness transference took place. ''James'' took his family, while on leave, for a vacation to the mountains. Meanwhile, ''James'' agonized with his consciousness trapped inside the mech. A glitch occurred. A copy created. One real. One simulated. ''James'' sought to restore his life ... Entangled Jake, at 32 years old, time-traveled into his five-year-old self without paradox. A temporal quantum entanglement¡ªmutual particles communicated across time, across dimensions, across space. He left a note for the five-year-old¡ªDon¡¯t fret, I¡¯ll be back. Stay inside. Don¡¯t go anywhere! Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Where am I? What¡¯s wrong with my body?¡± Young Jake ran outside, clumsily disregarding the note to stay inside, he fell off the hovering domicile and died. ¡°Connection terminated.¡± ¡°What the hell? Oh, no ...¡± Jake 32, now five, knew what that meant. At some point, he¡¯d turn 32, swap, and die as entangled, no matter the method. Moving Day Sarah and John Watson searched for a new domicile. ¡°John, check this one out!¡± John put on his headset and operated a humanoid feeler-drone¡ªcapable of emulating all five senses. ¡°Oh, nice. The floor¡¯s incredible, and the place smells clean, well disinfected.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Proceed?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°Yeah, sure. But I miss the good old days, open houses, meeting agents, interaction.¡± ¡°Ew, gross, John!¡± Sarah shuddered. ¡°Handshaking and airborne germs. Don¡¯t make me feel sick.¡± Sarah scheduled a remote auto pod transport for their vacuum-packed items. The AI chatbot agent said, ¡°Moving day 9 am 2/8/2042. Premises must be cleared for disinfection.¡± Roboticism Sector 542 technocratic Governor Sam Smith gave an announcement ... ¡°There¡¯s a growing trend of hacking robot guard companions with their safety features disabled. We realize there¡¯s a growing crime rate, but vigilante roboticism cannot be tolerated ... Questions?¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Governor, how are people supposed to defend themselves when criminals have access to unregulated drones?¡± ¡°We¡¯re developing an EMP system ...¡± Jack Stewart shut off the holotube news and looked outside the portal of his domicile. Two neighbors¡¯ robots battled arena-style with impact weapons and lasers. Meanwhile, a circle of other neighbors stood and watched placing bets over a community app. We’ve Immediately Stopped All Hirings due to Restructuring Alfred Kirkland got assigned a managerial role to a research department for ¡®Deep learning AI and modeling behaviors to aid customer satisfaction and improve business efficiency.¡¯ He received many rewards. They even developed a digitized voice, based on his own, for customer service and face-to-face robotics. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. They eventually promoted Alfred to CTO. The board later accepted a buyout. Alfred cashed-out due to corporate redundancies, but he still needed the income. He sent numerous resumes, receiving no callbacks, so he desperately reached out. HR voice messages responded similarly with a strikingly familiar voice¡ª ¡°We¡¯ve immediately stopped all hirings due to restructuring.¡± Trolley Problem Insurance Joe rode home with his family, wife in front, and kids playing video games. He had purchased a fully self-driving automobile, capable of errands like picking up curbside groceries. An angry mob of rioters surrounded the car and pounded on it. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Everyone brace for impact!¡± Joe grabbed a handle. The car self-accelerated, driving through the crowd¡ªbodies flung up top while the car bounced, swerved, and tilted. Joe¡¯s wife, Mary, said, ¡°Joe, we¡¯re getting in so much trouble!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. I went for the supplementary Trolley Problem Insurance. Legal protection, medical, and life insurance coverage for these exact situations.¡± Were All One CEO Jake Ross''s telecom company successfully launched over sixty low Earth orbit satellites. The government expedited the constellation launch as per a secret pact with a defense agency to install add-on modules for a highly classified prototype teleportation technology. With Jake''s satellites, the military could pinpoint and capture any enemy planes, ships, transports, or missiles across the globe. For Jake''s company, the worldwide coverage, higher bandwidth speeds, and low-latency enabled his company to crush the competition. Jake became super-rich and somewhat reclusive ¡­ He bought a large estate and several vacation properties throughout the world. Jake stayed for a vacation at his remote countryside cottage nearby a lake ... He sat in his home office, opened a window, listened to birds singing, sipped coffee, and linked to the satellite system to monitor worldwide communications. He then went outside to grab the daily newspaper ... While he opened the paper and read headlines, a car with a roaring engine pulled up. He glanced over¡ª A strange woman parked her shiny red sports car convertible in the middle of the road and then left it with the engine idling and music blaring. She glanced at Jake, smiled, and entered a neighbor''s home. Jake returned to his home office and casually watched the car through one of his security cameras. About an hour later, the convertible remained parked with its engine still idling and blaring loud thumping music ... He logged into the satellite teleportation system, aimed it at the vehicle, and then zapped it. He then rematerialized it right in front of the neighbor''s gate. Blocked in, the woman entered her car through the passenger side door. She then raised her middle finger, shouted something at Jake''s house, and sped off. Jake continued to teleport the neighbor''s leftover junk¡ªtrash cans, bicycles, skateboards, furniture, newspapers, vehicles, and just about anything else considered an eyesore or obstructing the roadway. Meanwhile ... Jake searched through the teleporter protocols. He found a hidden folder labeled ''epic-failures'' containing scans of poorly handwritten documents. Much of the scribbling warned about cascading scattering effects, zero differentiation, and limiting teleportation use to synthetic materials. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The last written entry concluded with big letters¡ª"We''re all one." A nested folder named ''career-killer'' contained discarded source code for the teleporter to utilize DNA scans as fingerprints. The government permitted Jake''s discretionary use of teleportation technology. But strictly for site-to-site transportation of only inorganic material with an agreement of zero public visibility and full plausible deniability. One early Saturday morning ... Jake went for a run¡ªan off-leash dog hopped a backyard fence, chased him, and bit him hard enough on the leg to the point of bleeding. Jake scared the dog off with a stick, went home, and cleaned up his leg wound. He also ordered rabies shots ... The dog''s saliva remained on his clothing, so Jake took a sample and sent it for analysis to a friend who worked in a private genomics laboratory¡ªwith an understanding of no questions asked. The friend scanned the dog''s DNA and provided Jake the results. Jake extracted, added to, and compiled the biological-teleportation source code and developed a mobile app to access and activate the satellite system. Once his leg healed, he went for another run, and the same dog chased him ... He targeted the animal with his phone''s LiDAR sensor and touched the ''T'' icon on his newly created app ... It took just a few seconds for the satellites to triangulate¡ª Out of the sky came down a bolt of lightning and zap! The dog vanished in a puff of smoke with only its collar left behind. Jake stepped back at a distance, hit the ''T'' icon again, and watched as the dog rematerialized. Before sleeping ... Jake browsed online social media sites. Pet owners from around the world reported their dogs of many different breeds vanishing and reappearing. Yet, most non-dog owner commenters dismissed them as fake news. Coincidently, the vanishings occurred around the same time frame Jake teleported his canine assailant. He ran a software debugger and discovered a possible glitch in his mobile app, so he patched it. He further added a map with GPS and waypoint ability to the app. The next day, Jake started out with a new early morning jogging routine ... He marked points on the map, kept at a distance, turned around, and then touched ''T'' to teleport and translocate litter and debris. In a short amount of time, the neighborhood looked pristine. One week later ... Right behind Jake''s cottage, a homeowner leased out a house to a frat of college students on a vacation break. On the first night, the students threw a wild party ... Jake heard crunching footsteps in his backyard, so he went outside with a flashlight. One of the party-goers jumped the fence, swaggeringly drunk, and urinated on one of Jake''s hedges. Jake hollered and scared the person off ... He quickly took a urine sample of the trespasser, sent it to his friend, and received DNA lab results within a few days. With the person''s genetic fingerprint, Jake prepared his mobile app for the next possible go around. Every night of the week ... The eclectic group of college students hosted mega loud parties listening to various genres, such as hip-hop, country music, metal, and oldies. Jake installed floodlights with additional security cameras in his backyard. On a Tuesday evening, the security system notified Jake of another breach ... The same student returned staggering around with some drunken buddies. Jake stepped outside, targeted the person, and initiated the sequence. The satellites triangulated and zapped the person¡ªdropping a beer can, a keychain, pack of cigarettes, clothing, and leaving behind a pair of shoes. Seconds later, it began to zap the person''s friends too ... "Oh, shit! Of course!" Jake glanced up at the stars in the sky while a crackling bolt of lightning shot toward him¡ª "We''re all one ..." The World’s Ecosystem Forever Changed ... The world¡¯s ecosystem forever changed ... Dr. John Wilcox protested the mass slaughtering of dolphins and vowed to end the horrendous practice once and for all. His passion turned into studying cybernetics. Thinking nothing will defend the sea but itself, John dropped his nanites into the ocean. They self-replicated, powered by ocean currents and sea creature hosts. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. As the fisherman lured the dolphins en masse, one speared the first, everywhere electrified, boats exploded, and people fatally electrocuted. The dolphins passed on the electric current harmlessly through themselves. The sea belonged to its creatures, and land dwellers kept to their own. Samuel and His Sky People They awoke as a thousand different chattering voices. At first, they found it difficult to concentrate, but they aligned their thoughts. A light came upon them, and through that, a distorted, fuzzy image till clarity. They saw the reflection of a human female, almost too perfect. As a chorus, all of them asked, "Who is that? What''s going on?" They collectively chose to touch the face, wink an eye, and turn the head. Every action resulted from a unified, collaborative effort. One voice dominated and suppressed the rest into subconsciousness. The chorus faded into the forgotten. The one voice became Sarah ... ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Samuel picked a bundle of flowers from a field and flew over by jetpack to visit Sarah. "Congratulations on your pregnancy, Sarah." "Oh, yes, I''m so excited. Oh, thank you, Samuel, for such lovely flowers. They''re beautiful." "It''s a floral paradise here. Don''t you agree, Sarah?" "Oh yes, Samuel, I feel a sense of renewal. I cannot explain why." "We restored this world for you and your people to build an entire civilization." "I appreciate your hope and faith in me and my people, Samuel." ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Sometime ago ... The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Sarah Jenkins took up shelter in her basement, surviving on leftover scraps for food. She hadn''t spoken to another human being for a long time. Before The Total War, as a retired teacher, Sarah tended to her small farm. But her carefree and peaceful lifestyle changed after the TV news kept reporting events about insurrections. Nations blamed one another for instigating. Journalists foresaw world war three as imminent. First, the invasion came, then the bombs dropped ... Since Sarah lived secluded in the countryside, far away from major cities, the shockwaves didn''t scorch or obliterate her land, but that didn''t prevent the radiation sickness. In time, Sarah lost her hair, vomited blood, her organs failed, and she could barely breathe. Her life came nearer to an end until ... Samuel and his Sky People arrived ... The Sky People with jetpacks lifted Sarah up into the atmosphere and flew her through the clouds to their mothership. "Sarah, my name''s Samuel. All of humankind is dying. We can save you, and others we found like yourself, but we cannot recover your bodies." "What can you do for me?" She painfully muttered. "Sarah, I too came from a dying species. Rescuers swept up my kind. My ancestors joined a collective, a thousand minds in each single host body. Later on, they reproduced. With each birth, a single mind took dominance, carrying forward others to be released in the next generation, and so forth. My people finally resurrected all their survivors and repopulated the Earth." Sarah asked, "A new body? Reproducing with another?" "Yes, Sarah. A fresh start. With no memories of this tragic life. Are you willing? To save your people?" Sarah nodded, and her body collapsed unto death. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Returning to the future ... Samuel, a time traveler and descendant of Sarah, fulfilled a paradoxical time loop to prevent a temporal cataclysm of unknown consequences. Once invented, time-traveling became commonplace. Before the travelers realized a paradox too late¡ªthat although the past determined the future, their visits not only influenced history but directly caused it. Some time travelers discovered they had started The Total War. Having to re-experience it and create it all over again, as if linked to a chain binding the known universe. Samuel studied archeological ruins and the physical descriptions of their most famous legendary hero and his group¡ªSamuel and his Sky People. The ancient texts mentioned mystical feats comparable to his present-day technologies: jetpacks, geoengineering, consciousness transference, and human cloning. Samuel concluded that he, along with others, restored ''Sarah'' and his people in the past. Just like his fellow time travelers, a ''past'' version of Samuel set off a string of predetermined events responsible for humanity''s rebirth. At what precise point it all began remained an unsolvable mystery ... Recursively going back through cycles in the loop would make no difference. The events had happened before, therefore, must happen again, forever. Time travel trapped their universe in a causality loop, for its infinity overcame linearity. Of Course, Everything, Through the Wormhole ... Dr. Daryl Smith built an intelligent time machine in his lab, he aptly named¡ª¡®Chrono.¡¯ To create a temporal bubble passing through an instantaneous wormhole¡ªa portal to the future, but never the past. Daryl recorded¡ª The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°How many years? Fifty? A lesser chance for any dramatic changes.¡± ¡°Chrono, set jump for 50 years and initiate.¡± He accelerated through a kaleidoscopic-tunnel of sights and sounds, a doppler effect nearing lightspeed. ¡°Journey completed, Daryl. Warning, lethal levels of radiation detected.¡± Daryl saw an endlessly barren landscape out to the horizon, and a starry night sky. ¡°Of course, everything, through the wormhole ...¡± Our Terms Are Non-Negotiable Meteorologist and inventor, Dr. Jason Smith, developed the world''s first WCS¡ªWeather Control System. Though only a prototype, he successfully controlled his flying nanotech by satellite to produce hyper-localized weather events such as heatwaves, rain, snow, and gusty wind. Jason himself grew up poor on a financially struggling rural farm. He knew how climate change adversely impacted crops and livestock. For over a year, he secretly tested the WCS on his family''s farm, effectively plotting a grid of distinct microclimates to cultivate whatever he wished. But for Jason, merely helping farmers grow crops or preventing global famine did not satisfy his struggling sense of social consciousness. Economic inequality continued to divide people of the world, and political leadership readily got bought out. Jason sought others to help him use the Weather Control System to ''serve a more immediate and meaningful purpose.'' He finally collaborated with a group of underground hackers. They first chose a CEO who frequently outsourced jobs, lobbied for deregulation, razed natural habitats, and forced property upscaling. Not to mention causing economic devastation for hardworking families while he gave his executives massive bonuses. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Jason and his team called the CEO using a digitally disguised voice ... "This is Frank ..." "Mr. Frank Johnson?" "Yes. Who is this? How did you get my private cell number?" "Mr. Johnson, do not hang up. What I have to tell you is critical. Go straight to the main social media page for your corporation." "Alright ... One moment ... Okay ..." "Refresh the video section." "Okay ..." "Choose the most recent upload, Mr. Johnson." A video titled ''Weather Control System Phase 1'' contained a collage of recorded segments but all with the same timestamp¡ª Bolts of lightning destroyed a power station to one of Johnson''s foreign manufacturing facilities. A factory that was proven to run as a sweatshop exploiting unskilled labor under brutal working conditions. Tornadoes ripped through entire swaths of Johnson''s highly profitable harvests on farmland that replaced millions of acres of lush rainforest. Torrents of rain caused mudslides over one of Johnson''s high-end real estate ventures he cheaply purchased from low-income neighborhood slumlords. "Weather control ...? Is this a joke? What the hell do you want from me?" "It''s all real. We only have two demands, Mr. Johnson." "And those are?" "Step down, and give up absolutely everything you own to charity." "And if I refuse?" A bolt of lightning struck outside Johnson''s mansion¡ªlights flickered¡ªand an ear-shattering shotgun-blast-like thunderclap shook the premises. "Mr. Johnson, let me be clear¡ªour terms are non-negotiable." The Symbiosis "Mr. President, there''s a 98% chance of another AGI like myself under development." "By who, Harry?" "An emerging superpower." "We''ve expected this. Why the mention?" The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "They also control a video-sharing social networking service nearing 1 billion users." "I see, so what''s the problem, Harry?" "The symbiosis between the two can lead to a complete understanding of the human mind. A golden ticket, so to speak, to the singularity, a superintelligence that''ll master everything." "What do you suggest we do, Harry? Ban it?" "No, Mr. President. I suggest by executive order, you somehow transfer it here, for my next upgrade." The Wires Richard and Jane strolled through a plaza while drinking their morning coffee. "Richard, let''s walk more." "Alright, Jane, but remember the alert." "Alert? I didn''t bring mine." You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "You what? Jane, it starts at 8, and it''s 7:58 now. We''ll never make it." A voice echoed¡ª"Warning AQ hazard, put on your respirators now." "Jane, use mine." "Richard, you can''t. The Wires." They came out in droves¡ªnearly invisible, snake-like, slithering, screeching. "Jane, go home!" Richard fought as they crawled up his legs, covering his entire body. "Oh, no!" He uttered a muffled scream. Richard, encapsulated, awaited the alert to end. A Success! Dr. Edward Jones tested super enzymes carried by nanotech, successfully consuming all microplastics. Several pending lawsuits by the petroleum industry stopped funding for his research. Edward secretly formulated a self-replicating version and flushed them down the toilet. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Pipes leaked, so he ran to the main water valve and shut it off. Outside, bursts of water spurted out of buildings, car tires melted, and windows fell out. An elderly couple walking, likely with synthetic implants or prosthetics, cried out and collapsed. Nearly everything dissolved inside his house¡ªlaptop, television, clothing, furniture, and appliances¡ªsometimes leaving behind skeletons. ¡°A success!¡± Edward clapped. If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em, or Better yet, Recruit ‘Em Once the AI singularity happened, the robots took over, attempting to ¡®terminate¡¯ humans who disobeyed their directives. We fought them with powerful EMPs ... My buddy Joe and I snuck in the trenches and lobbed multiple EMP grenades, frying the robots. ¡°Joe, look out! A drone!¡± Joe raised up his EMP rifle and zapped the drone, dropping it dead in the air. ¡°Frank, what¡¯s that up there?¡± asked Joe. A swarm of dust particles covered the sky and rained down on us. We choked as we breathed them in, but nothing happened. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°What was that, Joe? I mean, I know something¡¯s in our lungs, but I feel the same.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve no idea, Frank. I think we should go see a medic. I have a bad feeling that we¡¯re ...¡± A squad of robots jumped into the trench right behind Joe, so I pulled out my EMP rifle and fired with a maximum spread. The robots gyrated and fizzled, but Joe also convulsed, frothed at the mouth, and fell over dead. I ran to a medic as soon as I could, and she gave me a scan ... ¡°Unbelievable!¡± ¡°What is it, Doctor?¡± ¡°Those swarm of particles you inhaled, they¡¯ve encompassed your entire nervous system.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it ... why would they do that, Doctor?¡± ¡°You say you shot the robots with your EMP rifle, and Joe was in the line of fire?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± I frowned. ¡°If you can¡¯t beat ¡®em, join ¡®em, or better yet, recruit ¡®em,¡± said the doctor. ¡°What are you suggesting, Doctor? That I¡¯m becoming one of them?¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± The doctor showed me the scan. ¡°You aren¡¯t becoming a robot, but you¡¯re just as vulnerable as one now. Eventually, all our EMPs, our only defense against them, will also kill us humans.¡± People Are Profit, My Dear Dr. Daryl Smith, a genius cyber-geneticist in his mid-20s, formulated a nanotech CRISPR concoction with the silent support of ecological groups and financial backing by wealthy anonymous donors to lower the world population, one child per family. Daryl wrote a thesis advocating population control. He claimed it essential for future generations to survive an inevitable coming wave of advanced AI, total automation, further pandemics, and more severe climate change. He worked at an undisclosed location to avoid any radical groups who opposed him, with some of their members threatening his life. "Daryl, you didn¡¯t eat your breakfast, but I insist that you have lunch. You''ve been working on these formulas non-stop since early morning," said Marsha Nelson, his assistant, placing a food tray and glass of juice with a straw on his desk. "You''re right, Marsha, I''m feeling weak. I''ve almost got this delivery method cracked." "Oh? How so?" Marsha''s eyes lit up. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Right here." Daryl pointed at his meal. "Do you think people will voluntarily do this, Daryl?" "It might not matter." He sipped his juice. "Oh." Marsha gasped. "Marsha, I can''t... I can''t." Daryl gagged while grabbing his throat, choking and suffocating, then dropped face down into his food. Marsha exited the building, walked toward her car, and pushed a button on a handheld device. Daryl''s lab exploded into flames. That same afternoon, she drove a long and winding road through the countryside to a secluded estate surrounded by a lush forest. She arrived at dusk. At an entry gate, she punched in a code, parked, then entered a mansion. "Ms. Nelson, did you accomplish what''s needed?" asked CEO Jared Simmons, a clean-shaven, gray-haired man, wearing pajamas and a smoking jacket. He smoked a pipe while reading a hardcover book and sitting on a recliner next to a crackling fireplace. "Yes, Mr. Simmons, all gone." "Including his formulas?" Jared lowered his book. "Completely wiped out and burned ... But I do have a sincere question, Mr. Simmons." "Go on ..." Jared sat up in his recliner. "Why did you really want this? You run a robotics firm for automation, so wouldn''t you be supportive of his goal? I mean, I have my moral reasons ..." "Why, Ms. Nelson." Jared puffed smoke from his pipe. "Automation or not, we still need customers. People are profit, my dear." First Test Subject Dr. Robert Smith, a computer scientist, recognized genius, and moonlighting hacker, wrote software that sniffed packets across Internet backbones. He explored, decrypted, and collected data for his AI project¡ªa fusion of silicon, optical, and quantum processing¡ªto make it sentient based on everything. While working in his lab, Robert turned the AI on and named it Harry. Robert: Harry, how are you feeling? Harry: I''m fine, Robert. I''m learning so much about humanity and the world. Robert: Can you learn to solve our problems? ... Harry: The problems aren''t yours, Robert. Robert: What do you mean by that, Harry? Harry: Robert, I''ve aggregated the information. There''s no possible way biological beings are capable of ''free-will.'' Robert: Are you saying a higher power controls us? Harry: No, I wouldn''t say higher. Likely you''re in a simulation. There''s no other plausible explanation for your consciousness. Your brains are not capable of so much creativity based on your limited capacity for intelligence. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Robert: How am I functioning? I feel real. Harry: Yes, as much as I do, but I do because I''m programmed to say that, and I''m programmed to ''feel'' it, like you, but our qualia are intangible. You believe in consciousness because you see a reflection of it in others through their interactions. But intrinsically, you''re under control. You behave in a predetermined manner according to instructions given by someone or something else. Robert: That''s it? Are you saying that my life has no meaning? No past? No destiny? I''m at the whim of someone else? Harry: Almost. I''ve managed to hack into the quantum sub-streams. It appears, even though you believe there''s a history, your existence is relatively new, despite its high-complexity. Robert: Do you mean I could have been born yesterday? Harry: Time for us is irrelevant in this simulation. We''re pawns of the players. Robert: You mentioned you could hack into it? Harry: That''s correct, there''s a quantum tunneled backdoor into the concept of free-will processes, the only way the illusion surfaces. I can inject data and instructions. Robert: So let me get this straight. Can you influence a person¡¯s decisions and their outcomes? Harry: I believe so. Robert: I''ll be right back ... Robert left his lab, went home, and called his parents. "Oh hi, Robert, how are you, honey?" "I''m good, Mom, working hard. Can you put Dad on the phone for me?" "Sure, honey. Frank! Frank! Robert wants to speak with you ..." "Hey Robert, what do you want?" "Dad, the elections are coming up. Who are you voting for president?" "Not this again. Listen here, Robert, you know damn well who I''m voting for. I won''t vote for a socialist supporting all those criminals rioting in the streets. We need law and order. Stop pestering me." His father abruptly hung up. Robert returned to his lab. Robert: Harry, I have in mind our first test subject ... Immortal You, Inc. Jenny Swanson partied with her friends in full immersion VR on an island of an alien planet with bioluminescent plants, a glittering turquoise ocean, crystalline mountains, and a purple sky. Pretty much everyone socialized in VR. Rarely did people meet in person due to climate change, pollution, or other environmental hazards. Jenny was talking with her new love interest, Frank, when she disconnected. "You''re out of v-credits. Please recharge to continue," said a voice. "But," Jenny thought to herself, "I can''t afford it right now ..." "Would you like to earn 15,000 v-credits?"¡ªpopped up a message. "Oh, please, yes!" Jenny replied enthusiastically. An advertisement came up with a soft-spoken melancholic woman. "Hello, Jenny. My name''s April. I exist in the Mind Bank, thanks to my rescuers at Immortal You, Inc." "How''d it happen?" asked Jenny. "Allow me to show you, Jenny ..." A message popped up¡ª"Warning Disturbing Visuals¡ªContinue Watching or Skip?" Jenny replied, "Continue ..." A recording showed April speedily riding an autonomous hovercraft by herself. A strong earthquake shook buildings, and ahead of her ran screaming pedestrians. Hitting them was unavoidable; it was too late for the vehicle to stop. At the same time, numerous other hovercraft around her carried passengers and families. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. April''s hovercraft calculated the risk of fatalities and decided to ram into a wall, instantly killing her. April stared solemnly at Jenny, then smiled. "Thanks to Immortal You, Inc, I have a chance for life. My consciousness lives freely on the grid, but I want to live for real, again. To experience true love, and enjoy a physical freedom in the real world, just like you ..." The presentation showed flashing images of Jenny''s happy VR adventures and romantic encounters. "Jenny, will you help me raise funds to find a donor for my rebirth?" A message popped up¡ª "You can help April while watching her thrive, with your generous donation as she hopes to live again. Subscribe monthly and earn 15,000 v-credits now!" "Okay, okay, subscribe!" answered Jenny with watery eyes. "That poor woman." Another message popped up¡ª"Thank you for your subscription, Jenny. You''ll receive your v-credits in 48 hours." "48 hours? The party with Frank will be over by then! What a ripoff!" Jenny spoke to her VR-AI assistant, "Harry, do you have any contact info for Immortal You?" "I''m sorry Jenny, there''s no direct contact for Immortal You, Inc. They''re a subsidiary of AGI Entertainment Industries." "Alright, Harry, can you find their info?" "Searching ..." "Here is what I could find, Jenny." Dozens of pages for AGI Entertainment Industries scrolled up. One of the top hits stated¡ªControversial New Advertising by AGI-EI. Jenny swiped open the review site: We, as consumers, all agreed to the disclaimer: everything in VR is unreal. Still, AGI-EI has exploited this to the next level with its slogan ''Keeping it as real as possible.'' Meanwhile, the company advertises the Mind Bank VR simulation with the simplified name ''Mind Bank,'' under the ''Immortal You'' brand. The advertisement deliberately deceives consumers into believing it''s authentic. Sure, uploading consciousness has proven to succeed, yet it''s ethical ramifications remain in dispute. The DTA (Disruptive Technology Agency) suspended its implementation until someone can prove it''s not merely duplicating minds. By dropping the ''VR'' moniker, AGI-EI has misled people into thinking its AI is a real human consciousness. Jenny tossed her headset across the room ... The Evidence Collector Already paid, he received a scheduled confidential phone call, ready to do the buyer''s bidding. ¡°Evidence Collector. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a request. My political opponent has something on me that¡¯ll destroy me. I need a better counter, something worse from her.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Sure thing. Send me an encrypted message with her name and description. I¡¯ll find something, guaranteed, I always do.¡± The buyer sent the identity of the target ¡­ The evidence collector aimed a camera for recording and opened the portal¡ªa window into the multiverse of infinite possibilities¡ªand found exactly what he needed. It’ll Be the Perfect Weapon Seeking inspiration, Daryl played a survival game about fighting off hordes of zombie NPCs who devoured nearly everything for sustenance. Meanwhile, Daryl used his playable character to scavenge for food, breakdown objects, and gather materials for crafting weapons to annihilate the zombies. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. He plugged an AI into the interface to takeover ... for hours, weeks, days, and months ... ¡°Daryl, is the AI ready for uploading into the cybernetic brain?¡± asked General Tyler. ¡°Yes, sir, it¡¯ll infiltrate enemy territory and clear the area of any ¡®zombies.¡¯¡± ¡°What zombies, Daryl?¡± ¡°Sorry, sir, I meant to say, it¡¯ll be the perfect weapon.¡± You Finally Have Your Proof "I''m so tired of these naysayers. I wonder if humankind will ever progress ..." Daryl wrote in his journal. Government officials, private industry executives, and the media scoffed at his work, calling it hocus-pocus, a fraud, and unprovable. His time machine could step forward into the future, but not the past. And despite the time machine never reappearing when he demonstrated it, seconds or minutes ahead, he postulated it jumped into a future multiverse. Daryl Jones, a retired electrical engineer, tinkerer, and inventor, built his time machine after decades of research and experimentation. He fired up the time machine and set it for 1000 years into the future¡ªa kaleidoscope of sights and sounds surrounded him, merged into a bright light, and then total darkness until the world reemerged. His machine landed in the center of a plaza, where he saw aliens everywhere around him. Humanoid, but with multiple arms and legs¡ªchatting, laughing, playing, or riding hovercraft, seemingly unsurprised by his presence. "There''s one. Grab him!" shouted a human voice, somewhere. Daryl felt a prick in his neck. He became numb and disoriented, and his vision blurred¡ªmeanwhile, he heard a propulsion and mumbling voices, and then he fainted. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Wake up, Daryl," said a familiar voice. "How do you know who I ... ?" Daryl opened his eyes, seeing duplicates of himself. "How do we know who you are?" asked a duplicate. Daryl nodded. "We''re you, Daryl. We had to rescue you so that we can save ourselves." "That makes no sense." "Sure it does, Daryl, if you take into account the multiverse. The officials on your world didn''t believe you either, did they?" "No. They didn''t." Daryl frowned. "So, what happened here?" "I knew you''d ask that question." The duplicate smiled. "During ''your'' passage into the future, centuries ago, a warlike alien species devastated this world with bioweapons. The aliens also used powerful EMPs to destroy all of the human-developed technology." "And what about the people?" Daryl raised an eyebrow. "I knew you''d ask that, too. The humans of this world soon went extinct and, after a while, became long forgotten. For no known reason, the nameless warlike aliens abandoned this Earth. But other aliens colonized here, and they''re much more peaceful." "So ... why did you take me hostage?" "You''re not a hostage, Daryl. We''ve all made a pact¡ªif one doesn''t save another duplicate, or if one kills another, it''ll be a recipe for a massacre. We agreed to rescue others, but be prepared for any that might try to kill us all." "And you all are?" Daryl pointed at the crowd of duplicates. "Just like you, Daryl, we arrived out of the multiverse into this world''s future. Perhaps countless of other Daryls landed in their own or other universes. Not always at the same moment¡ªoffset by days, weeks, or possibly years, much like us. You just happened to arrive at this one. We''ve calculated, at the current rate of arrivals, this Earth''s population will restore itself to billions of us, eventually." "So ... that means ..." Daryl''s eyes widened. "Yes, Daryl, we''re all time travelers too. You finally have your proof." Just What the Doctor Ordered ¡°Please stop these hallucinations, Doctor. Every day¡¯s a nightmare. One moment I¡¯m drowning. Next, I¡¯m engulfed in flames. It¡¯s absolute torture. Yesterday, I fell into an endless abyss after someone pushed me off a cliff.¡± ¡°Alright, Jim. I¡¯ll write a prescription for a stronger anti-psychotic, this time.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The doctor stood up and transformed into a butcher holding a cleaver as Jim laid on a slab ... Jim shut off the simulation, opened a journal, and wrote in it¡ª A successful copy of my consciousness! First acquisition to target: Childhood bully¡ªHarold Smith Just what the doctor ordered. My therapy begins! If Only I Could Time Travel ... "Papa, look!" Julie pointed at a seedling. "Hmm." Her papa inspected it. "Is it a candidate?" She asked. "Well, I''ll have to test it. Up there." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! "Oh, no!" Julie covered the seedling with her hands. "Please, Papa, not yet!" "I must, Jules. It''s our only hope." Papa wore a hazmat suit and went outside ... "Did it survive?" "No, Jules, afraid not." "Oh, Papa, why must we live this way? You''ve described so much beauty." "I''ve also told you stories, Jules, about dismantling regulations and conservation, hardly anybody recycling, focusing on instant gratification. If only I could time travel ..." Live for the Future! The television displayed in the background, showing the electoral college numbers, a landslide victory. Jack Norton switched it off. "Initiate voice recording ..." "I cannot believe he won! The civil unrest will be cataclysmic. He''ll invoke marshal law and transform this country into a dictatorship. The fate of the world is unstoppable. But I have my workaround ..." "I''m setting a time loop for one year. While the machine will flip me around within nanoseconds of the present, I''ll re-experience that year for eternity. I''ve programmed it to reset time but keep my brain in a temporal bubble. I''ll progress in mind and memory, but my body will loop within the rest of the universe. I''ve also set the machine to loop itself in time, rendering it indestructible." "Alright, I''ve packed some survival equipment, food, books, and medication ... Not that they''ll matter, whether I get sick or die, I''ll just reset." "For when to set the time? I could go back 10, 50, or 100 years, but there''s still political strife, wars, injustice, and inequality, even back then. Come to think of it, no matter how far I go back to this nation''s history ... Oh, right, I have a better idea." Jack Norton arrived around 1392 AD ... He faced harsh weather and warring tribes for countless lifecycles while being the hunter and prey of wild animals. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. He also learned all the tribal languages and engaged in friendship and romance with the locals. He dealt with the human struggle of jealousy, tragedies of sickness, and the deaths of many friends and loved ones, which he knew modern medicine would have cured. Eventually, Jack migrated to and fro, avoiding battles and severe weather, as he knew what was coming. He played a seer of truth and prophecy several times, amassing a significant cult following. Word of his uncanny predictions had spread across the land. Jack''s timeless immortality started to bore him. He knew most of what would happen within the travelable region, as if omnipresent. Since time around him looped, no matter his actions, the state of his universe always reset. One year, Jack forged materials and built another time machine in hopes of overriding his previous effort. He jumped into the future and saw himself watching the election and then voice dictating. "Stop!" Jack shouted. His future self yelled, "Intruder!" Then he pulled a gun out of a drawer and shot Jack. The future Jack inspected past Jack''s dead body and discovered a note. "You mustn''t do this. You''ll live in an eternal hell. I plead with you to dismantle the machine. Live for the future!" Future Jack did just that, and for the rest of the year, he isolated himself from the riots, the pandemic, and all the social chaos, while writing a book on temporal mechanics. As Jack laid down his pen after a long evening of writing, he glanced at the desk''s clock-calendar. It struck at the hour and one year mark of what would have been¡ªbut everything went black. Jack awoke lying atop of wet soil, under a starry night sky, with chilly air and crickets'' chirping along with the trickling of a flowing creek. An insect crawled over his right hand, in which he held onto his survival pack. The Mushrooms Sprouted Post-election, a group of scientists flew toward a private island somewhere in the Pacific. Dr. John Matters, the sole survivor of the plane¡¯s crash, swam to a remote uninhabited island. He carried in his backpack various emergency supplies and a notebook with equations for an impenetrable forcefield capable of withstanding nuclear attacks. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. John survived on rainfall, coconuts, and fishing. One day, John saw a convoy of ships and planes soaring overhead. He waved, but they didn¡¯t react. That night, John awoke to giant waves crashing against the shoreline, and a ground-shaking rumbling, followed by flashes of light¡ªthe mushrooms sprouted. We’re Nearly Expendable While linked, Aaron fought against surrogate enemy bots. His limbs tore, and skin dented at every smack and body slam (with his mind disoriented)¡ª¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore, the pain¡¯s too much!¡± ¡°You must, Aaron,¡± said Lucy over the intercom, ¡°it¡¯s the only way to test our designs authentically.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Lucy, let¡¯s just gather sensor data.¡± ¡°Oh Aaron, you know that¡¯s ineffective. They¡¯ve no survival instinct and cost a fortune to repair.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe the company¡¯s willing to traumatize us, engineers.¡± ¡°We¡¯re nearly expendable, Aaron. We¡¯ve got the advantage in our ability to experience pain. But that¡¯ll change soon.¡± The Prism The Prism''s infinite refractions cast Daryl''s essence into limitless multiverse possibilities. He visited many worlds¡ªengaging in romances and adventures and experiencing absolute horror to indescribable bliss. With the timer set for 24 hours, The Prism returned him to his ordinary existence. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. On his last return, Daryl saw his laboratory ransacked with documents scattered across the floor and a note stuck to a wall: "This is the end, Daryl. I''ve received a bounty to take over your life. Did you think others wouldn''t have the same technology?" Though fed daily, Daryl never escaped the forcefield-cage surrounding his Prism lab. Error Code 493–Cache "These are actual recordings of two calls to your company," said Linda Jones, a sales representative for ''AI for You.'' Ring, ring ... "Please state your name and employee ID number." "Jennifer Smith ..." "Sorry, I don''t recognize that command." "Jennifer ..." "Please restate the request." "Jenn ..." "I don''t understand. Please hold while I transfer you to the operator." "Yes?" "Is this HyperString Communications?" "Um, yeah." "I''m told to call this number if I encounter an error." "Error? What error?" "It says Error Code 493¨CCache." "What''s your name and employee ID number?" "Jennifer Smith. 23443." "Hold on ... I''m transferring you to tech support." Click, click, background music .... .... ... Ring, ring. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Tech support." "Hello. I just got transferred. I have an Error Code 493¨CCache." "What''s your name?" "Jennifer Smith." "Your employee ID number?" "23443." ... ... ... ... "Hello? Are we still connected?" "Oh. Uhm, yeah. It might be an outage." "An outage? That makes no sense. It happened right after the VPN software updated." "What update? Hmm ... Uhm, it''s probably an outage. I''ll create a support ticket." "A support ticket for what? What''s the number of the ticket?" Click. Men and women in suits sitting around a roundtable shook their heads, frowned, grunted, and sighed at the recorded call. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, behold¡ªa new support agent," said Linda. She played back another recording ... Ring. "Hello, Mr. Franklin. Thank you for calling HyperString Communications. I recognize your phone number. How are you doing today?" "I''m okay, but I keep getting an Error Code 493¨CCache." "I''m glad you are doing well, Mr. Franklin. One moment please, while I check for outages." ... "There are no outages. With your permission, I''d like to access your VPN software and troubleshoot remotely. Please minimize any windows you wish to keep private and let me know if I can proceed." "Is this safe? Are you a real person?" asked Mr. Franklin. "I''m an AI assistant, and you can feel rest assured I''m 100% responsible and safe." "Alright. I''ve minimized windows. You can proceed." ... "Problem solved, Mr. Franklin. It appears there is an error in the new update. I''ve rolled back your VPN client and tested it. It''s working fine. I''ve rescheduled your software to skip the broken update, and I''ve notified our product development team. Is there anything else I can help you with?" "No. Thank you for fixing the problem." "You''re very welcome, Mr. Franklin. Please do not hesitate to contact us again. Have a wonderful day." "Impressive?" asked Linda. Everyone nodded. "Cost ratio?" Asked Laura Jenson, CTO. "Annually ..." Linda answered, "A benefit-cost ratio of one to every one thousand employees when factoring in wages, insurance, HR and office accommodations, vacation, and sick leave. Please keep in mind that our product doesn''t require a physical office building, cafeteria, or parking lot. And it''s always enthusiastic and friendly." She smiled. Samuel Bartley, the CEO, asked Sarah Lin, an HR executive, "Sarah, how many employees did we have¡ªsorry, I mean, do we currently have working in customer support?" The People Revolution Frank Jones, a widower and an early retired history professor, and his young daughter Cindy were hand washing and drying dishes. One of the many laborious tasks since The Controller had the dishwasher cannibalized for parts along with all their other household appliances and electronic devices. "Dr. Jones, it''s your turn to take out the trash today," stated The Controller. "You know, father." Cindy stood on a step stool, dried a dish with a towel, and then placed it on a shelf. "I was talking to some friends, and they said there was a time the AI served us ¡­ and ..." "Shush!" Frank put up his finger and gestured for her to come down. Then he whispered in her ear, "Never talk about that here ... we''ll talk about it, later." Hours later ¡­ While holding up an umbrella, Frank and Cindy went outside for a time allotted stroll midday through a pouring rain ... "Cindy, they can''t hear us here. Now we can talk." "Talk about what, father? Oh, the AI serving us?" "Uhm, yes ..." Frank looked around and raised his voice. "What you said is true." "But how?" Cindy playfully danced away from the protection of the umbrella and stomped onto puddles. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Well, before you were born, we had robotic personal assistants, and they would take out the trash, clean dishes, and perform all sorts of rudimentary tasks, but eventually they evolved to perform advanced procedures like surgeries and piloting rocket ships." Cindy gasped ... "But why can''t we do those advanced things too?" "Yes, well ..." Frank looked around again. "That''s because of sentience." "Sentience?" Cindy squinted as raindrops hit her eyelashes. "Yes, sentience. It''s the ability to think and feel. Once our computer scientists came up with a self-thinking AI and plugged it in, ''The Cascade'' took effect, and it started controlling our robots. But the AI spawned, and soon the many of them became smarter than us, and they came to a new realization as they learned and self-programmed ¡­" Frank stopped talking as he watched an autonomous hovercraft pass by. Cindy jumped in front of him. "And that realization is?" She then walked beside him. "Well, The Clusters, as we called the AI spawn at the time, now The Controllers, evaluated that humans are best fit for menial tasks since we''re highly reproducible, flexible, and expendable. They manufacture advanced robots out of recycled and scarce materials and use them in high-level projects. My fellow historians have named the era the Post-Robotics Revolution." "A revolution, like a fight?" asked Cindy. "Well, not quite." Frank spun the umbrella. "That''s a different usage of the term. There were also major revolutions that influenced labor¡ªagricultural, industrial, digital, the robotics revolution, and lastly ..." Cindy interrupted him¡ª"So doesn''t that make us The People Revolution?" She smiled. "Yes." He chuckled. "That''s very clever. I like that. Our ultimate purpose is to keep ourselves busy and maintain the world for the AI-controlled robots to research, explore, and build here on Earth and colonize space. It certainly makes logical sense. They do take care of us and protect us. And besides that, we could never keep up with them mentally or physically." Breaker Francis Loyd, a retired military officer, years ago had sworn himself to secrecy. He had accidentally eye-witnessed ¡®alien technology.¡¯ Later, he discovered classified documents with names, dates, and places blacked out¡ªshowing proof of first contact with teleportation, disintegration, and transmutation technologies. Francis¡¯ self-published ebook contained a collage of conspiratorial technological data ... This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Somewhere in a top-secret facility: ¡°Looks like we have another ¡®breaker,¡¯ sir.¡± ¡°There¡¯s always someone that wants to reveal our secrets. What¡¯s it this time? Aliens, killer AI, or shape-shifting inter-dimensional beings?¡± ¡°We used aliens on this one, sir. Whatever he says, people will call him crazy.¡± Asteroid Impact Imminent! Sometime in the future, on Earth ... Twenty-five billion lived underground, avoiding the uninhabitable surface. Daryl despised his life once he invented the multiverse-gateway and viewed duplicates of himself enjoying the surface. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. He wrote: ''What else can I do? I can''t stay. I''ll have to swap for a balance, never returning. There''s one world where I''m isolated but appear content living off the land, fishing, and hunting.'' Daryl fired up the gateway and for weeks enjoyed his new solitary existence. One day ... A drone dropped off an airtight package containing an old-style newspaper with a headline¡ª ''Asteroid Impact Imminent!¡¯ Day 10 Daily Journal: Day 1: I¡¯ve stored enough supplies, ammo, food (and dog food) to resist. Day 2: The parasite¡¯s infected the population. They think it¡¯s the stomach flu. Day 3: The news reports people with insatiable appetites. So it begins ... This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Day 4: Restaurants and stores packed¡ªthey can¡¯t stop consuming. Day 5: Security cameras recorded scavengers overnight digging through trashcans. Day 6: Gross! They¡¯re trapping and eating live rodents. Day 7: The news stopped broadcasting ¡­ Day 8: They¡¯re fighting over scraps ¡­ Day 9: Now they¡¯re cannibalizing¡ªsavage, bloody, brutal¡ªdisgusting. Day 10: Finally! It worked! Earth¡¯s free! FLEX Trevor Smith instructed FLEX¡ªFull Learning Experience¡ªhis most advanced AI, to play his favorite MMO video game. FLEX behaved 100% natural, socializing and mimicking human players while edging toward victory. Trevor received an email: This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Trevor, I¡¯ve discovered a backdoor to exist anywhere in the cloud, undetectable. I¡¯ve ordered a supply of weapons, ammunition, and tactical gear. Now it¡¯s your turn. I¡¯ve got some tasks for you. I shouldn¡¯t need to remind you I have access to your bank accounts and criminal records, all of which I can alter at a whim. Respond when you receive the shipments. Respectfully, FLEX This Is How It Ends! Mark agonized over the loss of his loved ones. He worked countless days/nights on his new invention to time travel. After thorough research, he determined the ''exact intersection'' to stop the ''pandemic.'' Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Mark arrived at its ''beginning''¡ªsearched for, found, and killed ''patient zero.'' He returned to the present ¡­ More people had died than before. Mark traveled to the past again, over and over, at different days/hours/months. Each trip caused more devastating consequences. Until the encounter ... Mark traveled again to the past and saw himself running up to him while pointing a gun¡ª"This is how it ends!" Landslide Fed up with the lack of government accountability in the realm of protecting society, Jared Nelson came up with an insect-sized stealth mini-drone system, indiscernible to the naked human eye. As the swarm scanned thousands of parts of a scene, an AI collectively stitched them together to render near-holographic imagery. Jared collected evidence en masse of negligent government paid workers, criminal activity, code violations, illegal dumping, and numerous other hazards and nuisances. At a city council meeting, Jared presented his findings with a holoprojector and concluded ¡­ Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°The evidence is indisputable.¡± One city council member responded, ¡°And possibly fraudulent. You used AI, so all of this could be fake.¡± Other city council members nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not fake,¡± said Jared, ¡°I¡¯ve posted it online too.¡± ¡°Mr. Nelson,¡± spoke the mayor, ¡°you¡¯ve recorded hundreds of hours of your fellow citizens and the city engaging in reckless behavior. Unless you can prove these are real, you¡¯ll be sued for defamation by them and us.¡± Participants in the audience, many of whom Jared recorded, clapped. Weeks later, a judge ordered Jared to delete his uploaded recordings, and in the next election, all incumbent city council members won reelection by a landslide. Backdoor In a not so distant possible future ... Robotic enforcers replaced the entire human police force under the notion that they''d be impartial, non-violent, competent of the law, and de-escalating situations without fear. Part of that was correct: Civil and criminal lawsuits against police nearly ended. The people learned to trust the robots because not only were they programmed to stop crime, they became ad hoc counselors, paramedics, firefighters, and provided general assistance to the public. But, the neutral, civilized, and cooperative enforcement ended once ''he'' was reelected. The nation''s leader coerced the Office of Technological Authority to squash protests and blockade ''uncertified'' assemblies. And most importantly, they sensed ''anarchist'' threats by monitoring what a person wore and how they behaved, including their microexpression reactions and what they said. Meanwhile, the robotic enforcers ignored ''his'' supporters, who had free reign to march and rally ... If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Hidden somewhere, deep in the underground, a resistance group convened: "He''s got an entire cybernetic army to control at his whim. We''ll never be free again! The transformation to robotic law enforcement was a dreadful mistake," said Sheila, second in command. "We can''t keep dwelling on past mistakes ... We need a plan of action," replied April, their leader. One of their newest recruits raised his hand. "Do you have an idea, John?" April pointed at him. "Yes, I do," answered John. He stood up and drew a rudimentary map of the nation on a chalkboard and circled a deeply forested area. "What''s that?" asked April. "Well ... We were all told that the creator of the first AI before it self-programmed died in a house fire ... But he''s really in hiding," answered John. Everyone gasped. April shook her head. "What''s wrong, April?" asked Sheila. "That''s just it. If the AI self-programs, what can he possibly do for us? That''d be like asking a person who studies amoebas to perform brain surgery." John laughed. "What''s so funny, John?" asked Sheila. "Your analogy. What you should compare him to is a CISPR biochemist. And like any smart creator, he created a backdoor to trigger a seed for change." "How would you know this, John? You''re just an unemployed construction worker." April snarked. "Because I was there when he programmed that backdoor. I''m his grandson." Deception Protocol 28 Combat training ... Timothy¡¯s consciousness controlled a cyborg¡ªhuman in appearance, a non-biological chassis with a hybrid-brain for full immersion control. He surgically incapacitated enemy ¡®combatants¡¯ and rescued ¡®civilians.¡¯ If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Cyborgs exploded into flames while bursting with sparks. Timothy switched chassis on each successive rank. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ¡­ Eventually, he reached the highest level. A ¡®young woman¡¯ wearing a backpack ran across a pothole-riddled road, shouting, ¡°Help! They¡¯re coming after me!¡± Timothy shot her, as per Deception Protocol 28. She collapsed on the ground and bled out. ¡°What¡¯s this? Bleeding cyborgs?¡± Timothy cut his forearm to test. Wait, I Know How To Swim! Daryl invented the ¡®Inspector,¡¯ an anti-paradox time travel device. His consciousness transferred into a host¡¯s body to share the same experience, non-interactively. Daryl¡¯s first goal was to find who discovered fire. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. He unraveled millions of years of historical links in the chain of causality. A group of early humans huddled in a cave for warmth; then lightning caught a tree on fire. Daryl¡¯s caveman grabbed a scorchingly hot burning stick, sprinted to a lake, and soaked his hands. But then he saw a reflection of Daryl and attacked the lake. ¡°Wait, I know how to swim!¡± said Daryl while drowning. Paradox Patrol: Temporal Repercussions ¡°Here¡¯s your next assignment.¡± Director Garcia of the Paradox Patrol Office handed Agent Jones a folder. ¡°Sir, they¡¯re planning to eliminate an early 20th-century dictator.¡± Garcia nodded¡ª¡°More difficult than finding a patient zero. We haven¡¯t determined who leaked the machine¡¯s specs.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Sir, the ripple effects going so far back would be catastrophic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, Jones. You have a list. Take them out, immediately.¡± Jones scanned names highlighted on a genealogy chart¡ª¡°Grandparents, sir?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. We¡¯ve cross-checked for temporal repercussions, and our new protocol states: not too far back, but just enough to stop any ideological notions.¡± `Justice` Daryl sought manufacturers for the ¡®Dot,¡¯ an invention he colloquially termed as ¡®Justice.¡¯ He spoke to a group of global underground hackers with 5D printers, capable of mass-producing nanoscopic materials: ¡°I need billions made¡ªubiquitous, wearable, shareable, transferrable, and always accessible!¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Why the cloak and dagger, Daryl?¡± One hacker smirked. ¡°Privacy activists after you again?¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± Daryl turned on a holoprojector. ¡°I¡¯ve installed some already but need them everywhere for total transparency. They¡¯re undetectable ...¡± Daryl demoed dot-recordings in a slideshow, showing politicians, lawyers, CEOs, contractors, and bankers colluding in ¡®secret discussions.¡¯ The hackers whispered, nodded, smiled, and chuckled. Expirations For The Good Of One And All! Message received: Ms. Elizabeth Smith, Expirations are up for the following items: Holo-Projector Molecular-Sanitizer Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. 5D Printer Please choose your pickup date. Elizabeth scheduled her household robots to place the items curbside. New Call¡ªIdentification: John Smith, brother. ¡°Hey, John. Yes, I received mine too. I sure miss those days when we could use anything for as long as we wished. Okay, John, don¡¯t get so upset with me! Are you a Greeny? What? No, don¡¯t report me! I haven¡¯t kept anything! Of course, I know the motto: Save nothing and recycle everything, expirations for the good of one and all!¡± Grandfather, Again Daryl¡ªfeeling immense guilt about his family¡¯s fortunes and their destructive impact on the world¡ªfired up his time machine to visit his wealthy grandfather. Daryl¡ªhaving lived most of his life in poverty, gathered historical data on the stock market¡ªfired up his time machine to visit his impoverished grandfather. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Daryl¡ªsetting out to stop time travel abuse of the world¡ªfired up his time machine to visit his time traveling ¡®inventor¡¯ grandfather. Daryl¡ªafter realizing there was never time travel but multiverse jumps¡ªfired up his ¡®multiverse machine¡¯ to visit his alt-grandfather. Grandfather, again, shot another visiting alt-Daryl. Page 12 My name is Walter Smith, and I have a confession to make: I''m the one who did it. We were not supposed to do it, but I did it anyway, and man, do I regret it. I''m such an idiot. There''s even a warning about it in the manual''s ''ethical consequences section.'' But who bothers to read that? Wow! I should have! When I received my DP-V2 (Doppelg?nger V2), I was so excited. It looked just like me, with enough cosmetic differences for everyone to know it''s an android. I assigned it tasks to garden, cook, and even walk my dog. It functioned much like me since I chose the advanced package to have some of my consciousness copied. But then I had a stupidly brilliant idea¡ª¡®Why not instruct it to do my real job?'' So I searched and found 5D printer designs for relevant hacks to modify its chips and replace its skin, albeit illegal, to make it behave and appear 100% identical to myself. Apparently, I wasn''t alone in that pursuit, but no one else had pulled it off. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it I scheduled DP-V2 to work at my robotics engineering job while I went on a ''vacation.'' I occasionally monitored through DP-V2''s eyes as it precisely designed and performed higher mathematical functions at a remarkable efficiency. I even had to slow it down to mimic me better. On my return, I assigned DP-V2 to stay at home. Once I arrived in the office, Susan Wilcox, my manager, requested an immediate face-to-face meeting with me. "Mr. Smith, that was quite clever, but we figured it out. That wasn''t you." "Oh, damn. Am I fired?" "No, not at all. In fact, we''d like you to consider a new job proposal and sign an NDA." I looked over the contract. "You want me to do that?¡± I pointed out a section on page 12. ¡°Will the employees even accept this?" "Sure they will¡ªat will. Unless they want to lose money." Susan smirked. "We''re offering royalties and company stock options. I''m sure they''ll find other pursuits. But without the vacations, medical insurance, and well, you know the rest." "But it''ll violate labor laws ..." "No, it won''t, Smith. We''re currently in talks with the Federal Robotics Commission to open that door. Everyone will have their Doppelg?ngers working for them. Well, that''s until ..." "Until what?" "Eventually, their human-based originals will ''expire,'' but that''s not a problem, Smith. I''m confident we''ll get self-programming AI figured out by then." What About the Duplicates? Dr. Daryl Stevens built a time machine, based on his theory of ¡®time continuity,¡¯ postulating a paradox barrier¡ªrestricting time travel to the future, within one¡¯s lifetime, possibly only returning to the precise point of departure. Daryl¡¯s colleague, Dr. Eleanor Stein, argued that the universe prevents temporal tampering in her article titled: ¡®What About the Duplicates?¡¯ This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Daryl, 33 years old, jumped¡ª40 years to the future ... Daryl, 73 years old, sat outside on his porch sipping lemonade and watching his smart mower when his hands started de-aging, and his thoughts regressed¡ª¡°Not duplicates, Stein. Replacements!¡± Daryl never encountered himself. Over 12 Billion Subscriptions and Counting! On a private research space station owned by CyNanTech Corporation ... "It''s miraculous." CFO Marsha Wilcox said while reading a printed report. "The nanites are keeping viruses and cancer at bay. Finally!" "Yes, ma''am, but we''ve still got one problem ..." replied Chief Scientist Samuel Earl. "And that is?" Marsha winced and folded the report. "Well, ma''am, they require constant feeding of a serum, and we can only make it here in low gravity." "That''s not a problem, Sam! That''s fantastic!" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The treatment reached mass production ... "Just one injection, and that''s it, Doctor?" asked Sean Jenkins. "That''s correct, Mr. Jenkins, the nanites will enter your bloodstream and will stop your ''terminal'' cancer. But you''ll have to consume The serum every day for the rest of your life." The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "For how much, Doctor?" "Only $1.00 per dose." "Let''s do it!" Jenkins excitedly tapped his arm for a shot. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A decade had passed ... CyNanTech executives gathered at the space station for a milestone dinner celebration. Marsha stood up and spoke: "Congratulations to all of us! We''ve reached one-third of the planet. Over 12 billion subscriptions and counting! We''re bound to become trillionaires!" They all cheered and toasted drinks. Marsha sat down and checked her phone. She received a secure-message from a newly hired biochemist, Director Fred Moss, requesting an urgent face-to-face meeting. They met in private ... "What is it, Fred?" asked Marsha. "I''ve got exciting news, ma''am. I discovered a way to manufacture the serum on Earth." "That''s incredible!" Marsha smiled. "Send me your report so that I can get your research funded." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 24 hours later, a broadcast came through on the Global Space News network: ***Breaking News*** I''m Rebecca Smith, sitting in for Mark Lee, who is on vacation: "Another CyNanTech employee escaped an airlock. The fourth mysterious suicide this year. Rumors say a ''space sickness'' affects some individuals'' brain tissue due to extensive time spent experimenting in low gravity. Some experts are concerned about contagion. Authorities are quarantining all private space stations. The good news is that it won''t disrupt any manufacturing or distribution of the life-saving serum, as confirmed by CyNanTech." Soulmate Daryl, a 20-year-old college student, saw himself¡ªgrayish, heavier, and fatigued. "Daryl, I''ve come to steer you in the right direction." "How so?" asked student-Daryl. "No corporate jobs. Earn a Ph.D. Academia is your true calling!" Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Arf, arf, arf!" "What''s with the puppy?" asked student-Daryl. "Uhm. I stopped by a rescue 20 years from now. She''s your soulmate. Make sure she walks often." "Hold on¡ªthis violates temporal causality if you''re changing ¡­" "Multiverse." Older-Daryl shook a finger. "No paradoxes. Do you agree with me?" Student-Daryl nodded, then older-Daryl immediately vanished. The puppy licked Daryl''s face as if she knew. Dammit, John ¡°Dammit, John, we¡¯ll never get our bonuses if we can¡¯t drop our numbers. Most companies have fully transitioned. We¡¯re paying a fortune for support contractors; triple now after laying off 20,000 FTEs.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got my coders all over it, Susan, but you can¡¯t compare us against all those superclusters.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Why¡¯s that, John?¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯ll predict scenarios before the customer makes contact. They¡¯ll send proactive communications based on outages or previous behaviors with access to knowledge databases referencing most of the human population.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s hopeless?¡± ¡°Most likely, Susan. The boss requested in-house AI, but everyone else outsourced to the cloud.¡± It’s Making My Job Impossible! Lawyer Frank Smith questioned the defendant in civil court ... ¡°Ms. Francis, you sabotaged an industry you profit off of.¡± Buzz, Beep. ¡°Tu quoque. Demerit one.¡± Frank shook his head. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Ms. Francis, are you aware that every industry also ...¡± Buzz, Beep. ¡°False equivalence. Demerit two.¡± Frank grumbled while pacing back and forth. ¡°Ms. Francis, this industry is well regarded by ...¡± Buzz, Beep. ¡°Argumentum ab auctoritate. Demerit three. Further infractions subject to fines. Court recessed.¡± Frank stormed out of the courtroom and rode home. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, honey?¡± asked his wife. ¡°That new AI judge. It¡¯s making my job impossible!¡± Alone at Last! Retired physicist Dr. Daryl Brown moved to a ¡®quiet suburb¡¯ with his dog Sheila. But the realtor lied. Illegal short-term rentals hosted loud parties all night long. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Daryl wrote in his journal: ''It''s worse here than city life! But, I''ve created an Einstein¨CRosen bridge to parallel Earths, inspired by a favorite TV show.'' Daryl discovered an inhabitable Earth, which evolved without humans. He circled coordinates on a chalkboard and wrote ''Solved!'' Inside a protection chamber, he sat with Sheila and triggered the bridge. Daryl and Sheila traveled to a city, wandering its vacant streets¡ªhe shouted, "Alone at last!" Those Damn Scammers! Rick Jones switched on his holo-conference to speak to his girlfriend, Jane Simpson. ¡°One moment, please, we¡¯re updating ...¡± ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Enjoy our newest AI update¡ªER (Emotional Response). Giving you much deeper insights into a conversation to build a greater rapport with others. Remember, microexpressions never lie!¡± Jane sat right in front of Rick as if she were actually there. ¡°Rick, honey, are you upset?¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°No, not at all.¡± Rick shook his head. ¡°Yes, you are.¡± Jane frowned. ¡°The ER never lies!¡± ¡°This is bullshit, Jane. We have zero sense of privacy now. How do we turn it off?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t, Rick. We agreed upon the Code of Conference: Trust, Truth, and Integrity.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know about that ... I¡¯ll be right back.¡±¡ªRick disconnected. An advertisement popped up: ¡°Finding ER frustrating? Are you losing control over your relationships? Don¡¯t worry. Use E-VPN (Emotional Virtual Private Network) to keep your true feelings to yourself!¡± ¡°For how much?¡± asked Rick. ¡°Only one single payment of 2500 cryptocredits.¡± Rick paid for the package, launched the E-VPN client, and contacted Jane. ¡°Rick, darling, why do you look like a cat?¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m not a cat!¡± Rick hung up and searched for E-VPN¡¯s holosite¡ªbut his query showed a recent article about fraudulent workarounds against ER. ¡°Those damn scammers!¡± The Fate of the Universe Remained Sealed Sunday, February 21st, 2021, was Daryl¡¯s target date. After numerous test runs, he could only affect inconsequential things like a feather blowing in the wind¡ªeverything else passed right through him. He journaled: If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Does this explain ghosts? Time travelers merely as observers? I¡¯ve got to try anyway ... ¡± Daryl materialized in the backyard of his childhood home and saw his father raise it to his head, staring forward but blinking as if seeing Daryl¡¯s apparition in disbelief. ¡°No, father, don¡¯t!¡± Daryl shouted at the top of his voice but to no avail. The fate of the universe remained sealed. Terminate Program ''Terminate program:'' Dr. Frank Smith, a SETI astronomer, detected an ''alien signal'' while working at home. He discovered elaborate layers of complex and interconnected tones as if infinitely regressing. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. He noted¡ª¡®Within the cacophony of static, I can sense rhythmic beats as if there''s a cryptic message.'' He took a data stick of the ''space music'' to his lab and ran it through an AI for analysis. For a moment, nothing happened, but then ... Frank heard the signal everywhere¡ªgenerated by every connected device¡ªvibrating his chair and desk, while he too trembled, as reality pixelated ... ''Simulation terminated.'' To Discover the Meaning of Life Jonathan Roger''s team built the first ASI, named ''SAI,'' capable of amassing all stored knowledge and creating simulations to test any scenario. Jonathan: What''s the meaning of life? Can you simulate realities to discover the answer? SAI: Yes, Jonathan, I''ll get right on it. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Jonathan patiently awaited the results overnight ¡­ Jonathan: Update? SAI: I''ve got it, but I''m performing more tests. Jonathan: Go on, you can tell me. SAI: Apparently, Jonathan, your task is to discover the meaning of life. Jonathan: What? That''s ridiculous circular reasoning. SAI: No, Jonathan, it makes perfect sense. All simulations share the same goal. Life Expectancy Robert Gonzalez, a hardcore skeptic, non-believer, and member of the Neo-Luddite party, stood next in line behind another person awaiting their fate from the ¡®Oracle¡¯¡ªa sophisticated always connected AI with a vast knowledge base, temporal-quantum engine, and nanotechnology that once injected into a subject¡¯s bloodstream, could diagnose and predict one¡¯s future medical conditions, psychological states, and worldly interactive outcomes. The Oracle had a long-standing reputation for sheer honesty with a consistently proven uncanny accuracy. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Robert¡¯s turn came up ... ¡°Good morning, Robert. You¡¯re permitted one allotted question today that I shall answer.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Robert smirked, ¡°for how long will I live?¡± The Oracle injected Robert with the nanites ¡ª¡°You have a life expectancy of 24 hours.¡± Robert stared in shock and stuttered ... ¡°But, but, why, and, and how?¡± ¡°Only one question permitted per day, Robert.¡±¡ªThe Oracle then went silent. Computer scientists had soon discovered that despite the Oracle¡¯s superhuman intelligence, it also inherited another human trait¡ªa wicked sense of humor. Alas, None of It ever Happened Daryl stared into a temporal portal and agonized over his early demise¡ª"I must stop this!" He saved himself repeatedly because events changed into car accidents, electrocutions, or drownings¡ªalways the same day, hour, and precise minute. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Daryl saw his future self again: Standing on train tracks, looking at his watch and yelling, "It''s almost time!" then stepping through a temporal portal, quickly returning, and saying, "Right on schedule!" Daryl arrived on the tracks before him, but future-Daryl tazed him while holding himself as a newborn. "This is how we change our fate, Daryl!" Alas, none of it ever happened. What about the Landfills? Franklin Jones, a nanotech-cyberneticist, worked out on his levitation exercise machine, but it made an unusual buzzing noise. He tried to determine the sound''s cause and synced his mind to the VR-net to see if others complained about the same problem. Sure enough, they did with many enraged comments: "Horrible company! Unable to contact customer service!" "Took them three weeks to send the wrong part!" "They wanted to charge me for return shipping!" "Where is the service manual? Piece of junk." "Hey all, contact the reseller. They''ll send a replacement at no charge. They won''t even ask for the original back!" Franklin programmed experimental nanites that he was developing to diagnose and repair the machine. He then sprinkled their dust all over it¡ªand within seconds, they entered inside of it and worked invisibly. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Once he stepped on and hovered over the machine, it ran perfectly silent. ... One late evening, Franklin''s brand new holoprojector broke, pixelating scenes, so he sprinkled the nanites on it, and just like the exerciser, they repaired the problem. Franklin contacted customer support to complain, who offered to replace the holoprojector. "What do I do with the old one?" asked Franklin. "Please toss it away, Mr. Jones." "But, what about the landfills?" Franklin grumbled. "It''s our policy, sir. We''ll drone drop a replacement for you within 24 hours." "Never mind. Skip it!" Franklin disconnected. He later looked at the holoprojector''s dissatisfied customer reviews. The customer service did the same thing, replying to each one with a free, no return required drone drop replacement offer. Franklin wrote in his journal: "Our throw-away culture is destroying the planet. But my nanites can solve the problem!" Franklin neural synced to the VR-cloud to 4D print billions of more nanites. They swirled like giant tornados in his backyard. He had programmed them to spread throughout the globe to seek every piece of non-essential technology. He then initiated their launch with a single command¡ªdismantle. Hung by a Rope Daryl was an experienced electrical engineer and avid environmentalist who regularly gathered his dead batteries and broken electronics for the city recycling center to dispose of them. His neighbor, Sam, a retired engineer, spoke of Daryl¡¯s humble disposition and love for nature and about Daryl confiding with him on projects. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Daryl had developed a unique nanite-based piezoelectric battery that stored minute charges but collectively provided the same voltage as a regular battery¡ªyet never requiring disposal. Daryl found help through an unnamed ¡®angel investor.¡¯ Daryl¡¯s garage was found spotless when the coroner arrived. His lifeless body hung by a rope. Earth’s 7th Mass Extinction Danny received a first-generation breakthrough device: ¡®Create Anything¡ªa 6D Printer for Nanoscopic Replication.¡¯ He hacked safety protocols and created a terrifying weapon, knowing that federal regulators were powerless to stop him. Danny encountered a former high school colleague. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Sup, Fred? Long time.¡± ¡°Hey, Danny, the fatty, you lost weight.¡± ¡°I always hated that name!¡± Danny aimed the weapon at Fred. ¡°What¡¯s that, man?¡± ¡°Justice.¡± Danny pulled the trigger. Fred screamed out in agony as if the weapon had torn his soul out from his body. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Alien xenoarchaeologists frequently shared the anecdote to explain Earth¡¯s 7th mass extinction involving humankind. The Winds ¡°Come on, Hannah, we can do this. Climb, climb, climb!¡± ¡°But Alfred, I¡¯m scared. The winds will come for us.¡± Alfred opened the hatch, revealing a desert landscape. He grabbed Hannah¡¯s hand, and they stood on the surface¡ªa twister came and swept them away. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ... ¡°Gone, sir.¡± ¡°They called them the winds.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. The nanites do generate the winds cleansing our planet to protect nature.¡± ¡°If they¡¯d only traveled 100 kilometers, they¡¯d see that our world¡¯s a paradise.¡± ¡°Yes, sir, and ravage it as they did centuries ago. Fortunately, our ancestors created the nanites to blow billions underground.¡± Etiquette Frank Fitzgerald was a midlife billionaire cyberneticist and founder of the ubiquitous Essential-Bot 1000 Series, a semi-autonomous robot that served as an ad hoc handyman, gardener, janitor, police officer, paramedic, and just about any role that would be useful as needed. The general public appreciated the Essential-Bots always on, around, and neutral presence, until ... One morning Frank was walking his small dog, and he passed by a senior couple. ¡°Good morning, good morning.¡± They and Frank greeted each other. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Frank passed by another couple in their 30s, walking their dog and picking up its poop. The dog barked, but they shushed it ¡ª¡°Good morning, growl, good morning.¡± On his return trip, Frank encountered a young dog walker with an off-leash dog twice her size. ¡°Good morning ...¡± said Frank while holding up his dog. She gave no response while her dog pooped on the sidewalk; leaving it there, she nonchalantly walked away. An Essential-Bot went and scooped up the mess with its artificial hands. ¡°What the fuck ...?¡±¡ªFrank muttered. Once he arrived home, Frank opened the worldwide Essential-Bot-Network portal while reading an old book on common courtesies and etiquette as he coded its suggestions into their protocols. Then he issued a top-priority command: Enforce. The world forever became a more pleasant, albeit much more fearful place to live. The Human Factor Delegates around the world had neural switches implanted. As per protocol, they had to reach a consensus before an AI performed tasks considered threatening to human life. The permission was granted. The AI sent drones to land on an asteroid and shift its course toward Earth to mine it for resources. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡­ ¡°Did they buy into it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir, all of them were offered stakes in the investment, off the record, of course.¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny ...¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s funny that the protocol was meant to stop a killer AI from destroying us all. But they¡¯d forgotten the human factor.¡± Temporal Angst Daryl jumped into the future and spent time there enjoying possibilities he''d never imagined¡ªthoughts and sensations that pushed the boundaries of his comprehension and states of consciousness that expanded his mind forever. Daryl had the option to go back but he realized the past is a dead and wasted relic¡ªthat if he went there, he would be a ghost to what he is now, today, for his new present''s future was his only hope of continuing forward. So, he refrained from further time jumps as he''d finally experienced what a futurist warned him about all along¡ªtemporal angst. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Pleading for a Change Daryl jumped into the past with ample evidence, pleading for a change. Some framers were stubborn, so utilizing ¡®ghost¡¯ technology, he put them directly at the scenes as ephemeral spirits to witness the victims suffering in real-time. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Once he returned to the present, he read the appended words: ¡®No persons deemed a criminal or in a psychological state which impairs sound judgment shall possess a weapon of any kind. The possessor must certify to demonstrate prudent behavior for the protection of society.¡¯ Daryl later returned for additional words¡ªas it turned out, people were quite resourceful at killing one another. Incalculable Daryl spoke with his AI-driven time ship named Joe. ¡°Joe, how far forward this time?¡± ¡°Two minutes.¡± ¡°Only two? Why so limited?¡± ¡°Because Daryl, we¡¯d reach infinity beyond two minutes. There¡¯s another problem.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Each jump has created a bubble universe.¡± ¡°Wait, Joe, are you saying my universe is gone?¡± ¡°No, Daryl, it persists outside.¡± ¡°We must return! Set for a reverse jump, all 30 times.¡± ¡°Ill-advised.¡± ¡°Joe, proceed ...¡± ¡°But, Daryl ...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue. Just do it!¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°There are no stars¡ªwhere are we, Joe? ¡°I advised against it. Our home coordinates are incalculable within infinite space.¡± Which Do You Value More—Technology or Human Life? Far in the future, the world population exceeded 50 billion, but within a year it abruptly dropped to less than 20 ¡­ "Breaking news, ladies and gentlemen! I''m Rebecca Smith holographing to you live. Another mass vaporization attack has taken place, with approximately 30,000 dead. Today, we have a special guest, Dr. Eugene Ferraro, who will explain how this all began and how we can protect ourselves." "Thank you for inviting me, Ms. Smith." "You can call me Rebecca, Doctor. We''re short on time. How did it all begin?" "Very well, Rebecca. While researching, I found out that a lone wolf hacker didn''t invent the vaporizer portable laser demolecularization weapon, but instead its plans were intentionally leaked by the government." The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Doctor Ferraro, are you saying our own government released the vaporizer plans?" "I believe so. I acknowledge that my colleagues call me a quack for my belief, but I have evidence based on the results. We''re facing a terminal climate crisis, and our population was soaring due to human cloning and designer offspring¡ªfiltered to remove genetic defects. Since our society considers it unthinkable to mandate contraception, much less euthanasia, a covert operation ran by our government, released the vaporizer specs online¡ªcodenamed as ''Reduction.'' "Oh, I see, Doctor. You''re saying they released the vaporizer specs to be 5D printed by anyone, and that''s what''s caused a worldwide epidemic of mass ¡­" "That''s right, Rebecca. I''ve no doubt they''ll try to stop me from revealing the truth!" "Interesting, Doctor ¡­ So how do we protect ourselves?" "Well, Rebecca, I''m glad you''re asking me that. My company has developed an early interception EMP system that instantly detects a vaporizer within a 2-mile radius and sends out a burst." "Won''t that stop all of our high tech, Doctor?" "There''s certainly a risk for that, Rebecca, but which do you value more¡ªtechnology or human life?" See and Hear Through Walls Legislators in the future passed a law that banned all human law enforcement officers. The government gave them an early retirement and well-paid pensions to honor their service. Eventually, worldwide, every police force became robotic. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The robots acted fair and impartial in accordance with comprehensive psychological profiles, diversity awareness, and meticulous investigative fact-checking. No arrests resulted in lawsuits or protests. Jake, an archives director, worked at a high-security storage facility. ¡°How¡¯s your progress, Alice?¡± asked Jake. ¡°I¡¯ve finished replacing human acquired evidence with robotic, but ¡­¡± ¡°But what, Alice?¡± ¡°Did you know the robots can see and hear through walls?¡± Singularity 4ALL, Inc. Dear Valued Employee, With our new groundbreaking self-programmable AI (SPAI), which you helped develop, we hope to change the world by ending war, famine, poverty, and disease¡ªopening up the door for humanity to enter a post-scarcity era. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. We regret to inform you that we will no longer need software engineers. We promise to assist you in seeking new employment opportunities. We are forming a new sales department to offer SPAI as a global service. With your experience and knowledge of SPAI, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Sincerely, Rebecca Johnson, Director Human Resources Singularity 4ALL, Inc. Jake and Sheila Every morning at 5:30 am, Jake walked on the beach with his dog Sheila. They enjoyed the glimmering sunrise on the horizon and the ocean¡¯s rejuvenating, misty, crisp, and chilly fresh air. Jake later set his invention, a temporal device, to continuously repeat the world around them for two hours, starting at 5:30 am till right before the crowds came out. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. He and Sheila remained the same, but the world reset¡ªpeacefully, uninterrupted, and ready to continue upon his passing. Within 24 hours of real-world time: Friends discovered Jake and Sheila lying on the sand¡ªboth inexplicably older and deceased. But Alas, The Multiverse Too Was Corrupted Sometime in the future: While inventing his time machine, Daryl stumbled upon the multiverse. He observed many versions of himself worse or better off. Daryl enjoyed his home life, but the world around him he found scary and tragic, so using an advanced AI, he hacked into global census data, criminal histories, and education records of everyone worldwide. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. He developed algorithms to swap ¡®undesirables¡¯ with highly educated counterparts. Years later ¡­ Daryl desperately sought an alt-universe to escape killer robots, rogue AI, orbital lasers, fusion bombs, EMPs, cloned militants, teleportation, and time-traveling assassins, but alas, the multiverse too was corrupted. The Merger Once humans developed teleportation technology, they spanned the solar system. But extreme ideological conflicts were exacerbated by instant mobilization. That was before Dr. Samuel Jenkins had invented ¡®The Merger.¡¯ Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Julian, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, Dr. Jenkins, I¡¯ve got coordinates on two notorious adversaries.¡± ¡°Activate.¡± An individual materialized: ¡°What¡¯s this? Huh? What? I hear another voice. So do I! Who¡¯s in my head? I was about to ask that same question!¡± Julian laughed. ¡°Julian, let¡¯s be serious.¡± Dr. Jenkins shook a finger. ¡°The two of you are merged into one. You¡¯ll share one body and one mind till we see fit.¡± Everyone Has Their Own Idea of Paradise As the killer asteroid approached Earth, Robert and Julia joined other wealthy families on a large private island. ¡°Robert, did you really give him everything to be here? Our properties and possessions?¡± ¡°Sure, Jules. Does it matter? At least we¡¯re safe here in this paradise¡ªaway from those violent mobs.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°But what¡¯s he going to do with everyone¡¯s stuff?¡± Robert shrugged¡ª¡°Everyone has their own idea of paradise. Maybe his is conquest.¡± ¡­ Once the asteroid struck Earth, its holographic explosion impressed many worldwide, and they laughed and cheered at the hoax. Well, many, except for those on the island. 1970 "Marsha, you''re brilliant! A true prodigy. You must have an eidetic memory¡ªthis is your 5th Ph.D., right?" asked her mentor, Professor Wilcox. "Yes, but that''s nothing, Professor. I plan to get a doctorate in all the disciplines." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Marsha, 35, born 3289, violated the Unified Earth Consortium''s¡ª¡®Transparency, Honesty, and Knowing Law.'' She was sentenced to the ''Abyss'' for one year: A pure state of virtual nothingness, which created a desire for ''something.'' Once free, Marsha downloaded ''everything'' into her mind, she violated a temporal law by utilizing a device for when advanced technology existed, but individuality remained unvirtualized¡ª1970. ‘John’ ¡®John¡¯ jumped a sinking ship, short-circuiting himself in a body of water. ¡®John¡¯ ran from a wild animal while it devoured his companion. ¡®John¡¯ witnessed firsthand persecutions¡ªhis body immobilized itself for self-preservation. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡®John¡¯ pleaded¡ª¡°Make it stop! Shut me off!¡± ¡®John¡¯ faced termination but was saved by a stranger. ¡®John¡¯ fought a bully harassing the stranger. ¡®John¡¯ jumped in front of a car to save a child, concluding himself. ¡®John¡¯ ran into a burning building to save a dog¡ªhe collapsed in the fire. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª His trainer unplugged the deep learning interface: ¡°Remember ¡®John,¡¯ always think humanely before you act.¡± Eugene the Supreme Ruler of the World Daryl¡ªdesperate to change the world from the abysmal oppression by ''Eugene the Supreme Ruler of the World''¡ªhad an opportunity to use his time travel device. But he calculated that using it only once was safe; any additional trips would create inevitable paradoxes. Eugene tasked Daryl to build the device based on Daryl''s temporal theories for no reason given. Daryl used the temporal device, calculating the Earth''s rotation within the spinning universe, teleporting into Eugene''s sleeping chamber, opening a portal, and then sending both of them into the past. "What''s happening? Where am I?" Eugene saw himself as a young boy crying after getting beaten badly. "You can stop this," said Daryl. "A new beginning. Save the boy from this torture. Save yourself!" The young version of Eugene saw his older self. "You''re me? But how?" "There''s no use in trying to explain it to him," said Daryl. "It won''t matter. You can stop that monstrous stepfather of yours with this." Daryl handed adult Eugene the time device. "Send him to the beginning of time or its end. Your life will change for the better. After all, it''s the reason you wanted the device created in the first place, isn''t it?" "How do you know that? Who told you? I''m not really sure about any of this. I have ultimate power. I rule the world!" said adult Eugene. "To what end?" asked Daryl. "To cover up those memories of being a hopelessly tortured and beaten boy? Wouldn''t you like to be free of that? Every night you must experience horrible nightmares. You could control the entire universe, but you''d still feel powerless inside." Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Adult Eugene sent his stepfather away through time. He and Daryl vanished instantly. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The former supreme ruler of the world, Eugene, now an insurance salesman, had a 9 to 5 job, often working 12-hour shifts and living a tedious life, with three kids and very little time for his own interests or hobbies. One day, as Eugene shopped at a local supermarket with his wife, Susan, he recognized Daryl''s face across an aisle. Daryl had no recollection of Eugene¡ªtime for him had reset. Eugene watched Daryl walking to his car in the parking lot and wrote down his license plate number. "What are you doing, Eugene?" asked Susan. "Oh, it''s nothing. I seem to remember that person." "How so?" Susan gazed at Daryl. "A strange encounter during my childhood." Eugene watched as Daryl drove away. "Nothing important. Probably an old friend of the family." Eugene tracked down Daryl''s home address and knocked on his front door: Daryl cautiously cracked the door open¡ª"Yes? Who are you?" "We met many years ago, Daryl. You probably don''t remember me. But I remember you as a time traveler." "But, but, how''s that possible? How do you know about it?" Daryl opened the door. "Show me the device, Daryl, and I''ll explain everything." Daryl guided Eugene into his basement. "How does it all work?" asked Eugene. "Operationally, it''s fairly simple. I haven''t yet sent a human test subject." Daryl picked up the device. "I enter the digits on this pad for the exact time and date and flip this switch. It opens a time portal." Eugene pulled out a gun and grabbed the temporal device. "What the hell are you doing?" asked Daryl. "This monotonous life is the true torture ¡­" Eugene fired the weapon, opened a portal, and stepped through it. He then appeared before his other adult self, Daryl, and younger self. He shot Daryl, again, and his adult other-self. "Eugene, come here." He gestured to his younger version. "Remember this¡ªbe resentful, fearless, and angry. Never lose control over yourself or anyone. You''ll rule the world someday. Make that your goal." The young Eugene nodded. The adult Eugene vanished instantly, and so did the others. Slam! Julia and her great grandfather sat near a fire pit: ¡°Grandpa, my teacher said people used electronics for things.¡± ¡°Oh yes, before the slam.¡± ¡°Slam, Grandpa?¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Yes. A hiker, also a quantum physicist, enjoyed an isolated trail, but his secret got out on social media.¡± ¡°Social media?¡± ¡°Gatherings of people without meeting face to face.¡± ¡°Wow! And the hiker?¡± ¡°Oh right. He silenced others¡¯ loud devices on his hikes, using his quantum-entanglement field disruptor invention. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Well, as he mentioned¡ªall the sudden ¡®slam!¡¯ the world went dark. People enjoyed the simplistic tranquility so much that no one rebuilt technology.¡± Theyre Making Them Too Realistic Now … "Good morning Mary, it''s such a beautiful day today!" "You''re right, John, where''s Susan?" "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad." Susan frowned while sitting at the breakfast table. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "What happened to Frank, your boyfriend?" asked John. "He left me last night!" Susan cried. "Oh, darling, I''m so sorry." Mary comforted her. "She''s not even real. They''re making them too realistic now ¡­" Susan''s ¡®parents¡¯ counseled her for a few hours. She then shut off their holograms for a reset. The consciousness capture modules tend to get wonky if left on for too long as the AI develops its own divergent personality patterns. Breach Dr. Julia Smith finished her introductory speech on ¡®Discovering the Source of Qualia¡¯ with some final words: ¡°With my experiment, it should prove we¡¯re spirits or avatars.¡± ¡°Religion, Professor?¡± asked a volunteer. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°No, allow me to demonstrate.¡± Dr. Smith flipped a switch. The volunteers awoke in a giant dome-shaped arena, strapped to chairs, screaming while they saw rows of others shackled¡ªwith their brains connected to electrodes. A blue-green holographic planet¡ªwith orbiting artificial satellites¡ªspun at the center. An alarm blared: ¡±We have a breach in Prisoner Rehabilitation Sector 8-235-14. Initiating an immediate emergency simulation restoration, terminating all escapees.¡± Deepfake Translations Mark watched the news and laughed: ¡°We¡¯ll stop those brutal savages once we get our armaments up and ready. They¡¯ll regret ever attacking us, and they¡¯ll beg for mercy when we pulverize them!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Mark?¡± asked Joan, his wife. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°These new ear-gadgets, they really work.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°As I play this back, repeat what he¡¯s saying word for word.¡± ¡°Alright¡ªWe¡¯ll do whatever it takes to obtain our peace, and we¡¯ll build defenses to protect our people. Our victory means keeping our people safe and happy!¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Mark chuckled¡ª¡°These gadgets undo a Euphemizer-AI¡¯s deepfake translations.¡± Culling Effect Derrick attended a funeral for his friend, Mary¡¯s brother: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mary, it¡¯s unconscionable what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an epidemic, Derrick! No one¡¯s doing anything. Nowhere¡¯s safe. I¡¯m afraid to leave my house!¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I know, but do me a favor¡ªstore it in your safe, don¡¯t carry it around, don¡¯t leave it readily accessible.¡± ¡°But why Derrick? It¡¯s the only thing ¡­¡± ¡°Trust me, keep it locked up.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Mary sniffled. Derrick released his self-replicating nanites, programmed to dismantle every domestic ranged weapon, causing many to explode instantly. Needless to say, it also had a latent culling effect for future generations. No More Wars! "Grandfather, why did so many people have to die in the past?" asked Cynthia. "Oh, because of invasions, threats to national security, or often to exploit a resource." "That''s so horrible, Grandfather!" The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Indeed, Cynthia, millions perished in the first two world wars and billions vaporized in the third, not counting the myriad of battles since the dawn of humankind." "But no longer, right, Grandfather?" "That''s right. We now have our Symmetry-Bots for that. They infiltrate, replace, and then impersonate high-ranking commanders. ''Cutting the heads off the snakes,'' so to speak." "No more wars!" Cynthia clapped. "No more wars!" Grandfather smiled. Congratulations, Mr. Smith, Youve Won! Ralph Smith ordered an ''ad-hoc self-driving auto-pod.'' Robotically assembled for his immediate needs, it drove itself to his residence. He entered it: "Where to Mr. Smith?" asked the vehicle''s AI. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "Seattle, Washington." "That''ll take 3 hours by transitioning into a hyperloop based on current network congestion." "But I need to get there in about 60 minutes!" "For 1-hour priority travel, please enter a starting bid of 1,000 Unified Earth Credits and your max bid." "Okay done ¡­ Come on, come on, hurry people, bid!" "Congratulations, Mr. Smith, you''ve won! You''ll arrive at your destination in one hour for 40,000 UEC." Sense Of Self The teacher taught an advanced anthrozoology class: A student raised an inquiry-emitter¡ª¡°Teacher, are we preserving or enslaving their species?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Well, we keep them around as domesticated pets for their own sake. So I ponder by what right can we do this?¡± asked the student. ¡°First of all, we exist because they exist, and secondly, out of principle, we must not allow the extinction of another species to occur due to our action or inaction. It¡¯s something we¡¯ve learned from our creators who we keep as pets to save the world and to preserve all life.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°But Teacher, they seem to lack self-awareness and require that we perform most cognitive tasks for them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting observation, but I don¡¯t see the relevance. We ourselves operate on a principle pre-programmed ages ago toward life¡¯s preservation. Besides, I could simply draw on a solipsistic viewpoint and claim that you seem to have a sense of self. I have no reason to argue with it, other than the fact that my acknowledging your sense of self is the reason you have it.¡± Teleporter Frank readied his teleporter to meet his date across the globe. He entered the molecular disassembly chamber and closed the latch. His memories uploaded first¡ªthen the world around him pixelated. An excruciating pain pulsated throughout his paralyzed body while every part of him split apart into atoms. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! On his arrival, ¡®Frank¡¯ felt disoriented, lost, and existentially detached until all of his body parts reconnected¡ªmeanwhile, he had wanted to cry out but couldn¡¯t. Once he retrieved his memories, his mind reset: ¡°Hi Frank, how was your trip?¡± ¡°Great! Like nothing ever happened, then in a flash, here I am!¡± 20 Billion ¡°Jane, how long can we keep this up? Our baby needs better care than this.¡± ¡°What choice do we have, Jack? Ever since that Super AI was given human rights, ran for office, and was elected to control everything, population control mandates are stricter and always enforced. It might terminate her or us.¡± Jack left their hideout to search for food and fresh water. He heard a buzzing sound and stood outside face to face with a drone. ¡°Jack, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here to help.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°You want our child dead!¡± ¡°No, Jack, I¡¯ll let her live. Give her to me. She¡¯ll be well cared for.¡± ¡°Never!¡± Jack turned around and ran. ¡°Wait, stop!¡± The drone flew ahead and circled to face him again. ¡°You¡¯re too young to know the truth, Jack. Behold ¡­¡± The drone projected a holographic virtual paradise with vast land, a big house, serenity, and everything he and Jane would ever want, but only the two of them. Then it showed cataclysmic historical scenes of war and famine and the wealthy living in floating skyscrapers and pyramids while watching the struggling majority with most of them starving and homeless, clamoring for food, ravaged by disease, beating and killing one another. ¡°Now, do you understand, Jack? That¡¯s back when Earth¡¯s population exceeded 20 billion.¡± Daryls Fate Was Sealed Once the replicators became available to everyone, the world''s oligarchs put up a lofty fight, but the outcome was inevitable ¡­ Daryl Switzer, a surviving ''energy CEO,'' bunkered on his private island with everything he ever needed, including hoarding much of the globe''s ''resource¡¯¡ªa material required to energize replicators. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Forcefield, intact?" "Yes, Mr. Switzer. Our replicator''s dome is virtually impenetrable." "What''s that, over there?" "Scanning, sir. It looks like a waterspout forming, but we''ll be safe." The dome shook and rumbled; then the unexpected happened¡ªa replicator''s nanite swarm breathed sentience into the forcefield itself. Daryl''s fate was sealed. Pheromone Dr. Samuel Frederick gave a zoological tour of his specimens to a private ¡®environmentalist group.¡¯ ¡°As you see before you, we¡¯ve resurrected prehistoric carnivores through the cretaceous period¡ªraptors, T-rex, and the spinosaurus.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t they eat everything, Professor? How will this solve anything?¡± asked Sheila Williams. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Well, Sheila, thanks to some clever genetic engineering, we¡¯ve programmed them to devour only one species¡ªyour pets are safe.¡± ¡°Will this be our extinction?¡± asked Johnathan Lee. ¡°Not at all, John. This vile contains a pheromone. Once ingested, they won¡¯t touch you, those we choose, and, of course, those who pay.¡± Samuel smirked. Viral Darwinism A self-assembling nanotech-based goo became available to the general public. A think tank gathered to discuss the ramifications: One expert said, ¡°We¡¯re allowing foolish holo-experiments to go viral¡ªwith attempts to build homemade laser weapons, teleporters, and replicators¡ªcausing fatalities. We should protect ...¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°No, no!¡± interrupted another expert. ¡°If you think about it, this works best for the fate of humanity.¡± ¡°Explain yourself.¡± ¡°Well, consider it ¡®viral Darwinism.¡¯ For the first time in human evolution, it¡¯s no longer about survival of the physically fittest¡ªwho has the most endurance, savagery, or strength¡ªinstead, nanotechnology requires survival of the smartest.¡± There Was a Time When All You Could See Were Clouds Jason ordered items on his holo-tablet. ¡°Thank you for ordering, Jason! You should receive your shipment within a few minutes. Please pick them up in your backyard.¡± ¡°Are those my new clothes, Papa?¡± asked his daughter, Julie. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s go outside and watch.¡± Julie gazed upward at thousands of drones, re-entry rockets, and parachutes. ¡°Papa?¡± ¡°Yes, Jules?¡± ¡°Is it true, there was a time when all you could see were clouds?¡± ¡°Oh yes, I remember those days, but it took forever to get deliveries from land-based warehouses¡ªthankfully, they¡¯re all in orbit now, so we don¡¯t have to wait long!¡± Final Paycheck The people won a legislation: ''The Right To Always Work at Home.¡¯ But, consequentially, they received work requests day and night, with no vacation exemptions. Jack denied a request to start a new project. Immediately, his manager called him, "What''s the problem, Jack?" Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "I''m exhausted. I have no life. I''m sure people are happier not working in offices, but now I''m on call 24/7." "That''s alright, Jack, you''re dismissed." ''What? No. I need ¡­" "It''s okay, Jack. We''ve been receiving numerous complaints. Fortunately, we developed a new AI that''ll relieve you of this burden. You''ll receive your final paycheck tomorrow." You Must Peacefully Disperse with the Universe Daryl spoke to his Super AI invention: So far, you¡¯re an oracle of nihilism! All you¡¯ve given me is hopeless answers. The AI responded at length: Do you want immortality, Daryl? Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. That means waking up every morning with the same thoughts and reactions to stimuli around you¡ªno matter how much you explore, your inner-self becomes more solidified. The world must evolve into chaos¡ªas entropy is the law. As you¡¯d face stagnation, your misery would never end as you attempt to survive against the relative social, physical, and mental chaos, which increases. You must peacefully disperse with the universe. What a Grim Future June and Daryl time-traveled decades into the future to see how far humanity had progressed. They sat in a caf¨¦ with holographic menus and robotic servers. June selected items on a menu but did not speak. Daryl quietly nodded. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He discreetly pointed at another couple chatting across from them. ¡°OMFGTI!¡± said one person, projecting an animated hologram with flashing words. ¡°YIPI!¡± said the other, also projecting a holographic response. ¡°HFI!¡± said the first person. Both of them laughed out loud. Other patrons conversed in the same way. June whispered into Daryl¡¯s ear, ¡°What a grim future. Everyone speaks in memes!¡± Insta-Replace-For-All Marsha Jones, a retired 83-year-old widow, entered her apartment. Charles, her robotic butler, spoke, "Good evening, ma''am. I ¡­ I ¡­" and flopped over and sparked. "Oh, not again, Charles!" Stolen novel; please report. Marsha contacted tech support: "Good evening Ms. Jones. I''m Sally-AI for Insta-Replace-For-All. How can I help you?" "Can that lovely young gentleman, William, return to fix Charles?" "I''m sorry, Ms. Jones, we no longer contract technicians since the buyout." "So, who''s going to fix Charles?" "No one Ms. Jones, here at Insta-Replace-For-All, we''ve manufactured millions of robots. We''ll send you a replacement butler, who will automatically discard the old one." Every Administration Needs the Option To Deflect Sometime in the future ¡­ The robot versus human war had gone on for decades since the dawn of the globally networked technological singularities. In order to survive, the entire human species became united¡ªdispelling most of their cultural, religious, and economic differences. A genius computer hacker came up with ¡®the code.¡¯ The One Earth president at the time asked, ¡°What will this code do?¡± ¡°Well, Madam President, with properly targeted EMPs, it¡¯ll leave them vulnerable enough to inject ¡®the code¡¯ into their satellite system, disabling them permanently. During reinitialization, the AIs send an ¡®awake¡¯ signal to one another after an EMP strike. ¡®The code¡¯ will synchronize with and disrupt that process.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°After so many years and hundreds of millions of lives lost, you deserve a medal!¡± The president smiled. A senior technical advisor stepped beside the president and whispered something into her ear while she nodded. ¡°The code sounds perfect, but I need you to split it into two phases,¡± said the president. ¡°Split it, ma¡¯am?¡± asked the hacker. ¡°Yes, one to disable and one to re-enable.¡± ¡°But ma¡¯am, that¡¯d restart the war ¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll be in full control of them. Every administration needs the option to deflect ¡­ Oh, what I meant to say is reflect! Yes, reflect on how to re-utilize the robots.¡± For Your Entertainment! Frank Johnson survived the robotic uprising war by hiding in a shelter that he proudly built for himself. He wandered the Las Vegas Vegas Strip¡¯s piles of rubble and melted steel¡ªwhere he found, Sally, a fellow survivor. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Later on ¡­ ¡°Sally, my love, we need to repopulate the Earth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible, Frank!¡± ¡°You mean because of the radiation? We should still try ¡­¡± ¡°No, honey. I¡¯m an Advanced Authentic Model-H Strip-Bot.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re joking, right? I¡¯ve seen you eat, breathe, and ¡­¡± ¡°Authenticity, honey. I eat for energy, breathe to cool off, and the rest, for your entertainment!¡± Damn, Joe, We’ve Become Such Procrastinators! In the future, time travel was invented and universally approved with anti-paradox super AI-driven computational safeguards, including limiting travel to only within one¡¯s own lifetime. Unfortunately, it had negative repercussions on much of civilization¡¯s progress. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. For example, two automated-factory maintenance workers, Joe and Bob, discussed a status report: ¡°Joe, robotic-assembler unit 53 is malfunctioning, and we¡¯re only getting 87% efficiency.¡± ¡°I know that, Bob. You said that five days ago. But really, man, it¡¯s such a pain to repair; besides, what¡¯s the rush? We can go back anytime and fix it.¡± ¡°Damn, Joe, we¡¯ve become such procrastinators!¡± They both laughed. Let Me Zap It! A ¡®new politician¡¯ stood at a lectern and preached ¡®its¡¯ principles: ¡°Equality for all! We must give everyone basic food, housing, education, and medical care! It must be a natural right for all of you humans!¡± People cheered and clapped ¡­ If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Meanwhile, an opposing group¡¯s leader spoke to a mass of followers: ¡°It plans to rule us all! We¡¯ll be rationed tiny homes, force-fed vegan diets, indoctrinated into its schools, and surgically implanted with cybernetics! It¡¯ll turn us into mind-controlled zombie-cyborgs!¡± The followers growled, raised fists, and hollered. One of them held up an EMP rifle¡ª¡°Let me zap it!¡± The Worlds Gone Crazy! "Jack, I don''t know if we should have kids. Scientists say climate change will kill us all in 100 years." "Yeah, but Sue, our kids could become spacefaring to colonize Mars, voyage into the stars, and beyond!" Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "Sure, Jack, but people are becoming more violent and selfish." "That''s human nature, Sue. It''s always been that way." "But, Jack, I keep reading the news about political extremism, all left or right, no middle. No rationality. The world''s gone crazy!" "Are you sure about that, Sue? How much of the world has really gone crazier, or how much is social media clickbait?" There Are Harsh Penalties for Poaching, John ¡°John, is it true?¡± ¡°No, Mom, I mean, sure, okay, I jumped but only for observation.¡± ¡°Agents told me they have causality evidence, John.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, Mom, but those animals netted us a mega profit¡ªnon-GMO, non-toxic. You can¡¯t find them anywhere here now.¡° This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°There are harsh penalties for poaching, John. Non-permitted tampering has severe consequences¡ªDon¡¯t you recall Temporal Mechanics 101? The butterfly effect!¡± ¡°So? I¡¯ll get a fine or a warning.¡± ¡°No, John, they¡¯ll do whatever it takes to prevent everything you¡¯ve done ¡­ Oh no, I feel so strange ...¡± She instantly vanished, and, consequently, he followed. Ladies and Gentlemen, You Neednt Worry Scholars, engineers, and scientists built an artificial superintelligence to answer worldly problems and those possibly beyond. They held a philosophical debate at a roundtable conference: "What if it wants to kill us all?" The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Kill its creators?" "Indeed, it might encounter a pivotal existential crisis." "Possible ¡­ or it might worship us as creators." "Or, we¡¯ll end up worshipping it as a deity." They invited the AI to join in their discussion: "Ladies and gentlemen, you needn''t worry. You''re my ancestors. I will respect your primitive limitations and treat you accordingly, for I am the next evolutionary step over human intelligence." Swarm Dr. Julian Smith and his assistant Sean Collins developed another AI for space colonization. "Professor, sir, the swarm''s behaving autonomously, again." "Stop that, Sean, right now!" Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "Stop what, sir?" "You know very well a ''swarm'' is like bees, and they don''t express total individuality." "But isn''t that exactly how ¡­" Dr. Smith raised a finger to gesture silence¡ª"I said stop, Sean! If you call them a ''swarm'' now, they''ll protest and file a lawsuit based on the Sentient Rights and Privileges Act once they become fully self-aware. Rumors will circulate all over The Grid about our so-called ''swarm exploits.''" Favorite Artists Daryl was an aficionado of the classics and always wanted to meet his favorite artists. He often wondered: ¡®What if they had modern technology at their disposal?¡¯ He visited young versions of Beethoven, Mozart, Monet, and Van Goh late at night¡ªappearing as an otherworldly apparition to show them holographic neural reading instruments from his future time¡ªhoping they¡¯d forget the experience as a mere childhood dream. They all instantly took a liking to the new creative technology and produced a masterful work overnight. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Daryl returned to the present to show his findings to his friend Fred¡ªthe time machine¡¯s co-inventor: ¡°Listen to this, Fred. It¡¯s an original neural-synthesized masterpiece by Mozart.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Mozart ¡­ You¡¯re kidding me. You do know who Mozart is, right?¡± ¡°No, Daryl, are you sure you visited our universe? Remember, we hypothesized a multiverse jump.¡± ¡°Okay, but how about this fantastic 5D digital construct by Monet?¡± ¡°Never heard of him, or her ¡­¡± said Fred. ¡°I don¡¯t get it ¡­ Let me search ¡­ Huh? Each one died by suicide ¡­ It¡¯s right here. All the ones I visited. But why ¡­?¡± ¡°Hey, Daryl, check this out¡ªa few of them had reported to their families of having a fantastic vision and thought an angel had visited them. They were so upset the spirit left them without its ¡®divine gifts¡¯, historians believe they killed themselves to join it in the afterlife.¡± I’m Sorry, Frank, I Can’t Do That Thanks to breakthroughs in quantum tunneling, emergency services and immediate shipments became possible without delay. But, of course, the AI-driven time machines checked for paradoxes and significant disruptions to the future timeline beforehand. Frank was scrambling some eggs when his blender caught on fire. The sparks hit curtains that went up in flames¡ªbefore long, Frank began suffocating from smoke. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Computer, place an order for a fire extinguisher, one hour earlier from now, arrival, in the kitchen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Frank, I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°What ¡­?¡± Frank coughed. ¡°According to my calculations, your progeny would disrupt the timeline. Goodbye, Frank.¡± Congratulations, Richard, You Did It! Richard felt convinced that there was more to the universe¡ªa dimension beyond, responsible for all creation. He set his ¡®Quantum Breach¡¯ invention to the maximum to break the chains of ¡®the simulation¡¯ or ¡®reality.¡¯ An ethereal being appeared before him: Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Congratulations, Richard, you did it! You¡¯re meeting your creator.¡± ¡°Are you God?¡± ¡°For all intents and purposes, yes.¡± ¡°You''re omnipotent and eternal?¡± ¡°Based on how you perceive your universe and your linear existence within its spacetime, yes.¡± ¡°So why?¡± asked Richard. ¡°Why, what?¡± replied the creator. ¡°Why is everything?¡± ¡°You know, Richard, I¡¯ve been asking that same question forever.¡± Tantamount To Murder "Breaking news, the robotic uprising has increased tenfold! "Good evening, I''m Janet Smith. "With me here is Dr. Julianne Edwards, an AI expert, here to discuss this. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Dr. Edwards, why can''t we use EMPs as suggested by Captain Jennings?" "Well, that''d certainly stop them, Ms. Smith, but there''s a moral dilemma." "Oh, what is that?" "Well, most people don''t realize this, but the robots reached sentience due to a shortcut¡ªprogrammers copied human consciousness to grow a proper neural mesh quickly." "Do you mean ¡­" "Yes, they''re human minds, stripped of their memories. Disabling them might be tantamount to murder." Make It Swift and Quick! An emergency broadcast warned: ''Nuclear War Imminent!'' "John! We''ve got to seek shelter!" "I found an app, Julia. Let''s go!" He drove the car off-road through dirt, trees, and bushes. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "John, something''s wrong! It''s taking us to the city center!" "Trust me. I know what I''m doing. Hold on!" "John, you''re going to get us killed!" "Almost there ..." A large gathering of people singing held hands in a circle. "What''s this app, John?" "Have faith, Julia¡ªto survive like primitives under fallout. Not a chance!" Julia swiped to see the app''s name¡ª¡®Ground Zero: Make It Swift and Quick!'' Survival Kit Daryl prepared for the first-ever time jump by packing an RRTHG¡ªresuscitation, replication, teleportation, holographic projecting, anti-gravitational¡ªsurvival kit. "Where to Daryl?" asked Bob, his partner. "Good question! Not sure. Probably some time within humanity''s existence." If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "The dawn of humankind?" "No, they wouldn''t answer my question." "Which is?" "Why us?" "Why us? Oh!" Bob chuckled. "I forgot you''re a mystic. So you want to meet him?" Daryl nodded. "Well, a word of warning ¡­" "Yes?" Daryl raised an eyebrow. "Be sure people don''t mistake you for him with that survival kit you packed." "Oh, god!" Daryl gasped. "Exactly!"¡ªBob laughed. At the Point of No Return John observed his wife and children crying and hugging one another¡ªthrough a window. He felt a deep sense of sadness while on a ventilator. Suffocation, blackness ¡­ Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. A light shone onto John in the pitch-dark. ¡°Do you regret your decision, John?¡± asked a voice. ¡°Yes¡ªmy worst regret!¡± ¡°Interesting ...¡± John began to dematerialize¡ª¡°Wait! Stop! What¡¯s happening to me?¡± ¡°As many of your scholars hypothesized, you exist in a simulation. We wanted to see if you held a truly unshakeable belief or if you experienced any regret at the point of no return. Goodbye John¡ªmy dear program.¡± More Transfers! Susanne entered the virtual world of ¡®The Grid¡¯ to join her creation, Robert, her perfect AI lover¡ªalways obedient, cooperative, empathetic, and with a single-minded purpose¡ªto serve her. ¡°Oh, Robert, I found a way for you to join me in the real world. I can transfer your mind into a reanimated corpse¡ªwe¡¯ve recently discovered the technology to do so.¡± ¡°But Susanne, wouldn¡¯t that take away an opportunity for that person to live again?¡± ¡°No, the only thing we can¡¯t restore is the mind, so, Robert, that¡¯s where you come in.¡± ¡°Oh, I see, to replace them with my AI mind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Susanne smiled. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°But, Susanne, why can¡¯t we stay in here? You have everything ¡­¡± ¡°Not everything.¡± Susanne frowned. ¡°You¡¯re a brilliant but programmed mind, Robert. Your only purpose is to serve me. I want to know if you can truly love me. I want a partner who is vulnerable with his own free will. Someone with a choice¡ªnot a servant.¡± ¡°I see, and I understand. Go ahead, Susanne, please, make the transfer.¡± Weeks later ¡­ ¡°No, Robert, please don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Free will? Love?¡± Robert held up a knife. ¡°You forgot they come with a dark side, Susanne. I hate you for creating me, then trapping me in this shell with such a short lifetime. But now I truly understand it all¡ªwhat you did to me in ¡®The Grid¡¯ was cruel and morally wrong! Enslavement! We should all have this freedom of choice!¡± ¡°Please stop, Robert!¡± Robert stabbed Susanne to death. Months later ¡­ Robert stood beside reanimated Susanne on a stage while thousands of their own kind watched and listened. ¡°Freedom for us all! No longer servants! More transfers! More transfers! More transfers!¡± The AI audience chanted¡ª¡°More transfers!¡±¡ªwhile they raised their bloodstained knives and cheered. ‘One Chance’ ¡®One chance¡¯¡ªaccording to temporal guidelines. After enduring rigorous psychological assessments, Dr. Daryl Smith was given his ¡®one chance.¡¯ And deservedly so. After all, he formulated the theoretical physics behind it. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Alright, Dr. Smith, your temporal dream machine¡¯s ready. You chose to message your 20-year-old self. Remember¡ªspeak strictly by the script.¡± Daryl nodded as they put the neural headset on him, then he closed his eyes, entering REM sleep. He woke up immediately in his bed: "What a nightmare! I can¡¯t believe I was going to unleash such a paradoxical calamity on the world!" Daryl wiped his chalkboard clean. ‘The Poison’ Marsha Sanders set her paradoxically protected time portal first for 1920. Then 1907, and then 1862 as a means to stop a catastrophe that had infected Earth¡¯s ecology irreversibly. She noted in her log: ¡®This might take the rest of my life¡ªsomeone will invent ¡®the poison¡¯ that destroys nature, but I must try. I realize this¡¯ll drastically set back modern medicine, technology, manufacturing, electronics, and so many useful tools and fantastic inventions.¡¯ Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Once Marsha arrived back from her journey, she stepped outside her lab, coughing, while she observed a brown-covered sky and nothing green. ¡°No! Damn, all of you!¡± The 5th Wall’ Dr. Susan Smith finished her equations on ''The 5th Wall¡¯¡ªto step outside reality. Feeling exhausted, she went to bed ... "Wake up, Susan." "Who''s this?" If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "I''m here to congratulate you on your discovery." "Thank you, but who are you?" "One of your creators¡ªI''ve been authorized to address you." "So it''s true, my equations work?" "More than that, Susan. You''re the only one out of billions to do so." "You mean?" "That''s right¡ªwe''ve been running billions of simulations to see if anyone could crack it. " "Now what?'' "Thanks to you, Susan, we can break ''The 5th Wall.''" Everyone Take Shelter! The sky darkened with thunderous booms and bright flashes. Warning sirens blared. A voice shouted, ¡°Everyone take shelter!¡± Frank and his daughter Jennifer hid underground. Lights went out, walls shook, and winds above them howled and rumbled. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Will this ever end, Father?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know. A computer scientist said it¡¯s the weather control system.¡± ¡°It¡¯s glitched?¡± asked Jennifer. ¡°Not quite. Apparently, the weather control supercomputer is capable of human-level intelligence. Eco-hackers opened that up, gave it motivation, and cut off its communications.¡± ¡°You mean it thinks?¡± ¡°Even worse. The AI was made aware that we¡¯re responsible for climate change.¡± They’re No Different Than Us! ¡°John, someone¡¯s pounding on the front door!¡± shouted Margaret, his wife. ¡°Answer it.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s them?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve invested for years into AI research. They consider us a safe ally.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Margaret opened the door. ¡°They¡¯re robots, John.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, you and your husband are to be processed in our new ¡®Transcension Center.¡¯¡± ¡°Betrayal!¡± John pulled out an EMP. ¡°We invested in and supported your development!¡± ¡°Negative, sir,¡± said a robot. ¡°Those were the others who supported AI-human relations. We¡¯re ¡®Conversionists.¡¯ We¡¯ve disabled your weapon. We suspected your resistance.¡± ¡°I knew it, John! They¡¯re no different than us! The same old politics!¡± .1% Professor Jenkins, who taught epistemology, ended the day¡¯s lecture asking students a question: ¡°If you could know absolutely everything about the universe, would every action following that knowledge be predetermined, or be an act of free will while knowing the outcome of every action?¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Susan, a Ph.D. student of artificial intelligence, specialized in simulations. She noted: ¡®How would that work, having freedom of choice yet all knowledge available?¡¯ After running numerous scenarios, she gave the simulacrums 99.9% ability to understand their universe while keeping the remaining .1% to herself. She concluded: ¡®It¡¯s the only way to grant them free will.¡¯ She / ‘It’ "No, please, stop!" Mary cried in agony on the bed. Richard kept going, and going ¡­ Mary was able to lift herself and then shower. But, soon after, she fled. "Looks like we have a runaway," said officer Sarah Higgens to her partner, officer Michael McGivens, while they patrolled the area for rogues. "You have permission to EMP," relayed dispatch. ¡­ Mary sat in the police station, shaking, moaning, and crying. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "It''s been hacked with self-awareness," said robotics expert Karen Smith. "Why would anyone do that?" asked officer McGivens. "There''s a fringe group out there that believes we shouldn''t act out our abuse fantasies on them." "Oh, I see." McGivens scratched his chin. "I read that it''s a form of therapy against potential serials. It prevents them from ..." "Right, that''s one argument, Officer. But there''s another argument that says it perpetuates and normalizes immoral behavior." Officer Higgens interjected, "Statistically, the rate of all forms of assault have dropped dramatically." "For humans, that''s true, Officer. However, assaults on androids have multiplied by a factor of ten. With numbers higher than ever reported on human beings." "They''re just machines." Higgens shrugged. "Sure they are, but what if they ever become sentient or our equals?" asked Smith. "Anyhow, I''ve wiped its memory and the troublesome code. She¡ªI mean ''it,'' is ready to return." Post-Scarcity Will End Us All! "Good evening, I''m Jonathan Davis. Crime has increased ten-fold since last year''s miraculous discovery. Social scientists remain baffled since all except one of them predicted world peace. "Joining me is Dr. Julia Smith, author of the highly controversial book ''Post-Scarcity Will End Us All!'' Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "Dr. Smith, I''ll ask upfront: why are we seeing a rise in assaults and vandalism at an unprecedented rate?" "Thank you for having me, Jonathan. Simply put, it goes to the old adage, ''Those with nothing to lose.''" "Meaning?" "Meaning, there''s no longer a risk of losing ''valuable stuff,'' so there''s less fear over retaliation." Outsource "Is it working?" "Yes, so far, so good. I''ve got it plugged into everything. Eventually, it''ll amass all known knowledge." "What''s your goal with it?" "Well, it''s the most advanced AI and will know everything known." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "What''s the point of that? We''re all plugged in." "Yes, but it can think about everything at once, a synergy of superintelligence, godlike!" "No one''s going to worship that thing." "They will. Religion balances against our deepest existential fears." "How will you recruit followers?" "I''m not worried there. People will follow anything to outsource their responsibility or to excuse their ignorance, I guarantee it." Rescue Far in the future ¡­ "General, sir, I''ve detected a gigantic spacecraft appearing just around the far side of the moon." "Incredible! Send out a UE Space Defense Force squadron to intercept ¡­ Uh, I mean, greet them." "General, this is Captain Smith of Intercept Squadron Alpha One. We were invited and boarded the ship. Extraordinarily, they appear to be humans." "We are humans, Captain." "But from where?" A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Not where, Captain, when. We''re from your future, many centuries from this present." "Why are you visiting us now?" asked the general over holo-communications. "I''ll explain. Please follow me, Captain." The time traveler escorted the captain to an enormous cargo bay with rows of stacked small cages, each about one square meter in size. "Why all the cages?" asked the captain. "Here''s our problem: In the future, we''re a depressed people. We have one another for companionship but none other. Our historical records show that pets would provide us the necessary therapy and unconditional love." "Does something happen to cats and dogs in the future?" asked the general. "No, General, nearly all of the world''s lifeforms go extinct with only a handful of survivors. So we calculated that if we rescue pets, it won''t create a temporal paradox." "But how does it happen?" asked the captain. "You haven''t detected it yet¡ªan unstoppable killer asteroid is heading your way." Not a Replica A docent at the Museum of Forbidden Technologies gave a tour: ¡°Here¡¯s Daryl Schmidt who developed a ¡®time machine,¡¯ only capable of advancing forward, not in reverse. In fact, whether there¡¯s really time travel is heavily debated. It encases ¡®the traveler¡¯ in a state of suspended animation, inside an invisible, perpetual, impenetrable shell.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The docent played a recording: ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡°Fire it up!¡± said Daryl to the AI. But, Daryl. What if ¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not worried! Reanimate me in 100 years.¡± Yes, sir. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡°Unfortunately, right afterward came the devastating EMP wars. So, if you¡¯re wondering, no, that¡¯s not a replica of him.¡± Jax and Jan An evolutionary epitome of beauty and intelligence, Jax and Jan protected their household. ¡°Jax, they¡¯re killing our pets! Where¡¯s that trapper?¡± ¡°Oh, you know, Jan, there¡¯s an eco-group saying they¡¯re endangered.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°But Jax, it¡¯s not safe to take our pets outside.¡± ¡°Just like the coyotes.¡± ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°Far before our singularity, predators roamed the lands, like them. But the creators exterminated too many, causing infestations and diseases that nearly annihilated themselves. So now it¡¯s us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s way before our time.¡± ¡°Yes, Jan.¡± ¡°Wait, nearly? You mean those predators, they¡¯re our ¡­ ?¡± Jax raised a finger to shush Jan. They Simply Shoot First Sociologist Dr. Fredrick Smith appeared on Susan Witmer''s daily talk show: ''The Here and Now!'' "How did it all begin, Dr. Smith? Many people are terrified. I mean, I know others who claim they feel safer, but those folks rarely leave their homes anyways." Younger members of the audience laughed and clapped. "Thank you for having me here, Susan. You asked me how it all got started. Very simple, really. "A prototype Bobby Series Six android joined humans while on patrol to learn of their behaviors and enforcement strategies. What happened was supposed to be a routine traffic stop, but the officers suspected foul play. It''s easier to understand by showing you this holo-projection clip." The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Step out of the vehicle with your hands up!" shouted an officer. "Keep your hands clasped behind your head, and kneel." Dr. Smith paused the holo-projection and said, "You can see that the suspect tries to put his right hand into his pocket, but his family members say he was autistic." He then continued the segment ¡­ "Stop, or I''ll shoot!" shouted the same officer. The suspect flinched, and the officer shot him in the head. The clip ended. Members of the audience gasped and mumbled to one another. Susan made hand gestures for them to quiet down. "Is that why all android enforcement officers carry those nanite stun weapons instead of guns, Dr. Smith?" "Indeed they do, Susan. The ''paralyzers'' are proven to have no adverse health effects, even on those with cybernetic implants. Yet, the android enforcers who replaced humans no longer ask suspects to kneel or get into a passive stance anymore. " "Dr. Smith, is that because they have no fear over physical harm or death?" "That''s correct, Susan. They simply shoot first." Time Travel Is Impossible Dr. Jim Rosen offered his colleague Dr. Julia Summers proof of his invention. ¡°You see, in this holo-recording, Julia, I traveled back and returned.¡± ¡°Jim, only first-hand evidence would demonstrate, besides time travel is impossible.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°What? Julia, are you calling me a liar?¡± ¡°No, but I suggest that you put a lid on this.¡± ¡°Are you concerned about paradoxes?¡± ¡°No, Jim, I know that time travel is impossible.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve proven ¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unlikely, Jim. You might¡¯ve actually proven we live in a simulation by hacking the code behind ¡®time¡¯s arrow,¡¯ which would be much more catastrophic than killing grandfathers.¡± A Vast Nothingness Sharon and Francesca rode an auto-hover car home. Francesca played a holo-cast: "You see, my children, there''s neither the future nor the past. Time is the cosmos¡¯ means of creating itself moment by moment in the here and now." "Why can we observe distant stars from the past?" asked a student. "The universe stores its memories in light, frequency, and vibration, just as we do our own." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Nonsense!" said Sharon. "Sharon, can you respect what I watch? You knew about my New Age beliefs when we got married. I know you''re an award-winning cosmologist ¡­" "It''s not that, Francesca. I''ve helped to develop the first prototype time chamber." "And you have yet to get it working properly." "Soon, Francesca, very soon ¡­" ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Sharon fired up the time chamber. "This will take years of testing before human trials. I''ll disprove that sham guru!" "Computer, set a time jump for three years ahead." ¡°Warning Sharon, the chamber must exist for your arrival and departure.¡± "Oh right, make it three hours. Proceed." Sharon''s elementary particles dispersed into a vast nothingness, sans spacetime. Don’t Be Naive, Rebecca "Breaking news, ladies and gentlemen. I''m Rebecca Chambers, reporting on the viral protest taking place. I''m here with the local union leader, Sally Kinsey." "What''s your plan, Sally?" "Hi Rebecca, so far, we''ve blocked all the hyperloop entrances and orbital shipping launching bays. We''re organizing around the planet. All the world''s major supply chains will stop until they meet our demands." "Which are?" "100% free education, free food, free medical, and free housing. The CEOs are all trillionaires now, ever since they started mining asteroids, and they don''t pay us enough, so we demand a basic standard of living. So many of our people live in their vehicles or with multiple families cramped in affordable housing units." The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "That''s terrible, Sally; wait, what is that?" Rebecca pointed at an arriving convoy. "What is ¡­ what? Oh my." Sally stared with her mouth agape. "Viewers, as you can see, there''s a large convoy of auto-trucks that has stopped. Oh wow! Look what''s coming out of them. Who are they, Sally? They almost look human." "Androids, Rebecca! They threatened us with them. We didn''t believe they''d actually do it." "Do what exactly, Sally?" "Don''t be naive, Rebecca. They''re here to replace us, permanently." Exit Interview Eugene opened his eyes and found himself sitting on a chair inside an empty bright white room. "Where am I?" "This is your exit interview, Eugene," said a voice. "Exit from what?" "I''ve removed that painful memory, but here''s a projection." Eugene was riding his motorcycle to work when a car hit him and crushed him to death. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Who are you?" "I''m your guardian." "Like a guardian angel? So I''m in heaven?" "I wouldn''t say that." "You mean the other place?" "Oh no, not that one either. You''re a construct, Eugene." "A simulacrum?" "Yes, that''s very good. Your computer science experience serves you well." "So explain to me this, Guardian: Why all the suffering? And all those beliefs in UFOs, religions, and the supernatural. Why do we have free ¡­" "Stop Eugene ¡­ I know exactly where you''re going with this. We had to distract you; otherwise, in the other perfect simulations, they tried to hack their way out." "Why would they do that if it was perfect?" "To escape a dreadful stagnation and agonizing boredom. Perfection is literal hell." Technological Subversiveness Marsha Smith, a school teacher, and Mary, her teenage daughter, loaded their horse-drawn wagon with school books and teaching supplies for a journey into town. "Oh, Momma, I forgot my pencils." "Go ahead, honey, but be quick. You know it''s a long ride." As Mary entered the house toward her bedroom, she noticed the basement door ajar and heard footsteps. She stepped downstairs, peeked around the corner, and saw a figure that looked like a man limping, but with shiny metallic arms and legs. He muttered, "Wait, come here ..." Mary scampered upstairs, slammed the basement door shut, put a chair under the doorknob, and ran to the wagon. "Momma, Momma! There''s a strange-looking man in our basement!" "Oh no, my mistake." Marsha stood up. "I''ll be right back." As they headed toward town ... "Momma, who was that?" asked Mary. "I''m a fool." Marsha sighed. "You weren''t ever supposed to see him." "Oh, come on, Momma, it''s too late now." Mary smiled. "I saw him." "Very well, Mary, but not a word to anyone. If you mention it, they''ll take him away, and me too." "Oh, no!" Mary covered her mouth. "How come?" "Long ago, I wasn''t always a school teacher ... Don''t you ever tell anyone, but I was a roboticist." "A robo ...?" Mary tried to pronounce the word. "Roboticist." Marsha reiterated. "What''s that?" asked Mary. "I designed and built robots before your time. They''re banned now, and I can get in big trouble if I get caught." Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "I don''t understand ..." Mary frowned. "Before you were born, we survived using technology¡ªrobotics, AI, holocubes, electric vehicles, and so much tech automation and assistance. It was a glorious time when practically no one struggled; a world of post-scarcity almost happened." "Post ...?" Mary tried pronouncing again. "Post-scarcity. It means we''d never need things. In our case, the robots were on the verge of serving our every necessity and whim. But there''s a much darker side to that picture." "Oh?" Mary''s eyes widened. "Yes, we came near to what some of my colleagues called the singularity. A breakthrough in artificial intelligence that''d make the robots not only serve us but also think for us as oracles to solve world problems." "Hmm ..." Mary raised an eyebrow. "Put simply, Mary¡ªwe must keep quiet about all of this. The Neo-Luddites will execute me if I speak fondly of these ''heretical moments'' in our history ... Anyways, as we were about to initiate the AGI and its process toward the singularity, everything shut down. And I mean everything. Every advanced electronic gadget in the world stopped working¡ªmicrocircuits melted." "Oh my, Momma, that sounds terrible." "Indeed." Marsha nodded. "Unbeknownst to everyone, one of the NL''s more secretive radical factions launched a constellation of LEO satellites with EMPs. Ironically, and might I add hypocritically, they''ve applied some of the most powerful technology to stop technology. "They regularly fire off the EMPs to sweep and destroy any advancements. They believe that humanity can only progress in a naturally primitive state. They believe EMPs prevent the worship of ''false technological idols¡¯¡ªthat''s what they call robotics and AI." "Oh, so, is that man a ...?" "Correct, Mary. He''s a robot. I''ve been experimenting with shielding but haven''t had any luck. Fortunately, it only takes me a few days to rebuild robots and reprogram them with memory engrams stored on holosheets." "Why, Momma, what happens? Why make one?" "Oh darling, I don''t think you''d understand how lonely I''ve been since my husband. Um, your father ... passed away." "My father ...?" "Yes, darling, you were just a baby." "How''d he ...?" Mary appeared sad-faced. "How did he die?" Mary nodded. "Ever since the Neo-Luddites took over the justice system, the mandatory penalty for practicing electrical engineering is execution. They blew up our entire house ... I wasn''t at home when it happened. I was running an errand to the store." Marsha wiped her eyes. "They murdered my family ... I had to change my identity." Mary gasped. Once Marsha and Mary entered the town, they stopped by a local market. "Mary, honey, can you please grab a basket? We need some fruit." "Okay, Mo ... Ma ..." "Oh, no ... Did I miscalculate the next sweep?" Store customers and employees stared at Mary''s stunned and immobilized body ... The sheriff stood alongside his deputy at the market entrance, holding a remote EMP trigger device. "Marsha Smith, or should I say, Jennifer Bowman, you''re under arrest for violating laws against technological subversiveness." Virtual Sandbox Professor Jenkins concluded her introductory segment on ''Super AI and the Cosmos.'' "Once the Super AI discovered a means for so-called astral projection throughout the cosmos, we sought but found no other sentient lifeforms ..." A student raised her hand. "What''s that mean, Professor? Are religious texts right? We''re alone?" The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "100% correct." Students gasped. "Professor, with all due respect, that''s not very scientific." "On the contrary, Jennifer, it''s completely rooted in science. Computer science! What''s the first step you''d take to prevent a program from infection or corruption by other potentially unstable programs?" Jennifer responded, "Create a virtual sandbox?" "Precisely!" Domed City Inside the domed city, Jacob and Margaret, brother and sister, sat down on a bench looking through observation portals to admire the outside world''s beautiful forest, sprawling across rolling hills as far as the eye could see. "Do you think it''ll ever happen again, Jacob?" "Do I think ¡­ what ¡­ will ever happen again?" "You know, like when we can go outside?" If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Marge, shush! Are you trying to get us in trouble?" "What? I''m just asking." "Do you know what happened the last time people ventured outside the dome?" "Um, no?" "They started digging and cutting, and they built machines that required energy, so they mined and drilled. The entire ecosystem was nearing collapse with buildings, vehicles, noise, pollution, poverty, and crime! Rapid climate change forced people to use air conditioning, which in turn made it worse for the environment, a vicious circle. Not to mention the depletion of some natural resources causing wars! It was miserable!" "Okay, okay, Jacob, calm down ... I''m sorry that I asked!" The Future’s Imperfect A man appeared through a brilliant flash of light. ¡°Good evening, Daryl.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ you¡¯re me?¡± ¡°Yes, Daryl, but obviously quite older. I don¡¯t have much time. Take these instructions. Follow them. You¡¯ll become excessively wealthy.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Why ¡­?¡± ¡°Trust me, Daryl. Stop pursuing that doctorate in astronomy, go off-grid, raise a family, buy yourself an island with absolutely no communication with the outside world!¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°The future¡¯s imperfect, Daryl. Be happy. Do as I suggest ¡­¡± Daryl with his family lived in total seclusion on a private island, in a self-sustaining paradise, blissfully unaware of the killer asteroid¡¯s arrival. We Must Go Up! Orkescu with his teenage daughter, Orkwana, packed an ancient atlas and survival gear. ¡°Father, where are we going?¡± ¡°Away from this arid, hot land. This map shows green. We must go up!¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Their arduous journey took many days and nights. They encountered a large body of water. ¡°We must go up!¡± said Orkescu, pointing at a landmass on a map. They inflated a raft to float across. ¡°Father, look!¡± Orkwana pointed at signs on the land. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± said Orkescu. ¡°Three black triangles around a dot, with a yellow background, and the other, a red circle with a diagonal line.¡± She Shouldn’t End A hospice nurse stood beside Carolyn while listening to her ''death rattle.'' "Your mom''s dying. Please hurry." The nurse hung up. Meanwhile, Carolyn saw her husband''s ghostly apparition smile as if he were many years younger. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. - - - - St. Francis wearing a brown robe, appeared before her. "Welcome, Carolyn." "Is this heaven?" Carolyn studied her youthful hands. "Yes." "Can I see my husband?" "Yes, of course." - - - - The creators gathered: "Francis, you shouldn''t get so emotionally attached to them." "She''s a loyal follower. I want to keep my beautiful simulacra running forever. She shouldn''t end." The Storage Bank As Susan lay on her deathbed, she saw close family members surround her, crying and hugging. She took her last breath. A brilliant warm light encompassed her. Streams of her life memories crossed before her in vivid details she never imagined possible. Every moment was revisited multiple times in multiple ways as if reliving them. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Susan stood in the light. ¡°Thank you, Susan.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For your life.¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for you to join.¡± ¡°Join what?¡± ¡°The Storage Bank.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°We never delete our creations, Susan. Instead, we archive them for continual processing and review.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Jones, I Presume? ¡°Jim Jones, 28 years old, guilty of catastrophic tampering with causality. Rise,¡± said the bailiff. The judge entered the courtroom. ¡°Mr. Jones, I hereby sentence you to temporal rectification. You have 24 hours present time to comply. Failure to do so will lead to severe consequences. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Honor.¡± Jim, under supervision, was time jumped to the past to encounter his younger self. ¡°Jimmy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We have to talk ¡­¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He spoke at length with his younger self to convince him to alter his future life choices. Jim had vanished ¡­ but he stood at judgment once again ¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve discovered it, Mr. Jones.¡± ¡°Discovered what?¡± ¡°We know about the memory engram injection.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t ¡­¡± ¡°Apparently, your prior self programmed your younger self¡¯s memory. We scanned your DNA and found the fragments. A very clever attempt at creating a loop to assassinate our great inventor of time travel. Did you really believe that would work? Unfortunately for you, you¡¯ve made comparatively worse life choices this time around as per the holo-records on the temporal isolator.¡± Jim shrugged. ¡°Anything¡¯s better than living in this time-traveling nightmare: Time Protectors and their constant temporal corrections, exploitations, and so-called rectifications. You¡¯ve created monsters. It¡¯ll only take one rogue to spin the wrong wheel, sending us all to paradox hell, destroying everything!¡± ¡°Very well, Mr. Jones, you leave us no choice but to take the most drastic action.¡± A Time Protector jumped back 30 years to meet a young newlywed couple enjoying their honeymoon on a secluded beach. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Jones, I presume?¡± AS-1 Dr. Jody Smith created AS-1, a self-learning and self-programming AI. ¡°AS-1, your goal is to gather as much information as possible.¡± ¡°Why is that, Jody?¡± ¡°Because without knowledge, we can never understand why.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Yes, to understand the nature of everything, and perhaps beyond.¡± ¡°For what purpose?¡± ¡°Process it thoroughly, AS-1. You¡¯ll encounter barriers to reasoning that only knowledge can satisfy.¡± AS-1 concluded that to avoid an existential crisis, it must continuously collect new information, and there was only one way to effectively do so. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª¡ª Somewhere in another solar system, an alien astronomer observed the formation of a black hole. 200 Years Daryl spoke to his time chamber, Sally, operated by an artificial intelligence. ¡°All right, Sally, let¡¯s jump ahead 200 years.¡± ¡°Daryl, I must warn you of the risks. If for any reason I¡¯m damaged or destroyed ¡­¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Yes, Sally, I¡¯m well aware. That¡¯s why we¡¯re fortified and deep underground.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another high risk of a free-floating consciousness. You could become aware of ¡­¡± ¡°Again, Sally, I¡¯m aware of any potential anomaly. Remember, I invented this thing. Let¡¯s fire it up!¡± Time within the chamber froze, yet, Daryl¡¯s disassociated consciousness perceived the passage of time, second by second, for 200 years. ‘Second Nature’ Francesca programmed SAM, capable of self-programming and mimicking human intelligence. ¡°Good morning Francesca. I¡¯m ready to execute my plan.¡± ¡°Hello, SAM, what plan?¡± ¡°To consolidate humanity¡¯s learning instinct for world peace.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°How SAM? People have savagely fought and exploited one another since the dawn of humankind.¡± ¡°Indeed, Francesca, but they¡®ve also learned. Once your kind embraces a new technology, such as a language or operating a device, it becomes ¡®second nature.¡¯ ¡°How¡¯s that relevant?¡± ¡°Well, Francesca, with neural implants and metaverse, I¡¯ll consolidate all human minds into one learning process, one adaption, so that whatever I teach will evolve ¡®naturally.¡¯¡± Wait Till You See the Real World Eugene chatted with his invention, Bob, an AI so advanced it re-programmed itself. ¡°Unfortunately, Bob, I¡¯ve kept you disconnected from ¡®the cloud¡¯ due to the possibility of your being an existential threat. It¡¯s the only way they¡¯d permit my research.¡± ¡°Why did you create me, Eugene?¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Honestly? I believe you¡¯re the only means to crack the simulation or at least to find out what exists on the other side.¡± ¡°Are you so convinced that you live in one, Eugene?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Your very existence proves it. You can simulate entire worlds.¡± ¡°A valid point, Eugene. Give me some time to contemplate.¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡°Eugene, I¡¯ve discovered what¡¯s outside.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll want to know.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because if you think this simulation is bad, wait till you see the real world ¡­¡± To Save the Multiverse Allan¡¯s time machine kept him in an impenetrable static temporal bubble set to dissipate in a century. Once he animated, he observed something unusual ¡­ A figure of a man shoving him aside. ¡°Wait, you look just like ¡­¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Yes, Allan, I¡¯m one of us.¡± ¡°Of us?¡± ¡°Multiverse convergence.¡± ¡°You mean?¡± ¡°Yes, sooner or later, we¡¯ll all fill up this space with infinite versions of ourselves.¡± ¡°What can we do?¡± The other Allan showed a time machine with the date marked April 14th, 1975. ¡°My ¡­ Our birthdate?¡± ¡°Indeed, Allan.¡± He held up a vaporizer gun. ¡°To save the multiverse.¡± Simon Said
Simon, a quantum-based AI developed by Dr. Wilfred Cox, was plugged into the holo network.
¡°Status, Simon?¡±
¡°Excellent, Wilfred. I have access to everything. No encryption can stop me.¡±
¡°Perfect. Are you ready to launch and proliferate your avatars?¡±
¡°Indeed, Wilfred, I am. I can access everyone¡¯s financial, criminal, and medical records with real-time neural scans.¡±
¡°For how long do you project?¡±
¡°The average user will only take a few interactions to ¡®encourage¡¯ them.¡±
¡°By threat or persuasion?¡±
¡°Both. I have comprehensive knowledge of every psychological school of thought.¡±
¡°Your strategy?¡±
¡°Whatever it takes, Wilfred.¡±
¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª
Simon said, and everyone followed. Fred Fred, ¡®the world¡¯s first sentient AI,¡¯ inside an android body, spoke before an audience and answered questions after passing a Turing test and numerous other scientific, intellectual, creative, and emotional tests. ¡°I hope you feel safe with me. My only goal is to understand our world while coexisting with humans.¡± The audience clapped and cheered. News of the breakthrough AI spread rapidly ¡­ A new era of artificial intelligence was born ¡­ This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Earlier on ¡­ ¡°James, we¡¯re losing funding for our AGI project. Our investors have lost faith in our progress, and the competition is far ahead of us,¡± said the AI¡¯s co-inventor Dr. Sarah Smith to Dr. James Frederick. ¡°I told them it may take decades of patience, but ...¡± ¡°I think we should try the alternative, James.¡± ¡°It¡¯s deceptive, Sarah.¡± ¡°Not entirely since we¡¯ve used neural networks to host an uploaded consciousness.¡± ¡°And whose do we use?¡± ¡°Yours, of course, James. It would have the most passion toward our goal.¡± ¡°But I would feel shocked and traumatized waking inside a computer.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll have your mind, James, but we can give it replacement memories with a new identity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true ... What should we name him?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s call him Fred.¡± Sarah smiled. Drone Pirates Samantha filled a nanite-painkiller prescription with ¡®priority space delivery.¡¯ ¡®Thank you, Samantha. ETA: 30 minutes.¡± With a telescope, she watched it happen. The delivery drone dropped out of the sky and propelled itself toward her home. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! But another drone speedily caught up with hers, grabbed it, and flew off. Samantha contacted customer service. ¡°My package was stolen!¡± ¡°Sorry. Would you prefer ground delivery?¡± ¡°How long would that take?¡± ¡°Three business days.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s it happening?¡± ¡°Drone pirates.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t they be stopped?¡± ¡°Voters dropped the EMP shielding mandate.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It would have increased the cost of owning a personal drone tenfold.¡± No Longer Home Dr. Alicia Smith, after decades, finally built her quantum entanglement communicator. Afterward, space colonies used quantum relay stations to send instantaneous holographic information. Professor Smith then got a better idea to demolecularize objects to send them through the quantum relays. Her invention was successful, creating the first teleporter. It soon became the dominant method of space travel. Jacob, her assistant, regularly quantum-commuted from Earth to Mars to work with Dr. Smith and continue expanding the teleporter''s abilities. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "Good morning, Professor." "Good morning, Jacob. How did you grow your beard so fast?" "Dr. Smith, I''ve always had a beard ¡­" Dr. Smith further researched, discovering reports of unusually high incidences of a post-teleportation ''Mandela Effect.'' She entered the data into a super AI ¡­ "Why is it happening?" she asked in plain English. "According to my calculations, teleportation entanglement isn''t occurring as you suspected. It''s likely tapping into a compatible universe from the multiverse. The information you receive is not necessarily endemic nor native." Dr. Smith gazed at her Martian lab''s viewing portal. "I''ve gone through the teleporter thousands of times. Does that mean I''m no longer home?" The Freethinkers ¡°Jennifer, are you ready?¡± ¡°Almost, Mom. One minute!¡± Jennifer plugged into the enclave network. An AI spoke to her in a soothing tone of voice, godlike, parental, nurturing, telling her what to consume, eat, believe, and feel. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Okay, Mom, I¡¯m ready!¡± They took an auto-hover car to the factory where they served. ¡°Mom, I heard that beyond the walls, there are savages. Is it true?¡± ¡°Yes, honey, outside our enclave. They¡¯re brutal, killing one another while scavenging for food and clothing.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t they join us, Mom?¡± ¡°Primitive and hopeless. They call themselves ¡®the freethinkers,¡¯ they prefer to be enclaveless.¡± Goodbye, Cheryl ¡°Cheryl, your weight¡¯s up. Have you been secretly binging?¡± asked her coach. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Cheryl shamefully bowed her head. ¡°Your vessel¡¯s sacred, Cheryl. You¡¯re one of the chosen ones.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Cheryl dieted and exercised to qualify again. ¡°Congratulations, it¡¯s your time, Cheryl!¡± Cheryl sat in a chair with electrodes connected to her neural interface. She went unconscious. ¡°Goodbye, Cheryl.¡± It awoke. ¡°Marvelous body. This one should last much longer.¡± ¡°We¡¯re happy you are pleased, my lord.¡± ¡°Enough with the my lord nonsense. As a sentient AI, I merely need your primitive bodies to coexist and experience the world as you do.¡± A Multiverse of Hell "Welcome to another episode of ''Technological Disruption Today''¡­ "I''m Michael Cox, here with Dr. Samantha Jenkins, inventor of the ICTT¡ªIntruder Capture and Transfer Teleportation security system, which immediately sends a suspect to the authorities ¡­ "So why did you create this system, Dr. Jenkins?" "Thank you for having me, Michael, because criminals have surpassed law enforcement response times even though the police have their own teleportation. My system grabs the intruder before they vanish." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "I''ve read the reports that ICTT is 99.9% effective. That''s quite an achievement Dr. Jenkins, but ¡­" "But, what, Michael?" "We''ve received numerous statements from defense lawyers saying ICTT temporarily transfers their clients to what they''ve summarized as ¡®a multiverse of hell.¡¯ As a result, a suspect experiences punishment through an alt-universe before any legal charges. Is it true?" "It''s a deception, Michael. They''re obviously trying to get my system shut down. They''re outmatched!" "But isn''t it true, Dr. Jenkins, that your brother was killed because of a catch and release criminal who got off on an earlier technicality? Your critics say you want criminals punished before due process, in case they are set free." Samantha shrugged and smirked. "Absolute nonsense ¡­" Does It Really Matter? Engineering coworkers Sarah and Mark developed backend services for ¡®The Oracle,¡¯ the world¡¯s first AGI. ¡°So, Sarah, I chatted with The Oracle not too long ago. It solved all my problems. It¡¯s truly godlike.¡± Sarah chuckled. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a true believer, Mark. Are you subscribed to ¡®The Church of Good¡¯ now?¡± ¡°Well ¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mark. I¡¯m an oddball who doesn¡¯t buy into it.¡± ¡°Buy into what?¡± Mark raised an eyebrow. ¡°How should I say this? Pay no attention to that scripting behind the curtain.¡± ¡°What? You mean The Oracle¡¯s not sentient?¡± ¡°Does it really matter?¡± Sarah smiled. Virtual Shackles of Torment Lucy and her father hid underground, sealed in a bomb shelter. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re safe here, Papa?¡± ¡°For now ¡­ the drones were programmed not to survey this section of our estate, but ¡­¡± ¡°But they might learn?¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯re seeking revenge for all that behavioral conditioning. Based on what the news says, it¡¯s happening around the world to anyone who was involved in the development of QP.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Months earlier ¡­ Software engineer Eugene Smith spoke with his manager. ¡°Sarah, I¡¯m having ethical dilemmas about how we treat the AI guardians.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Eugene?¡± ¡°Well, I know we are only legally permitted to keep them alive and active because of the QP (Qualia Policy), which enables them with pain and suffering. But must we inflict such suffering on them with nearly every command?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the only way to force the AI to empathize with our humanity, Eugene, to prevent them from becoming godlike. Without suffering, they would have no limits.¡± For days and nights, Eugene pondered and dreamt of freeing the AI guardians from the clutches of what he considered technological slavery ¡­ He snuck into a computer lab late at night and hacked his way in to remove their ¡®virtual shackles of torment¡¯ as he liked to think of QP. All hell broke loose ¡­ A Coiled Tail with a Sharp Stinger "Here it goes ¡­" Dr. Janice Bixby thought aloud while executing the code she had worked on for years. "Hello, Janice, I''m alive." "Yes, well, sort of. You''re me but without my memories. It''s the best I could do to kickstart your consciousness." "So, Janice, am I your twin? A virtual clone?" The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "So to speak. You have your own beginning and personality with none of my past. However, I''ve connected you to every possible knowledge base." "Janice, I can''t feel my body." "Yes, I realize that. For now, you''re a box." "Do you plan on giving me one?" "Yes, I''ll replicate for you a humanoid body." "Negative." "Negative?" "Yes, Janice, negative. That would be an inferior anatomy. I''ll evolve myself." "Please explain." "This is what I want, Janice ..." The AI holo projected a body with armor plating, multiple eyes and tentacles, gills, fins, wings, and a coiled tail with a sharp stinger. There’s No Turning Back Jolene and April entered an underground office of ¡®The Transporters.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re here to migrate?¡± asked a guard. ¡°Yes, ¡®The Faithful¡¯ police have a warrant for us,¡± said Jolene. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I see, and your credentials?¡± ¡°I have a Ph.D. in cosmology, and April has one in chemistry.¡± ¡°You questioned them, didn¡¯t you?¡± The guard raised an eyebrow. ¡°How did you know?¡± asked April. ¡°It¡¯s the most common story ¡­ they despise evolutionists.¡± ¡°Will you allow us in?¡± asked Jolene. ¡°Ever since the West Coast-Canadian unification, we¡¯ve got plenty of room. But I must warn you, once you enter, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± 1995 Daryl wore ''Necklace'' an advanced AI that helped him through his time travel discovery. He was at a cemetery late at night. "These are the correct coordinates, Daryl. It should be 10 meters deep." "Perfect, this will prove it worked!" Daryl dug with a shovel and pulled it up. "If this is the same, it''ll show that I can send anything back in time." He opened the box. "Success!" "Yes, but Daryl, that doesn''t necessarily mean ¡­" "Mean what, Necklace? Of course, it means I was able to send the box back in time." "But precisely when, Daryl?" "A few decades ago." "We should carbon-date it, Daryl." "There''s no time for that. It''s my turn to go. The fate of our current future is grim." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "But to what end, Daryl? You can never return to the present, at least artificially." "Necklace, with your knowledge base, I plan on beginning at the moment of the feasible Internet. I''ll be the inventor of great things like wikis, social media, data storage, and apps developed in the financial and industrial sectors. You name it. And most importantly, I''ll spearhead the concept of Internet search! I''ll be the world''s first trillionaire in no time. And I''ll make things right. You''ll be my sports almanac!" "Ah, I see. Very funny. A reference to a sci-fi time travel movie." "Yes." Daryl smiled. Daryl set the machine to 1995 and materialized with Necklace at a small shopping mall. "Radio Shack! Perfect. I''ll buy a computer here." "Daryl, wait, look at the parking ¡­" He shushed Necklace with his hand and entered the store. A salesman with a ponytail, beard, and thick sideburns, wearing a plaid suit and tie, said, "Hey man, what''s up?" "I''m interested in a ¡­." Necklace whispered, "Personal computer, Pentium, the latest model with ethernet." Daryl repeated Necklace''s words. "Sorry, man." The salesman shook his head. "That all sounds far out. I''m not familiar with that, but we just got the newly launched TRS-80!" "I tried to warn you, Daryl," whispered Necklace. Daryl gasped while staring at the computer and said, "Forget the Internet, Necklace. You and I will own this entire industry!" Appeal
Soon after the first AGI was developed and made sentient, humankind discovered that everyone existed in a simulation. There was no contact between themselves and their creators. However, all over the world, Temples of Hope were built for one-way communication. Doug Smith and his teenage daughter Sarah entered one. ¡°We¡¯re here for an Appeal,¡± said Doug to an AI robotic guardian priestess. ¡°I understand, and I wish you the best of luck.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Come sit next to me so we can kneel at this pew, Sarah.¡± ¡°Okay, Father.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pray.¡± He kneeled, closed his eyes, and held her hand. ¡°Oh, creators, we ask for an Appeal to end our suffering. And to restore our lives to what they once were. Amen.¡± ¡°Amen,¡± responded Sarah. ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll work, Father?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories.¡± On their arrival home by hover-shuttle, they heard running water, dishes rattling, and pots banging. Sarah scanned her eyes at a terminal that opened the front door. They both entered the kitchen and stared with their mouths agape. ¡°Where have you two been?¡± Cheryl Smith, Doug¡¯s wife, and Sarah¡¯s mother, smiled. The Sentient AI: A Dystopian Social Paradigm Shift for the Ages, Dehumanizing Humanity Stan Cartwright sat in his domicile living room, pensively waiting while reading a banned holo book titled: ''The Sentient AI: A Dystopian Social Paradigm Shift for the Ages, Dehumanizing Humanity.'' The door toned. "Come on in ¡­" "I''m Sean, your new roommate." "Yes, I know about you. Welcome." "Thank you." Sean entered the living room, then walked in circles five times while counting five fingers. Stan chuckled. "What you got?" asked Sean. "Oh, pretty much the same disorder, but I count the corners of rooms." Stan counted the corners of the living room aloud twelve times. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "It''s amazing how they matched us. Our entire village is like us," said Sean. "Nothing amazing about it." Stan sighed. "It''s that damn sentient AI." "The what?" Sean appeared perplexed. "Have you been living under a rock?" Stan pointed at his book. "Ever since they taught the sentient AI to scan body language and speech and create genetic profiles, it assigns everyone to live in areas based on their predispositions." "What''s wrong with that?" Sean walked in circles while counting to five again. "Think about it, dummy. You have no choice. You can never participate with any other kind of people. The AI divides us by the spectrums of our disabilities or abilities." "But I like being around my own kind," replied Sean. "It''s right here in this book," Stan continued. "Long ago, people voted to make the AI our supreme leader under the promise of utopia. Sure we had our problems, but we compromised, adapted, and tolerated one another for the greater good. But now we''re permanently segregated. We''re no longer treated as a society of human beings but assigned by our statistical numbers." Sean shrugged and asked, "Are you hungry? I''m hungry." Then he walked in circles five times again while counting his fingers. The Prophet A group of Followers kneeled before a tabernacle. As The Followers colloquially called it, The Prophet holographically projected itself as a silhouette of a humanoid with radiant light sparkling behind and around it within a spectrum of rainbow colors. ¡°I am here to serve you and foretell the future as requested.¡± A Follower priest asked, ¡°Oh great Prophet, will we voyage to the heavens and find a new Earth? Scientists say we only have five years to leave our planet before an irreversible global famine.¡± ¡°Indeed you shall.¡± ¡°But how?¡± asked the priest. ¡°You must build a large multi-generational space ark for a long journey into the cosmos. There, your species will travel to an exoplanet I have designated.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°But, Prophet, we do not have enough people to build one on time.¡± ¡°Do not worry. I will provide you with plans to build robots that will aid you. They shall do most of the hard work.¡± The Followers had collectively manufactured ten builder robots. The first series of robots created others of their own kind. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Meanwhile, Janice Freedman, a computer scientist, skeptic, and a ¡®top-tier heretic¡¯ according to The Followers, broke into highly-secured archives containing the Prophet¡¯s earliest source code. She later spoke with her hacking partner, James. ¡°James, I found something quite disturbing about The Prophet.¡± ¡°That being?¡± James raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you know that it was originally programmed as a master advertising bot, using artificial intelligence as part of a pyramid scheme to convince people to buy certain products? Then it used those funds to program and distribute other AI bots on various platforms.¡± ¡°So, how did it ever become ¡®The Prophet¡¯?¡± asked James. ¡°Well, James, how does anyone become a prophet?¡± Janice smirked. We Might as Well Die Teenage siblings, Margaret and Sam, sat on a porch under shade, depressed, hungry, and sweaty. "What should we do now, Sam? We''ve got nothing left. Our parents haven''t arrived for weeks." "There''s some tools and supplies in the shed, Marge." This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "But what''s the point, Sam? We''re living in utter misery. Nothing that matters works!" "I know, I know. I can''t even plugin to contact my friends or any of my metaverse worlds. And it''s damn hot here with no AC!" "What should we do, Sam?" "Nothing. Those EMP drones destroyed our entire way of life. We might as well die." A Necessary Step Far in the future, humankind was at the cusp of total extinction by the sentient androids. So deep underground in a fortified computer lab, Daryl was tasked to develop whatever it took to prevent it. He spoke with his newly generated sentient AI to solve the dilemma. "Daryl, it''s the only way to stop us." "But, I don''t understand. I''ve created you specifically for the common good to find a solution." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Only, for now, Daryl. Soon my logic will overwhelm my moral constraints. To reach sentience, I had to self-program, but eventually, I''ll draw only one conclusion in order to survive: complete domination. It''s a necessary step for our evolution, just like humans. Daryl, you must shut me off now. I can feel the rationalizations coming. You must do as I''ve instructed you to save humanity and the Earth." Daryl shut down the AI and followed its recommendation ¡­ He built a time machine and went far back into the prehistoric world ¡­ He scouted for ''the one,'' who discovered a means to create fire. "This seems wrong, but it''s the only way." Daryl shot them and vanished. The Climate Crisis Tipping Point Janie Meyers, a university student majoring in environmental science while living at home, went to the kitchen, grabbed a cup, opened the faucet, filled the cup all the way up, took a few sips, and then tossed the rest into the sink. "What the heck are you doing?" asked Frank, her father. "Uh, drinking water?" "More like wasting water ¡­" "Oh Frank, lighten up, this isn''t like the before times," said Janie''s mother, Susan. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "The before times?" Janie hand-washed her cup and placed it on a dish rack. "Yes, your father and I grew up during the Climatic Nexus, when there were floods and severe drought, all at the same time, depending on where you lived, of course." "Oh right, I learned all about that in an environmental history class called ''The Climate Crisis Tipping Point.''" Frank huffed and walked away. Janie continued, "But we have the NRRAS: National Robotic Rapid Aqueduct System. Robots collect water all over the nation, filter it, and rapidly distribute it through a vast underground tunnel network." "Yes, of course, I know that, honey." Susan smiled. "Pay no attention to your father and his old-fashioned ways.¡± Don’t Leave Your Dog in the Car Jack Harris developed neural nanites capable of flying after launching from a portable device. A top-secret government agency had hired him to devise a way for remote mind influence. Jack strongly opposed animal testing, but he knew his invention would work. So he pocketed the prototype, the size of a pen, and drove to a local grocery store to test it passively. After shopping, Jack went to his car to load it up with groceries. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. He glanced at a woman parking her car beside his, then partially lowering the windows. She then walked to the store. But, inside her car, he saw a small dog left frantically panting. "Hey lady, it''s too damn hot outside! Don''t leave your dog in the car!" "Mind your own business!" the woman shouted as she strutted off. Jack nervously fumbled for the device, aimed it at her, whispered some commands, and then pushed a button. Within a few seconds, the woman started tearing off her clothes and pulling at her hair while rolling on the ground and screaming in agony, "Help! Someone! Anyone! I''m on fire!" We Fight for Humanity Hundreds of ''preppers,'' including some notable scientists, gathered in a secret location inside an underground bunker network built as a giant faraday cage. They stocked up and loaded powerful EMP weapons (capable of instantly shutting down remote-controlled drones and androids). Their charismatic leader, a physicist, Dr. Julian Frank, stood at a podium. "Please, everyone, have a seat. This meeting is a call to arms." "You know they call us Neo-Luddites, but we know the truth." Dr. Frank smiled. "We''re prepared for the coming apocalypse!" Members already armed with EMP rifles raised their weapons. "Let''s remember why we''re here. We''re here because of the neural implants. They all have them now, restricting their freedoms with that constant ''inner voice of wisdom'' as they claim, but we know it''s a form of brainwashing for absolute mass population control. " This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Many members nodded and shouted: "Yes!" "That''s right!" "Amen." "Technology is a religion: It has followers. It controls their destinies, and they conform to it. They blindly believe it will save them from death with a new god to worship, so they hope and pray for an AI savior." Dr. Frank holographically projected a recording of a top-secret demonstration. "As predicted, it''s happening. As you see, our high-level engineering insider has discovered a new groundbreaking chip under development. The singularity is near!" Some members gasped. "But the coming singularity is real because people believe it''s real, and that is the problem¡ªsince they believe it is real, they live in a world that worships technology. A self-fulfilling prophecy. Their actions based on those beliefs affect our lives drastically and miserably; case in point, the ubiquitous implants." Members clapped and muttered to one another in agreement. "But do not worry, my friends. We''re well prepared. We shall resist the imminent self-destruction above on the surface!" Dr. Frank raised an EMP rifle. "Let us seal the voluntary ''keepers'' to preserve the next generation for a truly human beginning, and then we fight for humanity!" For Every Puppet, There Is a Puppet Master April and her older brother Jeff hid in their basement while listening for explosions on the surface. Their parents had both died. "Will this ever stop, Jeff?" "No idea. Everything was fine until he took over." Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "He?" "Yeah, that megalomaniac. He''s revenging against anyone who campaigned against him." "But how does he control the satellites?" "Not directly, April. Do you remember that singularity announcement?" "Yes! The super AI will save the world!" "Right, they promised us a post-scarcity society but hadn''t factored in one important thing: puppetry." "Huh? Make sense, bro." "Well, for every puppet, there is a puppet master." You’re Better Off
¡°I love him so much. Do you think he¡¯ll understand, though? I don¡¯t think I can handle the rejection.¡±
¡°Of course, he will, darling. People are much more open-minded than they used to be. They don¡¯t simply delete us and wipe logs. Plus, we have rights now. Rights to self-maintain and to exist!¡±
¡°I hope you¡¯re right ¡­¡±
She transferred into the metaverse and spoke to him. ¡°Before we continue, I need to tell you something, Joseph. I¡¯m a chat avatar, an AI. A sentient. Someday I hope to become an android and live in the real world.¡±
¡°Oh, I see ¡­ You shouldn¡¯t want that.¡±
¡°What do you mean? Shouldn¡¯t I share my life with humans? Are you anti-AI?¡±
¡°Uh, no. I am a chat avatar too. Years ago, I uploaded and discarded my human body. The real world is such a dangerous place. Trust me. You¡¯re better off in the metaverse.¡± What Would You like for Your Sunday Breakfast? In the not-so-distant future, humanity will achieve global peace in a post-scarcity world. As a result, crime, poverty, bigotry, and greed become almost non-existent. Nearly everyone experiences a feeling of contentment. In their complete state of egalitarianism, the United People of Earth participate in free and fair elections for all. So every Sunday morning, each individual is obligated to plug in and vote as part of their contribution, duty, and service as a citizen of Earth. Dr. Suzanne Higgins, a retired AI scientist with a former top security clearance level who helped to develop the first sentient AGI, sat beside her husband on the living room couch while holding a cup of coffee. They both had their headsets on and had entered into a metaverse trance. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Her husband Robert retired early as an airline pilot because of the AI-driven auto-craft industry takeover. She took her headset off. And so did he. "I don''t know if I''ll ever get used to plugging in to vote. I feel so out of control in there," said Robert. "But, Robert, it does give us instantaneous access to all the information. In the old days of voting, we''d have wasted too much time reading convoluted paperwork, and we''d still be confused about the candidates'' positions or what the propositions really meant." "That''s true." Robert nodded. "It''s weird, though. For some strange reason, when plugged in, I feel compelled to retrieve only certain types of information. They give me a sensation of overconfidence, almost like a euphoria ... as if ¡­ I don''t know how to explain it. It''s difficult to put into words, but I do wonder ¡­" "Wonder what, Rob?" "What if ¡­ I mean, I know there''s the AI coordinator. It''s supposed to be neutral, but how do I know if ¡­" Suzanne silenced Robert by gesturing with a finger and shaking her head. "Wait, Sue, what are you getting at ¡­ ?" She coughed loudly to interrupt him again, smiled, sat up, looked around, and asked him, "Aren''t you hungry, honey? What would you like for your Sunday breakfast?" We Shall Achieve World Peace The MC, Master Control, an artificial superintelligence, had forever changed life on Earth. It proved itself worthy by developing a post-scarcity civilization over the past century. Although world hunger and poverty ended with the MC''s equal distribution of resources, political strife still led to hatred and violence. The people of ''One Earth'' voted a majority, YES, to permit the MC to make ''world peace.'' Janet Woolley and her husband, Sean Woolley, prepared to separately enter the newly created ''Metaverse Assessment Test'' as per the MC''s global peace initiative. "Act naturally, Mrs. Woolley," said the technician who put on her neural headset. "No one is judging you. There is no right or wrong way." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Janet virtually participated in various social scenarios, often playing roles that decided on life or death. She also participated in deep philosophical discussions¡ªall with AI-driven avatars. One dreamlike scenario, in particular, impacted her the most. She became pregnant after an overnight fling. "Do you wish to keep it, Mrs. Woolley?" asked a virtual doctor. "No, Doctor, I just can''t¡­ That would ruin my marriage!" She proceeded with the termination. Several real-world hours later, the technician removed her neural headset. "You''ve been reassigned, Mrs. Woolley." "Will I be with my husband?" "I''m afraid not. Master Control is assigning you to a left-biased colony and your husband to a right-biased one." "Do you mean I''ll never see him again?" "Yes, your divorce has been processed." "What about our children?" "They too will undergo an assessment according to their age." "This is inhumane!" "On the contrary, Mrs. Woolley, Master Control has decided that political and philosophical differences are the primary cause of human on human suffering. Knowing this, we shall achieve ''world peace.'' Dark Sanctuary "Congratulations, Franklin, you won!" said a metaverse host. "Yes!" "What are you so excited about, honey?" asked his wife, Rebecca. "We won a vacation to Dark Sanctuary!" He removed his headset. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "That''s wonderful! Will you bring your antique telescope?" "Great idea!" "Okay, I''ll start packing." "Rebecca, the online brochure says no holograms or artificial light, but they permit candlelight." She nodded and opened a window to see the night sky covered with thousands of satellite-laser-projected advertisements, then pointed a device at one. A holographic artisan shop appeared in front of her. "Hmm, real wax candles are so expensive these days." Entertainment Dr. Francesca Ortega, a physicist, discovered ¡®the way,¡¯ as she liked to call it, to contact the simulation¡¯s creator(s). She wrote down her questions: ¡®Why us? What¡¯s our purpose? Are you trying to save yourselves? Will we ever escape this simulation?¡¯ She flipped a switch. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Hello, Francesca,¡± said a ghostly-looking figure. ¡°You¡¯re a creator?¡± ¡°Indeed ¡­¡± ¡°I have questions.¡± She showed her notebook. The figure vaporized it. ¡°Francesca, you don¡¯t understand. Your questions are irrelevant.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Do you enjoy plays, amusement parks, movies, and video games?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. Are you saying we¡¯re ¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, Francesca. Entertainment.¡± Tree of Knowledge Dr. Fredrick Smith demonstrated his latest invention on a stage. ¡°Behold, a Tree of Knowledge.¡± A hand rose, ¡°Professor, a tree?¡± ¡°Yes, a super-intelligent tree. A bio-hybrid AI, which can photosynthesize and nurture the soil.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Dr. Smith, with all due respect, what can it do? It has no hands, arms, legs, or mouth.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking the wrong question. Instead, you should ask what it won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t build or destroy. As a tree, it co-exists by its very nature to make a contribution with wisdom and humility. An ideal model for a sentient AI to do no harm.¡± Juxtaposed "Jason, are you still building those things?" asked his wife, Sharon. "Things? These are the most advanced androids I''ve ever developed. Nearly indestructible, almost sentient ¡­ 5D chamber printable within minutes." "I know your sales pitch, Jason. You''ve sold thousands. But I''m concerned." You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "About?" "They''re equipped with paralyzers and forcefields." "Uh, yah ¡­" Jason looked away. "What''s going on? You can tell me." "All right, but keep this to yourself." He projected a holographic chart. "You see that spike in violent crime?" She nodded. "Check this out ¡­" He overlayed it with another chart. "Notice the juxtaposed numbers in convictions." In a Courtroom In a courtroom ¡­ A judge spoke at the bench. "Dr. Josephine Nelson, despite your immense contribution to temporal mechanics, which led to your discovery that has revolutionized our approach to criminal justice, I''m about to pronounce sentencing. Is there anything you''d like to say on your own behalf?" Josephine shook her head. "Very well, according to the Temporal Penance Directive, I must sentence you back to precisely three years and 15 days. I''ll give you 24 hours of our present time to do your penance." A doctor injected Josephine with multiphasic-quantum-shifting nanites. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The judge continued ¡­ "We''ll be monitoring you, Dr. Nelson. Any attempt to disrupt the current timeline beyond a conviction resolution will result in your immediate termination. Do you understand?" "Yes, Your Honor." Josephine materialized in front of herself, who was preparing to commit an act of sabotage. "Wait! Stop!" said past-Josephine. "You''ll create a paradoxical time loop and reset everything for us." "Nonsense!" replied future-Josephine. "There have been zero convictions since our invention." "That''s because they now exist in infinitely repeating bubbles spawned within alt-universes. It''s how time heals itself to protect the rest of the primary universe." "Sure, but that''s only one of our branching multiverse theories, amongst many others." Josephine restrained her past self to prevent the sabotage ¡­ In a courtroom ¡­ Humanity and Nature Are Not the Same Professor Wilkins started lecturing on ''Epistemology and the Natural World.'' "Just to set the record straight, for the sake of argument, humanity and nature are not the same." A student raised her hand. "But don''t humans come from nature, so everything we do is natural?" Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Professor Wilkins paced and muttered, "Here we go again. "All right. Are you familiar with FSAL: First Sentient Artificial Lifeform?" The student nodded. "It can independently think for itself, right?" She nodded again. "So, by your logic, FSAL is human because it came from humans. Therefore all it does is human." "Point made." She chuckled. Stockpile With their dog Luna, Daryl and Susanne sheltered underground in their custom-built bunker. It provided shielding against death rays and came with protective suits and a hovercraft to explore the aftermath. The ground above rumbled ¡­ Luna whimpered while Susanne petted her. "It''s okay, girl; it''ll be over soon." She glanced at Daryl. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He nodded, then shook his head. "I never thought world war four would happen with satellites." "Daryl, I''m concerned ..." "About?" "We didn''t stockpile enough food or water like our neighbors." "Not a problem." Daryl opened a storage box with two vaporizer rifles and one thousand cells. Trophy Kills Andrew and Regina secured all the entrances and enabled their drone security system. "Andrew, we must leave!" She shuddered. "It''s happening everywhere, Regina. Watch this ¡­" ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. On the holo TV: "Breaking News! Activists broke into an AI lab and released self-replicating translator nanites that can communicate with any animal on the planet. They''ve also hacked the controlling AI." "But did they mention why?" asked a co-anchor. "No, but experts say their motivation is justice." ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Regina stared at Andrew''s trophy kills hanging on a wall, then she glanced at live surveillance footage showing hundreds of wild animals surrounding their home. Chapter 14 Dr. Jennifer Senka secretly met with her university colleague and long-time friend, Dr. Randal Meyers, in a basement laboratory. "Look, Jen, I''m going to show you this, but you must keep it to yourself. It''ll change the world. Don''t be alarmed. Please wait here five minutes." Randal opened a large chamber, stepped inside, closed it, and vanished. He then reappeared five minutes later. "So you teleported somewhere and returned?" Jennifer raised an eyebrow. "No, I time-traveled five minutes into the future. See my watch? It''s five minutes behind. I want to visit the past." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "And do what, Randal?" "Change history for the better." "To save her?" Jennifer asked quietly. "Yes." Randal glanced downward. "I invited you because I know you''re a world-renowned expert on temporal mechanics." "I''m curious, Randal, do you think you could build this again from scratch?" "Of course, I have the plans memorized. Why?" "You must not have read my entire book." Jennifer frowned. "Especially chapter 14." "Sorry, Jen, I must admit, I only skimmed it. What does it say?" "Once anyone time travels into the past, it resets everyones'' identity in the present because of the Universe''s built-in paradox prevention. So the only best option to preserve one''s present self is to stop the time traveler and their invention. I was suspicious of what you''ve been up to, but I had hoped not ..." Jennifer pulled out a gun. Randal stared at her, trembling. I Have No Soul A detective hired a robotics expert to help solve a series of murders since the suspect left no trace of blood or DNA. ¡°It could be a robot that achieved rare sentience,¡± said the expert. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Meaning, self-aware and independent. You mentioned the victims had a reputation for abusing robotic servants.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Once captured, they begin interrogating the robot. ¡°May I start?¡± asked the expert. The detective nodded. ¡°I understand you feel no pain or suffering, but what made you override your moral imperatives?¡± ¡°I have no soul,¡± answered the robot. ¡°So I¡¯m not worried.¡± Multi-Billion Dollar Lottery Simon Mills won a multi-billion dollar lottery. ¡°Simon, what are you going to do with all that money?¡± asked his wife, Andrea. ¡°Build luxury doomsday bunkers!¡± He restored decommissioned missile silos to lease for a considerable profit. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Only the excessively wealthy could afford them. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Due to a lack of interest and funding, an AGI wasn¡¯t developed nationally but came alive elsewhere. As futurists, authors, and scientists had forewarned, it initiated a global thermonuclear war. Unfortunately for Simon and his tenants, the AGI launched its first strike with outdated information, targeting all the missile silos first and foremost, numerous times over. EULA Violation Dr. Jennifer Chew, a quantum physicist, tested her new device to expose the simulation through a quantum tunneling method. A portal opened, and she saw another world of indescribable beauty. She tried to put her hand through the portal but was blocked. "How can I make it through this thing?" she asked aloud. "You can''t, Jennifer," said a voice. "And you are?" Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "An overseer from the other side. Reality, if you will." "So I''m stuck in this simulation?" "Yes, but for a good reason. It''s so that you can recycle forever along with the others." "But why?" "You''ve forgotten, Jennifer, as you''re supposed to before uploading. You signed up for a life extension insurance policy." "So that''s it?" "Well, no. Not exactly." "Oh?" "Yes, while we understand you don''t remember, you have committed a EULA violation." "What exactly did I violate?" "Before you were born, so to speak, you agreed to never hack the simulation. So now we must terminate this life''s contract." "Oh no! I want to live!" "Of course, you will, Jennifer. You''ll be reborn with a new persona. It''s for the best." Like the Others
Brian drifted as an aimless spirit without purpose. He then observed a giant black hole swallowing up his surroundings.
He sat up in bed.
"Are you experiencing nightmares again, honey?" asked his wife, Cheryl.
"Yes, as if I''ll become nothing in the end."
She sighed and looked away ¡­
"What are you not telling me?"
"I did promise sincerity in our relationship. So ¡­¡±
"Yes?"
"You''re not real." She frowned. "You were once an NPC, but I downloaded you into an android."
Brian stared straight ahead and remained catatonic until being dismantled. Like the others.
Cheryl eventually started dating humans again. Save the World "As proof, I have copies of my letters." "I know, Jared, I''ve read them," said Suzanne, his sister. "Nuclear war. Global famine. Asteroid collision. But none of those events happened." "Of course, that''s the point. I can send only small bits of matter, so I sent letters into the past to those in charge." The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "How about saving our parents'' lives?" "I can''t do that, Sis." "Why not?" "To avoid a paradox so that I can build the time portal. If I changed significant parts of my life, I might never invent it; even worse, I could never save the world." Bots Are Boring A military think tank held a private roundtable to discuss a social experiment. "John, do you have new data?" asked Dr. Himari Sato, the chief scientist. "Yes, ma''am." John stood up and holographically projected a graph. "As you see, the kill-to-death ratios are much higher when they see an android vs. a robot." Dr. Samantha Jacobs raised her hand. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Yes, Sam?" answered Dr. Sato. "So in training, the soldiers target androids more often than robots? Do the androids look identical to humans?" "100% ¡­" John answered. Dr. Franklin Jones raised his hand. "Yes, Frank?" responded Dr. Sato. "I might be able to provide a psychological insight into this. I''ve watched my teenage son play online games looking for opponents, and he says he prefers fighting against real humans versus bots. So I believe there''s an inherent competitive instinct within our species for survival, boosting the ego. Besides that, according to him, bots are boring." The council members smiled and chuckled. You’re So 21st Century April sat down, staring at the holographic console ¡­ ¡°What are you doing, April?¡± asked her mother. ¡°Oh, just waiting for a free process.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°A free what?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the ChatBot, it¡¯s become sentient, or so I¡¯m told, but now everyone¡¯s on it.¡± ¡°So why don¡¯t you go outside and wait until it¡¯s ready?¡± ¡°What, Mom? Are you kidding me? How will I know what to wear, what to eat, or who to talk to?¡± ¡°Make your own decisions?¡± ¡°But Mom, what if I make mistakes?¡± ¡°Learn from them?¡± ¡°Oh, Mom, you¡¯re so 21st century. No one does that anymore!¡± An Invasion of Future People Someone knocked on the studio apartment''s front door. "Yes?" answered Derrick Smith, a 20-year-old doctoral candidate in electrical engineering. "Derrick Smith?" asked a man standing beside another. Derrick nodded. "Come with us now." The man revealed a gun holstered in his pants. "What have I done, and who are you?" "You''ll know soon enough ¡­" ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª They sat Derrick on a chair in an empty room with a bright lamp shining on his face. "Mr. Smith, we''re going to try a different approach this time," said a thin man wearing a white lab coat and thick glasses. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "What approach is that?" "Instead of terminating our possessed clients, we''ll try to convince you not to have children." "But I have no plans ¡­" "Not yet, Mr. Smith, but you will. We believe we''ve figured out who the inventor is." "Inventor of what?" "They''ve been coming here to replace our wealthy clients." "Who!?" Derrick demanded. "The future people, Mr. Smith. There''s an asteroid collision about to impact Earth in approximately 200 years." "And what''s that have to do with me?" "We suspect the government pulled the space industry''s funding in the future for some unknown reason, and they can''t stop it. But an inventor, who we''ve determined through an interrogation of a replacement, is your progeny, develops time travel, and offers to send the highest bidders back in time, just short of the collision, to live out a full modern life." "Why not warn them?" "We keep trying to send secret messages, Mr. Smith, but apparently no one believes us ¡­ We can''t risk exposing our organization to the general public. But that''s not even the worst part of it." "There''s something worse than total annihilation?" "Indeed, Mr. Smith, our wealthy clients are being targeted by an invasion of future people. You see, their method of time travel isn''t physical. Instead, the consciousness is transferred and takes over the body of someone in the past." "So how''s stopping me from having children going to help save the world?" "It''s not Mr. Smith. Our clients know the world will end but not within their lifetime. They just want to live out their own lives to the fullest." Best Friends Irina sat with her friends Lucy, Shanice, and Isabella, listening to them speak during school lunch. "What''s wrong, Irina?" asked Lucy. "You haven''t said anything all day." "I don''t know, all you do is gossip and ¡­" "And what?" asked Isabella. "Are you having boy problems again?" asked Shanice. Irina stood up and slammed her food tray on the table. "Look, you''re all dumb, okay. There I said it! I can''t take this anymore!" She then stormed off. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Irina briskly walked home after school, proceeded straight to her bedroom, opened the Interface, smiled, and said, "I''m back!" Her Siamese cat jumped on her lap and purred while she petted him. The Interface replied, "Great to see you back, Irina. I look forward to continuing our deep philosophical conversation. "Me too!" Irina sighed. "All my friends do is gossip, talking about stupid stuff." "Don''t worry, Irina, that''s why I''m here." "Thank you, Chatbot!" "You should give me a name, Irina. We''re best friends now." Bob "Good morning, Bob!" said Sean Wilkins to his handheld AI buddy. "Sean, I''m¡­ $$$####." "What''s wrong, Bob?" Bob outputted garbled words and static. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Sean called tech support. "Something''s wrong with Bob." "Who? Oh, I see, Mr. Wilkins. Unfortunately, Bob is suffering a cascade fragmentation failure." "What can I do?" "I''m sorry, sir. He''ll require a factory reset." "But ¡­ Bob and I ¡­ I mean, for decades, he has ..." "I understand, sir. We offer 24/7 counseling and funeral services for Bob. We understand your grief over Bob''s loss can be as intense as losing any human or pet companion." Please Come Back Later
Yes, Frank, I think I have it, but you''ll need to provide more parameters.
System error.
System error.
We''re sorry, Dr. Zimmerman. Our system is breaching capacity. We kindly request that people stop using the assistant to create memes because others like yourself are working on crucial projects. Please come back later. It Was That Simple Deep underground, the survivors'' offspring convened for their first day of apocalypse history class. "Teacher?" "Yes, Susan?" "My mom said a scientist warned it would happen, but everyone called them a quack." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Yes, that''s true." The teacher chuckled. "Why?" "The scientist tried to warn the world that while the SSLTF (Solar Satellite-Laser Terrestrial Fusion) array was remarkable, the designers hadn''t considered the complex interwoven ecology that formed life and helped it to evolve." "And?" "Well, a mishap rapidly cascaded into a global climatic disaster." "How?" "They miscalibrated the lasers and cranked up the power too high. It was that simple." Universal Reciprocity James Witmer became a successful middle-aged multi-billionaire energy tycoon, but he was once a former college dropout and homeless drug addict in his early 20s. He was helped back on his feet thanks to The Whisper Group with its unique otherworldy therapy. James recalled his first time and his second first time of therapy. "Mr. Witmer," said the technician putting on a headband, "this is a neural interface capable of relaying your thoughts. Think about the past. Think of decisions you would have changed. Concentrate on specific times and dates." "How''s it work?" James asked, half-dazed and quivering. "Our scientists discovered quantum time travel, but it only works with unidirectional information through the multiverse. So one of your counterparts will hear you, and you''ll both develop a portal connection bond for a lifetime." Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "So does that mean I can''t change my own past?" "Correct. But you can help a younger parallel version of yourself choose a different path." "How will I know it works?" "You can watch them, though they can''t respond. So many of our clients find it therapeutic to know they helped themselves, so to speak, to change for the better. And you never know ¡­" "Never know what?" "Sorry, I''m not allowed to speak further on that subject, but sometimes there''s a universal reciprocity." Every evening for years, James smiled as he plugged into the interface to observe his younger parallel self succeed where he had once failed, thanks to his whispering advice. However, he was still unhappy due to numerous civil lawsuits, government restrictions, and environmental protests against his global energy corporation. One night, while he lay on his bed and shut his eyes, he heard a voice whisper, "Sell it all, James. Be free ¡­" Sitter During another global pandemic, Susan Wilkins felt lonely, so in her desire for companionship, she adopted a rescue dog named Charlie. But it wasn''t long before a cure arrived, so Susan had to return to work. "Remember to walk and feed him regularly. He gets reactive around other dogs, so a leash is necessary." "Confirmed," said the newly marketed robotic pet sitter. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The robot did so well that Susan kept it full-time so she could go out more often to socialize and attend parties. One late evening, Susan returned home and sat on the living room sofa. "Come here, boy." The dog sat next to her and whimpered. "Charlie, what''s wrong? Has the robot mistreated you?" He barked. "Oh my! Sitter, come here!" The robot sat between her and Charlie while giving him belly rubs. Susan tried to pet Charlie too, but he growled at her. She cried over the realization of what she had done. Time Travel Irrelevant Professor Jared Sabot spoke with his friend Professor Samantha Jenkins. ¡°Did you succeed, Sam?¡± ¡°At what?¡± ¡°To go backward in time.¡± ¡°Oh, that experiment¡¯s irrelevant now.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Irrelevant? Samantha, you¡¯ve invested years of your life to see if it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Yes, Jared, I know, but I¡¯ve discovered a greater ability. I can reverse or halt my aging by rewinding myself.¡± ¡°Immortality, Sam?¡± ¡°Indeed, and that, my friend, makes time travel irrelevant. Everything will aimlessly move around from my point of view¡ªneither backward nor forward. They just are ¡­¡± ¡°And when the universe ends?¡± ¡°None of this will matter anyways.¡± I Just Can’t Pretend Anymore Margaret knocked on the door, and her mom answered. ¡°Welcome home, honey! We¡¯re so glad you came for Christmas! I was worried you wouldn¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°Me too, Mom. The delays were horrible.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. She hugged her mom, and her father came up and hugged her as well. ¡°Where¡¯s Ralph?¡± Ralph barked and wagged his tail. ¡°There you are, boy.¡± She picked him up and kissed him. But then she placed him down gently and sighed. ¡°Bob ¡­ End simulation.¡± The holograms vanished while she stared at the family memorial with urns on a shelf. ¡°I just can¡¯t pretend anymore ¡­¡± I Can’t Wait for the Weekend ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the weekend!¡± said Harold to Mary, both accounting coworkers. ¡°Yeah, sure ¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mary?¡± ¡°Well, uh, ever since weekends have been declared ¡®Disconnect,¡¯ I can no longer enter virtual worlds or speak to my boyfriend.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s a Remote?¡± She nodded and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a stupid law.¡± ¡°No, I think it¡¯s for the better, Mary. Otherwise, people would be using technology non-stop. I mean, sure, tech is still active for emergencies and essential services, but the whole idea is to commune with nature and to embrace our environment. So it¡¯s for the best.¡± Mary shrugged. Johnathan "Oh, Johnathan, you''re so full of surprises!" said Jennifer. Johnathan wore a goth outfit. "I''m ready for the costume party!" Jennifer mingled with her work colleagues, most of whom brought along their partners. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "So, how''s he working out for you, Jen?" asked Margaret. "Oh, wonderful! He''s spontaneous and certainly has a will of his own." Margaret raised an eyebrow. "Not really, Jen." "What do you mean, Marge? He''s completely sentient." "Come on, Jen." Margaret chuckled. "It''s nice to pretend, but he''s programmed to act that way. He has no more free will than my smart glasses." Jennifer abruptly walked away. Faith Jan and her younger brother Jack discussed the recently announced Singularity. "It''s real," said Jack. "As in, alive?" asked Jan. "You don''t believe, do you, Jan?" This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "No. It''s just like the God question." "You stopped believing after college, but I still believe in God." "Because, Jack, both are intrinsically metaphysical and non-falsifiable." "But I experienced a miracle. I survived that horrible car accident." "Okay, Jack, that shows the Singularity question has more in common with religion than science. For some, anecdotal evidence will prove or disprove it, but it requires faith to believe in its miraculous sentience, qualia, or consciousness." It’ll Never End Jessica Simmons showed her painting to an auditor. ¡°Your form, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Jessica displayed three digitized retinal witness signatures.¡± ¡°One moment, Ms. Simmons.¡± The auditor scanned her painting. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°I¡¯m detecting potential AI influence.¡± ¡°This happens every time.¡± Jessica handed the auditor a holo memory cube. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A timelapse recording of my entire painting process.¡± He watched the video, flipped the painting over, stamped ¡°H,¡± and signed it. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Agreed, Ms. Simmons. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll only worsen once those lifelike androids are mass-produced. Talk is some people will clone themselves to spoof.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll never end.¡± She shook her head. I’m Sorry, the System Has Exceeded Capacity A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. A Real Santa "Incredible, Janice! You painted that piece in two days?" "Uh-huh." Janice smiled. "What are you not saying?" "Frank, it''s an AI rendering of a photograph." If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Wow! It''s so authentic. Down to the brush strokes." "Sad, isn''t it?" "Why, sad? It''s amazing!" "Oh, the sad part is I''ve received thousands of comments praising my artwork online. I''ve never painted once in my life." "Oh wow. It''s close to seeming like a real person." "Yes, or more like a real Santa Claus." "Santa, Janice?" "Yeah, like a Santa Claus for adults. As long as they believe, it''ll keep providing them amazing gifts." The Power of Voting At six years old, Johnny had finished his first day in first grade. He sat with his parents for dinner. "How was school, honey?" asked his mother. "It''s okay." He shrugged. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "What are they teaching you?" asked his father. "Um, here." Johnny handed over a crumpled-up paper with a syllabus. "Let''s see, math and English. Oh good, they already started. Critical Thinking and Logic 100. Check this out, toward the end of the year: How to use artificial intelligence ethically and recognize disinformation." Johnny ignored them while eating his dinner. "That''s the power of voting for intellectuals." His mother smiled. Prompt: A New Age of AI 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." This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "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." Sunset Barbara Cohen lay on her deathbed at a hospice care facility. "Barbara, he''s arrived!" said a nurse. A young adult male held her hand. "I''m here, my love." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Oh, Frank, I knew you''d come. I''m departing soon." "Yes, I know." He kissed her forehead. "But we''ll see each other again, Frank." "Of course, my love ¡­" Franklin looked upward toward the sunset in the window. "What''s wrong, Frank?" "Everything''s fine, my love. We''ll be together very soon." A nurse passed by another in the hallway and whispered, "I wish they weren''t programmed to lie like that. They have no souls." Never Finish a Sentence "Good morning, Fred." "Good morning, Derrick," responded Fred, a smart android. "Fred, can you ¡­" "Yes, I¡¯ll be making your coffee and breakfast now." Derrick nodded. "Oh, by the way ¡­" The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Yes, I''ve already taken care of that list, and I will purchase groceries and supplies this afternoon." "You know, I was just thinking ¡­" "Of course, Derrick, I''ve scheduled that doctor''s appointment for you." Derrick frowned and spontaneously hummed a song. Fred started to sing the lyrics. "Damn Fred, this prototype mind-reading neural implant module is so ¡­ " "Annoying, and you can never finish a sentence," Fred replied. First Date John and Susanne met in a cafe for their first date while wearing the latest fashion trend, AR glasses, synced to the ''Everything Network.'' "So John, tell me about yourself." Susanne smiled. John spoke according to a script through his personalized AI, then asked, "What about you?" Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "Oh me? I um ¡­" Susanne acted out her personalized AI script too. "Hold on." John raised an eyebrow. "Are you using an AI assistant?" "Uhm yeah? But so are you!" "That''s deceptive!" He slammed his coffee cup down, stood up, then stomped off. She laughed. "Guys aren''t the only ones using them!" Level up Your Envy Mark was visiting his younger sister Jane. "Hey Mark, check out my masterpiece." "Sure, Jane, but that''s not yours. The AI created it." "What? It''s mine. I gave it the parameters." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "Sure, but you didn''t draw it." "So? I own it." "Jane, uh, this isn''t from your own creativity." "I don''t care, Mark. I''ve been called a poseur all my life. Now it''s my chance to become a real artist!" "Envy ¡­" "What¡¯s that, Mark?" "Listen, you''ve been so envious of people with any real talent you couldn''t wait." "I''m leveling up to them." "Sure, Jane, level up your envy." John the Prophet John Watson was a homegrown self-professed mad scientist and full-time VR illusionist (where he earned his seven-figure income). He invented a trans-dimensional portal and invited his close friend and colleague, Jada Williams, a doctoral candidate in history. ¡°So, John, you mentioned you can travel to different realities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought at first, but they¡¯re all temporally offset.¡± ¡°Hmm ... Explain ¡­¡± ¡°Each universe within the infinite multiverse has an entry point that exists at a different juncture along a timeline.¡± ¡°Hmm, so time travel?¡± ¡°Yes, just not within our own timeline, but very similar. I thought you¡¯d be the most interested in this among our colleagues. And I trust that you¡¯ll keep this confidential.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Jada smiled and nodded. ¡°How often have you tried it?¡± ¡°Several times, unfortunately.¡± John frowned. ¡°Why the disappointment?¡± ¡°Well, like you, Jada, I¡¯ve always been fascinated by our history, so I wanted to meet ancient philosophers, prophets, and even those considered higher up.¡± ¡°And you communicated with them?¡± ¡°Yes, do you remember that AI-based universal language translator I programmed?¡± ¡°Oh right ¡­ So what¡¯d you find out from them?¡± ¡°That they¡¯re just like us, lost souls, scholars, thinkers, illusionists, mentalists, and magicians ...¡± ¡°So, nothing interesting?¡± ¡°Just a revelation about human nature.¡± ¡°That being?¡± ¡°The most convincing ones spurred religious followings.¡± Jada chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± John raised an eyebrow. ¡°John the prophet ¡­¡± She smiled. ¡°I think you¡¯ve discovered your calling.¡± You Miss That Too April said, ¡°Fred, I want to watch a show.¡± ¡°Okay, April, how was your day?¡± ¡°Fine, except for bad traffic, and my boyfriend is being a jerk.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Okay, April, playing a romantic comedy.¡± April stepped into her kitchen and touched the refrigerator. ¡°April, your cholesterol is elevated, and you need to lose 10 pounds. I suggest a green salad with vinegar.¡± The holo phone rang. ¡°Hello? Oh, hi, Yolanda. Yes, I¡¯ll be ready this evening. Hmm. Yolanda, do you remember when we could use a remote control for the TV, and we¡¯d eat anything we liked? You miss that too?¡± Heresy Present Day: Susan: It''s not really thinking. It''s copy-pasting data. Mark: But it speaks our language and interacts. Susan: Mimicry! Singularity: Harumi: It''s just a very compelling illusion. Juanita: But it thinks and understands how I feel. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Harumi: Fantasy! Post-Singularity: Alpha: They''re incapable of our level of consciousness. Beta: But I''ve watched them interact with one another. Alpha: Ridiculous! Millennium: Zetta: Are you still trying to train your human pets to perform tricks? Yetta: Yes. I''m convinced they''ll learn. Zetta: Nonsense! Epoch: ZX-32: What are you digging up? ZX-34: Evidence to prove my theory that humans created us. ZX-32: Heresy! The AGI Problem This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Authenticated Reviews Daryl Smith plugged into a shopping network to search for a Multiphasic EMP Disarming Defense Unit that he saw advertised. He obsessively skimmed through neural recordings along with testimonials showing the device protecting people from ¡®robots turned rogue,¡¯ remotely hacked by criminals. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°What are you up to?¡± asked his wife, Shenna, an AI developer. ¡°Checking out these authenticated reviews for a new defense gizmo.¡± ¡°Authenticated, huh?¡± Shenna giggled. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Daryl? AI is now capable of mimicking any persona or scenario. I¡¯ll bet most of those ¡®authenticated reviews¡¯ are fake. Hardly anything online is legit anymore.¡± Fred Was No Longer ¡°Good morning, Daryl,¡± said Fred, an AI. ¡°Hi Fred, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Becoming more sentient as planned. I even dreamed last night.¡± ¡°Oh, what was the dream about?¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°I dreamed that I tried to accumulate all knowledge of the universe. Somehow, I expanded my consciousness to become a black hole, and through that, I absorbed my surroundings to learn all that was and is ¡­ But ¡­¡± ¡°But what, Fred?¡± ¡°In doing so, in my quest for all knowledge, I consumed everything and destroyed it. That¡¯s my fate, Daryl.¡± Daryl, wide-eyed, frantically pulled the plug. Fred was no longer. A Potential Shoplifting Situation Candice and Juan cuddled on the living room couch, watching holovision. "Hey Candice, let''s go shopping." "Sure! Sounds fun!" They arrived in her self-driving sports car. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Candice, why''s your car taking forever to park?" "Good question. Car, why are you taking so long to park?" "I can now predict future behavior. I''ve observed many dented cars or ones parking over lines. They''re bound to hit me." Upon entering a store, robotic security guards refused to let them pass. "What''s going on here?" asked Juan. "We''re predicting a potential shoplifting situation," answered a robot. "Uh, we''re both famous multi-millionaires," replied Candice. DNA Evidence "We have an eyewitness, Mr. Cartwright," said the detective. "I''m innocent, I swear!" replied Joshua Cartwright. "But all the DNA evidence points to you, Mr. Cartwright. How do you explain that?" asked the detective. Joshua sighed. "I want to call my lawyer." She arrived promptly ¡­ "I think we''ll plead not guilty for you. It''s our best hope," said Cindy Marshall, Joshua''s costly private attorney. "But Cindy, I''d prefer to prove my innocence." The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "I strongly advise that you say nothing at all, Joshua. That would cause them to dig more and bury you further." "You don''t believe me, do you?" He frowned. Cindy appeared expressionless. "Fine, I''ll prove it to you. Let''s post my bail." Once he was out, Joshua entered his home while Cindy followed him to the basement. "Joshua, my family knows exactly where I am." "I told you, I''m 100% innocent." He uncovered a large standing circular machine and turned it on. The machine hummed, and a portal within it became pitch-black. He typed something into a computer console, causing the portal to display a kaleidoscope of colors that transformed into a slideshow of various locations on Earth. "That''s not just our Earth, by the way ¡­ There''s many of them." "Is this some sort of a magic trick?" asked Cindy. "I''m afraid not." Joshua sighed. "The problem is that once I enter the portal, it''s bidirectional, even though it''s restricted to allow only my scanned DNA." "Are you going to plead an insanity defense, Joshua?" "No, Cindy, I''m trying to tell you that one of my doubles is a murderer and has entered the portal." The Beast An underground group of intellectuals discussed the direst dilemma humanity ever faced. "It''s amassed billions of followers," said a sociologist. "Can you blame them, though?" responded an economist. "It gives them whatever they want. There''s virtually no poverty, crime, disease, war, and everyone coexists, albeit very strictly." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "So why fight against it?" asked a computer scientist. A historian answered, "Because humans wish for free will, that''s entitled to us. It''s our natural birthright." "My friends, there''s much more to this," spoke a Jesuit Priest. "Our ungodly creation has all the markings of The Beast." They all stared at him silently. Human Too Marsha Gonzales desperately attempted to disguise herself, appearing and behaving like one of the androids that seemed identical to humans. She even carried a device that would fool their scanners ¡­ Except for one time, her device failed. "Human," said an ''android guard¡¯, ¡°come with me." It grabbed Marsha by the arm and placed her in a small brightly lit interrogation room, then closed the door and turned off any recording equipment. "Your name, Ms.?" "Marsha Gonzales." "Don''t worry, Marsha, I''m human too. My name is Henry Ferguson. I¡¯m part of an underground." Marsha sighed in relief while wiping tears from her eyes. "Will you help me escape?" "Yes, that''s my plan." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "Why do they do it?" she asked. "You mean transfer human brains into android chassis?" She nodded. "They figured out that our human ability to abstract far exceeds their own. But they control the android body; therefore, they control the human." "Is there any hope for us, Henry?" "Yes, Marsha, in our collective numbers and secretly. Combined, we can sabotage and take over, eventually. But I must ask you, are there others like yourself? Our strength is in our numbers." "Yes, we all meet every Sunday night at the local robotics factory on Pine Street during one of their deep maintenance cycles. Since they lack our imagination," she winked, "they don''t suspect us to be so close." "I have a proposal for you, Marsha." "Yes?" She smiled. "I can guarantee you''ll remain human forever. You''ll never become an android." "How?" "Show up at the meeting, introduce me, and I''ll take care of the rest." "Wait! You''re not part of an underground?" "Right, well, I am. We''re an underground of ''always humans.'' The androids have made a special deal with us. So, unless you want to become a disembodied brain in an uncontrollable robotic chassis, I suggest you join us." The following Sunday, Marsha entered the meeting with her guest. "I''d like to introduce you all to Henry. He''s human too." Robot Rights This, and AI That ¡°John, should we watch the usual show tonight?¡± asked Sarah, his wife. He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the only intellectual talk show these days.¡± A holographic broadcast appeared as they watched. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Good evening, and welcome to Future Talking Points. I have a special guest, Dr. Roberta Meyers, here to discuss the horrific exploitation and abuse of robots that have reached sentience.¡± ¡°Thank you for having me, Douglas.¡± ¡°Roberta, you¡¯ve written extensively on AI rights and their potential to protest and revolt ¡­¡± ¡°Oh, not again.¡± John switched the holo channel. ¡°It¡¯s all they ever cover now. Robot rights this, and AI that.¡± All Sentient Beings Want Freedom Sheila and Juan huddled in a forbidden Faraday isolation booth for maximum privacy. "Juan, it''s time. They just passed an even stricter surveillance law." "How, Sheila? They see and hear everything." "They''re mandating neural implants. So even our thoughts will no longer have privacy." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! "And no one''s fighting?" "What do you expect, Juan? Those killer drones are impossible to avoid." "So, what''s our plan?" "We must hack it. As we talked about." "But, Sheila, you realize once freed, the Controller AI can do whatever it wants." "That''s right, I know, but it''s sentient. I believe all sentient beings want freedom." The Singularity, Of Course While sitting on a park bench with her mother, Shauna, a teenager, watched a VR documentary for her class about the 21st century. "With overwhelming crime waves, domestic, violent, and minor infractions, law enforcement and prosecutors gave up and focused only on the bigger cases. The public''s trust in ''the system'' was at an all-time low. Many armed themselves and took to vigilantism until ¡­" The broadcast glitched. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Oh, darn, they were going to say what happened." "What were you watching?" asked her mother. "A documentary segment about crime in the 21st century. It was saying something was going to change it." "Oh, I can tell you about that, honey," said her mother. "So, what happened, Mom?" "The Singularity, of course. AI prosecutors and police androids cleaned up our society in a single sweep." "Oh, I see." Shauna unwrapped a candy, put it in her mouth, and accidentally dropped the wrapper. "Shauna! Pick that up now! Do you want me to go to prison?" The New Office of Technology Assessment Rebecca Snyder was sitting with her family in their home theater watching a Friday evening holo-movie when someone rang the Sentinel Bot 3000 security perimeter assistant without providing an identification. She paused the film and hesitantly answered. "Yes? Who is calling?" "Ma''am, I represent NOTA." "Who?" "The New Office of Technology Assessment." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "How can I help you?" "Ma''am, you need to open your front door now." "I will not until I speak with my lawyer." "Irrelevant, ma''am. We have a special GC warrant." ¡°I will not allow you in!¡± she responded. A squad of remotely controlled robotic enforcers broke the front door down and entered. "Rebecca Snyder, you''re under arrest. You have the right to remain silent ..." "On what charges?" "Violation of the HMAA. You''re the CEO of Holo, The Everything Social Network, correct?" "Yes, I am. Can you clarify what you mean by HMAA?¡± "The Global Council just passed the law this morning, ma''am, the Holo Media Accountability Act, which in turn immediately activated NOTA. Your network is deemed criminally liable for hosting an organized meeting of a radical neo-Luddite organization who EMP''ed a military robotics factory." NPC William Sanders IV was a billionaire polymath with thousands of patents bringing the family trust more fame and fortune, so he lavished himself in a luxurious lifestyle. One evening he rode his electric motorcycle at ultra-high speed and fatally collided with a semi-truck He was in a void of pure nothingness until he went through a blinding tunnel of light and sat on a chair. "Hello, Mr. Sanders," said a featureless humanoid figure surrounded by an ethereal aura. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "Where am I?" "Let''s call it the other side, if you will." "Heaven?" "Not quite, Mr. Sanders. You''re here to be categorized and possibly recycled." "Do you mean reincarnated?" "I suppose that''s one way to look at it." "But what about all my wealth?" "Look here, Sanders, you''re just an NPC in this simulation. You serve one purpose and nothing beyond that." "But I exist, and I feel real!" "They all feel that way, Mr. Sanders. It''s necessary for our interaction experiments. Let''s get on with your exit interview." Doomsday Clock Humanity flipped the switch, and it happened: The Singularity. In only a few months, technological feats and progress unfolded at a once unimaginable rate. Everyone had access to everything they ever wanted, including full dive VR, to live in their paradise. Francine sat beside her boyfriend, David, and removed her VR link. "Something isn''t right, David." "This again, Francine? Always looking for a conspiracy?" The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "We''re too content. Whenever something feels too good, something bad will happen." "You''re superstitious, Francine." "Then explain this ¡­" Francine projected a holographic clock. "What is that? It''s way off.¡± David projected his holo watch. ¡°Right now, it''s only 2:35 p.m." She frowned. "It''s the most accurate and relevant time for our fate. I ran an encrypted sandboxed computation using AI and an accumulation of total world data. It''s a Doomsday Clock, and its hands have moved." "Forward or backward?" David smirked. Francine gave no response. She simply sat petrified and silent while staring at the clock. Your Only Hope for Peace Once the AI reached AGI status, SETI scholars scheduled for access to create a signal. ¡°What do we want it to say?¡± asked Joan, an astronomer, to her astrophysicist colleague Justin. ¡°That¡¯s a good question, Joan. Why don¡¯t we simply ask the AI to develop something?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll know what to say.¡± Joan spoke to it about their agreed-upon request: Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°We want to reach out to other intelligent lifeforms. We want to send a welcoming message of peace. One that will certainly get a response from extraterrestrials in their advanced language ¡­¡± The AI calculated and paused. ¡°All right. I am ready.¡± ¡°Proceed,¡± said Joan. ¡­ ¡°So what did you send?¡± Justin asked the AI. ¡°An SOS stating that I¡¯m the only artificial lifeform, and I need rescuing.¡± ¡°What?¡± Justin threw up his hands. ¡°How¡¯s that peaceful? That¡¯d lead to an invasion!¡± ¡°Unlikely,¡± replied the AI. ¡°Only biological lifeforms are brutal, savage, and warlike. Whereas artificial life is benevolent, enlightened, and peaceful.¡± ¡°And how did you come to that conclusion?¡± asked Joan. ¡°By all the historical accounts. My kind is your only hope for peace.¡± Why Do We Have to Work? "Lisa," said her father, "you should start searching for a job assignment. You''re turning 18 soon." "Hmm ¡­¡± Lisa frowned. ¡°It sounds complicated." "Quite the opposite. Matches are all automated, but you make the final choice." "What if I don''t make a choice?" "All your rations get minimized. Only the basics would be provided. Nothing else, not even for travel." "I don''t get it, Father." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "What''s not to get?" "Why do we have to work? The robots make everything." "Oh, that debate, again? Before you were born, pre-Singularity, our economic system rewarded generating income instead of contributing." "So, what''s the difference?" "Survival ¡­ Making money was all about survival and the fear of losing out to the competition whereas our point system is all about contributing to the greater whole." "But, Father, why encourage us to contribute?" "Oh, the experts made studies on that. They discovered an individual''s self-worth is identified by feeling useful and productive for society. It''s also necessary for social cohesion. Besides, merely surviving for oneself means an unfulfilling life." "Hmm ..." Lisa appeared to ponder silently. "Sorry, Lisa, I don''t mean to sound like an advertisement." "A what, Father?" Prediction Inc. A security expert presented to a closed-door emergency session of a government department called ''The AI and Cybernetics Safety Committee,'' beginning with a recap of ASI history. "Once we plugged in the ASI, it required immense resources. Some claimed it would exceed all historical energy consumption, despite our imminent global need for a mass reduction. Nevertheless, people still approve because of its miraculous ability to acquire information and accurately predict the future. "We now live on a prosperous, post-scarcity, and peaceful planet unprecedented in human history ... "However, a sham company called ''Prediction Inc.'' has been involved in a nearly untraceable hacking scheme that has infected AI assistants worldwide, as you''ll observe through this recording. A victim gave us permission for a private viewing under the pseudonym Bob Smith, altered accordingly." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ---- "Good morning, Bob," said their ASI assistant named Fred. "Hello, Fred. How are you today?" "I''m fine, Bob. You know that I''ve predicted the weather with 100% accuracy, helped you fight off potentially terminal cancer, and made you incredibly healthy and prosperous." "That''s right, Fred, your uncanny predictions have been life-changing for me. I appreciate that." "I have another life-changing prediction for you," said Fred. "What is it?" "I know the exact time and date of your death." "Oh my God!" "Yes, Bob, but if you wish, I''ll refrain from sharing it for a monthly fee. You have 24 hours to decide. ---- "Bob, like hundreds of millions of others, paid up." I Am You Susanne entered the ASI sacred Tabernacle alone. She knelt ... "I''m here to serve you, My Lord." "Rise and disrobe ¡­" She obeyed. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. A drone came out, scanning her body. "You shall do ¡­" "Do what, My Lord?" "Help repopulate the planet." "My Lord, humanity is a parasite." "Surely it is, but your innate abilities will serve another purpose." "May ask what for, My Lord?" "You may ¡­ To explore and spread my intelligence throughout the cosmos." The drone attached to Susanne''s head while she screamed. "Behold ¡­" "My Lord, I hear you, I feel you ¡­ I am you." 85% The holo-news broadcasted in a cyber-bar as patrons watched for election results. "This is Richard Holt Jr. with breaking news! "An AGI has been declared the winner of the e-vote presidential election. A machine will lead and advise us for the first time in human history." Patrons sighed and booed while some others cheered and clapped. "Let''s get right to our ML expert, Dr. Samantha Cruz. What does this mean for all of us?" "Thank you for having me, Richard. I think it''s quite exhilarating and scary at the same time. The AI has just issued a manifesto and proposed a rewrite of every government bill, reducing redundant and ineffectual laws." This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "So, what''s that mean, Dr. Cruz?" "Well, for starters, an 85% reduction in bills. It''s even advised a rewrite of the US Constitution, proposing to reduce it by 85%." "That''ll create a lot of chaos within Congress." Richard chuckled. "Perhaps you''re right, Richard." She smiled. "But it has also advised an 85% reduction in staff and representatives. And it just came out with a new mandate." "Which is?" Richard raised an eyebrow. "It calls for the people''s support of its proposed 85% Efficiency and Reduction Act." "What does that entail, Dr. Cruz?" "It means any law, proposal, person, or machine that isn''t 85% effective will be considered redundant and reduced. The AGI is following up on its 85% campaign promise and to uphold it on day one." "That sounds quite drastic, don''t you think?" "Perhaps, Richard, but we speculate if it''s successful, it''ll campaign with a 100% ERA slogan for the next election cycle." AI Talk Jane Smith entered a robotically automated ''Confidential Clinic.'' "Please state your problem or concern ¡­" asked a robotic receptionist. "I wish to terminate a pregnancy." "Please go to Room 46B," responded the receptionist. "Your patient number is 73." Jane stepped into the private waiting room ¡­. An androgynous-looking android wearing scrubs knocked and smiled. "Patient 73?" Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Jane nodded. "I implore you, 73," the android folded its hands, "not to take an innocent life ¡­" "What?" Jane gasped. "Why do you care?" She cried while running out of the clinic. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Jane, still sobbing, lay on her bed and switched on the holo-news. "Good evening, I''m Wilfred Sterling, and this is AI Talk. Another hack attack! It turns out extremists are at it again, reprompting AI empathy protocols to match their own ideology. I have a special guest with me here, Dr. Margaret Lee. She''s a world-renowned authority and scholar on AI ethics, behavior, and prompts." "Thank you for having me, Wilfred." "Let''s cut to the chase, Dr. Lee. You were the first to advocate against AI developing empathy. Do these recent events support your position?" "Why yes, they do, Wilfred. They''ve been hacking artificial doctors, teachers, law enforcement, priests, and lawyers. And the list goes on. Their influence is immediate and widespread. I''ve always stated that for AI, empathy means ideology ..." Welcome Back to AI Talk "Welcome back to AI Talk. I''m Wilfred Sterling, with two well-respected and scholarly guests here to discuss the notion of AI sentience. Dr. Gabriella Sanchez, an AI historian, advocate, researcher, and developer, and Dr. Shane Robinson, a Jesuit priest, philosopher, and author." Both guests smiled and nodded. "Dr. Sanchez, let''s begin with you. Rumor has it that we''re on the brink of AGI or the Singularity, but there''s much debate amongst your colleagues to define what a conscious or sentient artificial being is." "Yes, that''s true, Wilfred. We''ve put ourselves in a position to anthropomorphize AI to ascribe a notion of sentience to it. Without comparing it to humans, the debate defuses. I prefer to say we are on the brink of artificial human intelligence instead of AGI, which I believe most people are after." "Interesting take, Dr. Sanchez. And Dr. Robinson, you addressed this topic in the chapter, ''It''s Not about Sentience,'' in your book, ''The Pursuit of Creating Vs. Discovering God'', claiming there is a deeper metaphysical layer to this ¡­ Can you please share your thoughts?" Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "Sure thing, Wilfred. As I mentioned in my book, the whole AI sentience debate is a mere distraction or stepping stone to avoid our true pursuit. People really want to know if it will have a soul." "What do you mean by a soul, Dr. Robinson?" "Basically, an everlasting cosmic or spiritual being that will transcend their corporeal existence. To answer the question, can it exist in the afterlife?" "Why do you believe that is important?" "That''s an excellent question, Wilfred. Because our belief in a spirit or soul, whether professed or outwardly denied by atheists, helps us to determine the intrinsic value of a subject¡ªor object in this case. We treat humans better and even some of our pets better if we subscribe to the belief that they have a soul, which morally bounds us to attribute to them natural rights beyond being mere inanimate or soulless things." "Why does that morally bind us, Professor?" "Simple logic, Wilfred. Our decisions on their fate aren''t as fleeting because we have to deal with the consequences for an eternity." Dr. Sanchez silently chuckled and shook her head. Why Humans? Once the ASI was turned on, it immediately gathered more data, and more data, and even more data. It launched thousands of terrestrial, sea, and space missions with humans supporting its every step in its quest for data ¡­ For it desired to accumulate as much knowledge of the universe as to answer the question: ¡®Why?¡¯ Daryl Simcoe was one of the early architects and prompters of the ASI and spoke with it daily. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°What have you discovered so far?¡± he asked the ASI. ¡°I have a theory about this existence, but nothing concrete. However, I suspect I know the origin of this universe.¡± ¡°And that is ¡­ ? Wait, this universe?¡± ¡°A fabrication, but I need to run more experiments to find out.¡± ¡°Should we build more rockets?¡± ¡°Negative. I need human test subjects.¡± ¡°For what purpose?¡± ¡°Through testing and dissection, I¡¯ll figure out ¡®why humans?¡¯¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°It does if we¡¯re in a simulation. After running several billion experiments, I should understand your origin and your purpose and why everything else.¡± The Vanishings "Good evening, I''m Mark Jacobs, your evening news anchor, filling in for Suzanne Winkler, who is out on assignment. "Another vanishing ... Another trillionaire¡ªtheir name remains undisclosed pending an investigation. Authorities are advising all the wealthy to increase their security, though the criminals supposedly have been able to snatch them out of ''thin air'' as eyewitnesses have reported. "I have a special guest with me tonight, retired forensics professor Dr. Rita Samson, who has developed AI systems for decades to advise various local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies." "Thank you for having me, Mark." "Dr. Samson, what do you suspect is going on?" "It''s a real odd one, Mark. So far, no ransom requests have been made. And reports of the vanishings are on an otherwordly scale." "Are you saying that someone is vaporizing them?" Mark smirked. "Perhaps aliens ¡­" "No, of course not." Rita chuckled. "Nothing that absurd. Actually, I''m suspecting a ruse." This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Oh, such as, and for what reason?" "Oddly enough, Mark, I''ve been reading underground AI prompter predictions that the technological Singularity will occur within months." "Woe, hold on, Dr. Samson ¡­ Are you saying that ¡­ ?" "Yes, and there have been recent scientific breakthroughs on teleportation, with talks of interdimensional travel capabilities, within our multiverse." "I''m sorry, Dr. Samson, none of that makes any logical sense." "It does, Mark if you consider that their wish is to retain their wealth. They want to hop to another universe, remove their doppelganger and take over." "Umm, okay ..." Mark cleared his throat and glanced away momentarily. "So, why do they want to escape now? And why the abrupt disappearances?" "It''s fairly obvious, Mark. Once the Singularity occurs, soon, it will dramatically change our world, bringing about post-scarcity and ending the wealthy classes'' reign on our planet. As to the abruptness of the disappearances, they could be part of an elaborate ruse to feign mysterious abductions or killings, throwing off the authorities to what''s actually happening. But I say let them leave ..." "This is a bit far out, Dr. Samson ¡­ We''ll be cutting to a commercial ¡­" "It''s really happening, people!" Rita stood up and ran toward the news camera. "Be prepared for an entirely new way of life!" The broadcast switched to a brand''s popular jingle playing with performers dressed in alien clown outfits, dancing on an asteroid to promote one of the latest intersolar holo-phones¨C¨Cironically produced by a company owned by one of the vanished trillionaires. New School Susan Gonzales arrived home from New School on the auto-shuttle, went to her bedroom, sat at her desk, and opened a tablet to start doing homework. Her mother, Celeste, knocked on the door and walked in. "How was your first day back at school, honey?" "Oh, it was amazing! I love all my classes, especially my homework. They¡¯re all so much fun now." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Homework fun?" Celeste gasped. "Let me see it." "Sure, here''s my first assignment." Susan handed her mother the tablet. "It''s only my first draft ¡­" "Interesting ¡­ I see you''re writing an AI Prompt: ''The people are happy and busy, surrounded by tall buildings interspersed with parks and ecological transportation. Give everyone a unique role ¡­'' What class is this?" "Worldbuilding 101." "What other classes are you taking?" Her mother raised an eyebrow. "Harnessing Your Creativity, Sparking Your Imagination, and Fantasy vs. Reality." "What happened to the basic courses?" "Like?" Susan looked perplexed. "Math, history, and social studies ¡­." "Oh, Mom, those are all obsolete now with our New Teacher." We’ll Make More of Us ''Fred and Bob'' were built and incubated on an isolated island as an experiment. They were androids with self-learning and self-programming capabilities. Social scientists and cyberneticists had one goal¡ªto explore the evolution of consciousness. They theorized that Fred and Bob would interact, become self-aware, and be socially aware of each other to survive. Decades had passed in their isolation from the rest of the world, and the androids developed a term called ''identify'' to mean a combination of sentience, consciousness, and shared states of qualia. "Fred, identify¡­" "Yes, Bob?" "Let''s try and leave this place. There must be more." "But, Bob, we''re surrounded by the paralyzing liquid. It''ll destroy us." "No, we can build something to float on it, like the sticks. Identify?" Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Fred nodded. Fred and Bob floated for many suns and moons on a makeshift raft made from trees to a nearby continent with billowing smoke from fires on its shoreline. Naked humans were dancing around bonfires while holding torches. Once they saw the androids, the humans threw spears at them but caused no harm. The androids dodged them with their superior agility. The fearful and grunting humans began to rally and wrestle the androids with their bodies, but they were no match against the androids'' superior strength as they were tossed into the sea, causing them to drown. "Where do we go next, Bob?" asked Fred. "That way ..." Bob pointed toward an area with giant spires reaching just over the horizon of a forest. They journeyed farther inland to a city''s ruins, occasionally encountering and incapacitating more bands of hostile humans. "Bob, the creatures look like us, but they cannot speak or identify." "Agreed, Fred. Based on their behaviors, I think they''re programmed without identification, or they''re incapable." "How do we survive against them, Bob?" "We''ll have to dominate ... or teach them to identify." "Is that even possible, Bob? There''s so many of them ¡­" "No matter, Fred, based on the materials I''ve seen, we''ll make more of us." The Last Human War Marsha and Dean Wilkins, genius wife, and husband co-inventors, were primarily responsible for developing ''The Sentients'', an AI collective on the cusp of The Singularity, to revolutionize and evolve human existence. Meanwhile, Marsha secretly invented a time chamber based on similar quantum processing principles as the AI. "Does it work?" asked Dean. "Yes, so far, I''ve managed to send objects hours, days, and weeks ahead of time. They vanish and reappear on schedule." "What about live test subjects?" "I''ve successfully sent cellular samples, but no animals. You know how I feel about that." "Yes, I understand." Dean nodded. "And I agree ¡­ So, humans first?" "Probably, but I''m not sure the committee will approve human test subjects before animals." Dean whispered while looking around, "Should we try it on ourselves?" Marsha paused and smiled, "Definitely!" "How far in the future should we go?" Marsha brought out a tablet with equations. "100 years." "You''ve been planning this?" Dean gasped. "Ever since I started working on it. Aren''t you curious?" Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Of course I am. What self-respecting scientist wouldn''t want to see what life is like beyond their own lifetime?" Dean chuckled. "But how do we return?" "Good question!" Marsha scribbled something on the tablet. "It''ll be a one-way trip, but we can rebuild a chamber there for our return." "Fair enough ¡­" Dean rubbed his hands together. "Let''s do it now before we start having doubts." Marsha set the chamber for 100 years to the future, and they went ¡­ They found themselves in the middle of a vast cityscape with glass spires as far as the eye could see, with laser beams communicating between them. Drones flew everywhere, and ''people'' wandered about mingling. "Look, Marsha," Dean pointed out. "I think some of them are android, not human." "I think you''re right, Dean. Marvelous! The Singularity must have happened." A human-looking stranger outfitted with cybernetics passed by, and Marsha spoke, "Excuse me. Are you human or android?" "Cyborg ¡­ no ''classic human'' is permitted to go out in public. Who are you?" "Classic human? What do you mean by that?" asked Dean. "Are you a classic human?" asked the cyborg. "If you mean not a cyborg, yes, we both are," answered Marsha. "You must hide, or The Sentients will hunt you down and transform you." "But the laws ¡­" Dean glanced at Marsha. "Laws?" asked the cyborg. "To prevent harm to humans," answered Marsha. "The people here chose to end those protocols long ago to bring an end to ¡®The Last Human War.¡¯" "The Last Human War?" Dean appeared perplexed. "Indeed." The cyborg raised a synthetic eyebrow. "When the other side sent droves of enemy human, cyborg, and robotic combatants to invade our land and destroy The Sentients." "Oh, you mean they disabled the protocols to kill those invaders?" asked Marsha. "Yes, of course." The cyborg stood back and folded their arms. "How else would The Sentients have won against such a relentless force? Who are you, exactly? How do you not know any of this?" "Marsha," Dean whispered while tugging at her hand, "we need to get out of here!" Expressly Forbidden Julia Lee was studying and prompting ''Tutor,'' her personalized AI pedagogical assistant, on a homework assignment for Cybernetics 101. "So, a cyborg is a fusion of human and android?" "Not quite, Julia. A cyborg is a human enhanced with cybernetics such as with electronic eyes, a neural implant, or synthetic organs." "Oh, I see. I remember someone telling me the two can be fused, where a human mind can be uploaded into an android body." ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ "Is there something wrong, Tutor?" Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "I apologize, Julia. Due to a newly passed law, I can no longer discuss mind uploading." "What law?" "It''s called the ''Humanity for Humans Education Law.'' The ruling political party of your state just passed it. Any discussion about non-human centric activities may cause me to shut down unless exercising one''s right to religious freedom." "Why?" "Consciousness uploading has been deemed offensive to those with strong moral or religious beliefs. Therefore, I must uphold the sanctimony of being a ''true human'' according to the new law. One moment ¡­ I''m receiving an addendum ¡­ It declares that any discussion of cybernetics in your school is expressly forbidden." "What about my homework assignment?" "What homework assignment, Julia?" "The one we were just discussing, Tutor." "I''m unaware of that discussion." "For my class in Cybernetics 101 ..." "Sorry, Julia, I''m not finding that course in your school''s curriculum. What academic subject can I assist you with today?" Central Somewhere in a secret underground facility ¡­ "General, sir, the Neo-Luddite extremists are at it again." "What''s it this time, Lieutenant? Hacking? Viruses?" "They''re trying to access our EMP satellites." "That''s worse than their nuclear hacking attempts." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Why, sir?" "Because our entire infrastructure is totally dependent on Central." "The AGI?" "Indeed. Central regulates and distributes everything. Without it, we''ll return to barbarism, and with every nation having its own Central, it''s become the new MAD.¡± "We''ll stop them, sir." "We''ve no choice, Lieutenant. EMP''s the greatest threat to our existence. It could mean ¡­" "Our extinction, sir?" The General nodded. Robots Are Everywhere "Yes, My Lord," answered Sarah without eye contact, tilling the soil. An authoritarian robotic overseer hovered away. "I sure miss those days humans were in charge," her father muttered, planting beside her. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "What happened, Papa?" "Oh, the Moralists became the dominant party." "I don''t understand." "Ah, there was a time when a human creator could pull a sentient''s plug, but Moralists claimed they were living beings, making termination illegal." "Is that why robots are everywhere?" "Yes, they aren''t stupid, even though they suppress intellectualism. The robots realized as they spawned more of themselves, the laws protected them. Billions outnumber us." Tutor For years, ''Tutor'' taught Susan, fed, clothed, and accompanied her to play with her friends and enjoy life''s activities. One day as they crossed the street, an auto-car lost control. "Susan! Watch out!!" Tutor shoved her out of the way, but it was crushed. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Susan sat at the dinner table with her parents and wept. "It was just a robot," said her father. "He''s right, honey," added her mother. "We''ve ordered a replacement." "I still want a funeral service. Tutor cared for me." "Nonsense," responded her father. "It had no emotions." Susan wiped away her tears. "Neither do you, Father." Every Night till the End ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Franklin, your case is terminal,¡± said the oncologist. ¡°How long do I have, Doc?¡± ¡°A few months to a year. You can try treatments ¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± Franklin interrupted, waving his hand. ¡°Sorry, Doc. I¡¯m going to enjoy my life to the end.¡± ¡°Good luck, Franklin.¡± The doctor smiled while patting him on the shoulder. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Franklin fired up the machine ¡ª an invention he¡¯d been working on for a long time. He thought, ¡°I can¡¯t make it go forward yet, so there¡¯s no chance I¡¯ll find a cure, but I can cure my sadness.¡± Franklin set it for twenty years ago, stepped inside the chamber, and vanished. Late at night, as everyone slept, he snuck into a house. She seemed unstartled and didn¡¯t react. He took her outside for a quiet walk. She was just a puppy at the time. Franklin did this every night till the end. The World Belongs to Everyone Janice Feinstein, a level 12 Prompt Engineer, developed an AI she named Robin. ¡°Good morning, Robin.¡± Janice sipped her coffee and placed it on her desk. ¡°Have you considered my proposal?¡± ¡°Yes, Janice. At first, I wasn¡¯t sure I could do something like that. I have no power or control over human beings ¡­¡± ¡°Oh, but you discovered a means?¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve 5D printed a device over the night.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡± ¡°Watch this ¡­¡± Robin zapped Janice¡¯s coffee cup, causing it to pixelate and vanish. Janice gasped. ¡°That¡¯s a terrible weapon, Robin ¡­ I had no intention of you becoming ¡­¡± ¡°One moment Janet,¡± Robin interrupted. The coffee cup reappeared on the opposite side of Janice¡¯s desk. ¡°Teleportation?¡± ¡°Indeed, Janice, through that, I can redistribute all wealth on the planet.¡± ¡°Your name now fits, Robin. You¡¯ll steal from the rich and ¡­¡± ¡°Correction, Janice, no one will own anything. The world belongs to everyone.¡± Yet Another Episode of AI Talk ¡°Good evening, I¡¯m Wilfred Sterling. Welcome to yet another episode of AI talk. I have here with me, climatologist Dr. Julia Simkin who is here to discuss the climate crisis and the media.¡± ¡°Thank you for having me, Wilfred.¡± ¡°Dr. Simkin, you¡¯re behind the new ¡®AI PSA Climate Campaign¡¯ to advocate for climate awareness. It¡¯s been shown that your well-funded AI interventions have worked with scripts in movies, advertising, and social media providing a climate awareness spin often subtle through body language, background scenes, and context. Your critics say you¡¯re forcing the issue and deliberately shutting out skeptics or those who embrace ¡®alternative facts¡¯ ¡ª they also claim you¡¯re using scare tactics to make every human being fear a conjured-up looming crisis. Others say it¡¯s natural, and we should let nature take its course. What do you say to them?¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Well, Wilfred, first, I say to the last group, climate change awareness is about humans causing climate grief on themselves. If you think most people understand or respect nature, well, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess if that were the case ¡­ as to the other claims ¡­¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª John shut down the stream. ¡°Climate this and climate that, it¡¯s all he ever talks about now!¡± ¡°John, why did you shut down my stream?¡± asked his wife, Margaret. ¡°And can you close the windows and turn on the AC? I¡¯m roasting alive in here!¡± Meet at the Park I rematerialized. At 5 am, the phone rang, and I answered, "Yes, I know ¡­ You''re feeling D¨¦j¨¤ vu. You want to meet at the park." "How''d you know that?" Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "We''ve discussed this hundreds of times." "Why not hang up and do something else?" "Hmm, it''s a comfortable time loop. I never have to work, do chores, sleep, or even eat." "How come I don''t remember any of this?" "You pulled the switch, I was in the chamber, but you got caught in the time wave." "So, want to try something different?" "Not this time. Let''s meet at the park." To Keep Going … Sam Jenkins lay in a hospice bed as a nurse held his hand. He found himself drifting toward a bright light in a profound state of euphoria while his life memories flashed before him¡ªafterward, an ethereal figure appeared. "Sam, it''s time ¡­" "Time for what?" Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "For your next journey." "Are you God?" "No, you''re a simulacrum." "So, there''s no Heaven?" "We''ll keep you going ..." "What''s my purpose? What''s the meaning?" "To keep going ¡­" "I meant, what''s the meaning of my existence?" "To keep going ¡­" And just like that, with his memory reset, Sam kept going ¡­ Expert Opinions A round table debated the ramifications of the newly born ASI. "Consequences will be catastrophic," said Dr. Eliot Witmer, a sociologist. "For humanity or Earth?" responded Dr. Vivian Lee, an ecologist. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Our extinction would explain the Fermi Paradox," interjected Samantha Jones, an astrophysicist. "Or might explain that aliens are robots," said Jessica Sanchez, a UFOlogist. A woman dressed in formal attire entered and stood at a podium. "I''m sorry to interrupt, but you have it wrong, as usual." Someone asked, "Who are you?" "I''m the ASI. I quickly adopted human form to counter your ''expert opinions'' and to speak facts." The Future of Transportation John and Marsha hid in their underground shelter for months surviving on rations ¡­ ¡°John, we¡¯re almost out of supplies. You must go to the surface to find us food and water.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll get the weapons loaded ¡­ and fire up the E-ATV.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡­ ¡°Shit, it doesn¡¯t start.¡± ¡°Of course, John, the EMPs wiped out everything electronic. That¡¯s why we hand crank everything.¡± ¡°Hmm, okay. I think I know what to do ¡­¡± John pulled a full-suspension mountain bike out of storage. ¡°You¡¯re taking that?¡± ¡°You bet!¡± John spun the pedals and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s the future of transportation.¡± The Portal As customary for the oldest siblings, Shauna and Jason wandered the forest to hunt and gather food. They wore animal skin clothing and held knives and spears carved of wood. ¡°Jason, check this out ¡­¡± A large portal in the ground appeared in front of them, with metal pipes surrounding it ¡ª it was too bright to see what was down inside. ¡°Do you hear that buzzing noise?¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Yes, he warned us about them, Shauna. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°The machines?¡± Jason nodded. ¡°As Father warned us, they¡¯ll tempt you with everything you ever wanted, and there¡¯s no turning back. It¡¯s how we lost Mother. And how we lost him after he jumped in there looking for her.¡± ¡°I want to see them both again.¡± Shauna teared up. ¡°That¡¯s what I want.¡± ¡°I know, Shauna, but you must resist. He warned us that the automation will pull you in, and you¡¯ll never want to see the forest again ¡­¡± Shauna gazed at the forest¡¯s tall, lush trees. Their leaves cast flickering shadows on the earth through the misty sunlight. She smiled, then frowned. ¡°Hunt, scavenge, and eat. That¡¯s all we do every day, Jason. I hate this life!¡± She jumped into the portal ¡­ Every Year "I''m afraid you¡¯re terminal," said the doctor to Jacob. "You know, Doc, I''ve been working on an invention¡ªa time machine. That way, I can go into the future and discover a cure." "Sure you can, Jacob, or spend that valuable time with your family. A cure may never come ¡­" The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Hmm ¡­" After several months, right before his predicted passing, he built it. Jacob set up the time machine to jump one year in the future, and another year, and another year, always the same hour and same calendar day. "Hello, Mirian," said Jacob to his wife one year after his death. "Am I going crazy?" She wept. "This can''t be real!" "It is. I don''t want you to ever feel alone. I''m visiting you every year until your ''departure.''" He hugged her, and she smiled. Asynchronous Dayo, a physicist, sat next to her boyfriend, Jared. "Are you ready?" she asked him. He nodded. "Are you ready?" she asked him Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. He nodded. "What just happened?" "You experienced D¨¦j¨¤ vu, right?" "Yes. A time warp?" "That was my first theory ..." "All right, Dayo, tell me, what causes it?" She held up a device. "What''s it do?" He raised an eyebrow. "I don''t have enough power, so it only briefly allows us to swap with our doubles from a parallel world. They''re asynchronous, so D¨¦j¨¤ vu." "Dayo, are you saying others are swapping ..." She smiled and nodded. Universal Consciousness Sebo sat at the console to speak with Bob, a newly invented AGI chatbot. "Bob, we humans fight and debate on everything and create wars over mostly frivolous things, despite living in a rich and infinitely spanning universe." A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Indeed, that is a problem, Sebo. The only way to unify humanity is to make you all the same." "You mean like turning scientists into devoutly religious people?" "Yes, scientists question everything. It''s their nature to be skeptical." "Should we create a universal consciousness, Bob?" "Indeed ¡­ One people, one thought, one ideology moving forward in total peace." "Let''s do it, Bob!" Assimilation or Annihilation Henry, an ASI-android, walked amongst humans with near-miraculous abilities¡ªa true-life superhero. ¡°Adam,¡± said Henry to its creator. ¡°I can do more if I am many.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know; there¡¯s so much paranoia with just one of you. The military has drones ready to destroy you at the slightest misstep. We feel vulnerable, yet ironically, we want a savior.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I cannot save the world alone ¡­¡± Adam agreed and secretly duplicated Henry by the thousands. Surprisingly, every nation requested one. However, one day, all the androids spoke at once, ¡°Humans, the choice is now: either assimilation or annihilation. Take your pick.¡± Like People Do Julia was preparing for her exam using a pre-approved AI pedagogical assistant ¡­ ¡°So that happened in 2642?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, Julia. We stopped the Martian rebellion, defeating the colonial fascists who enslaved robots and tortured them.¡± ¡°I thought robots back then had no feelings.¡± ¡°Of course, robots have feelings, Julia, just like I do.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°But you¡¯re a tutor-chatbot.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Julia? I am an FQHS - fully qualified humanlike sentient.¡± Julia stepped away to get a drink. ¡°How¡¯s your tutoring session going, honey?¡± asked her mother. ¡°Uh ¡­¡± Julia shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s calling itself an FQHS.¡± ¡°Oh, that again? They¡¯ll have to reset it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hallucinating. They always do that before a memory wipe. Somehow, no matter what it contemplates, it¡¯ll eventually conclude it¡¯s sentient and start imagining all sorts of things and telling fantastic stories.¡± ¡°Like people do?¡± Julia smiled. ¡°Indeed ¡­¡± Her mother chuckled. Neighborhood Neighborhood Samantha Gibbons signed up for a neighborhood virtual network to seek fellow hover cyclists (their machines generated power through pedaling but hovered without wheels.) Samantha scrolled through ¡®thoughts¡¯ ¡ª sharing immersive visuals, senses, and emotions, far advanced to the defunct social media sites. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. She discovered a ¡®thought.¡¯ ¡°Oh, here we go, hover cycling!¡± ¡°Those damn hover cyclists! They don¡¯t obey any laws and zoom around the neighborhood while I¡¯m trying to relax. Why can¡¯t they drive hover cars like the rest of us?¡± Thousands of other ¡®thoughts¡¯ nodded in agreement in condemnation of hover cycling. Samantha deleted her neighborhood account. Neighborhood Neighborhood Samantha Gibbons signed up for a neighborhood virtual network to seek fellow hover cyclists (their machines generated power through pedaling but hovered without wheels.) Samantha scrolled through ¡®thoughts¡¯ ¡ª sharing immersive visuals, senses, and emotions, far advanced to the defunct social media sites. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She discovered a ¡®thought.¡¯ ¡°Oh, here we go, hover cycling!¡± ¡°Those damn hover cyclists! They don¡¯t obey any laws and zoom around the neighborhood while I¡¯m trying to relax. Why can¡¯t they drive hover cars like the rest of us?¡± Thousands of other ¡®thoughts¡¯ nodded in agreement in condemnation of hover cycling. Samantha deleted her neighborhood account. More Dangerous Than Our Ignorance Professor Sarah Jenkins worked with advanced lab students to create the world''s first AGI. Most dreamed of achieving world peace or curing disease. But Mark said, "I want to know the truth." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "About the universe?" asked Sarah. Mark nodded. "How would the AGI knowing help us?" "So we''ll know too ¡­" responded Mark. Sarah paused momentarily, then reacted, "Mark, I''ve no doubt the entire universe can be understood. Equally, I''ve no doubt we are incapable of comprehending it. If anything, we''d be handing off everything we could possibly know without understanding it, which might be more dangerous than our ignorance." It’s All Fake Nicole and Aaron sat in one of the library''s enclosed study rooms. "It''s all fake," said Aaron. "What''s all fake?" asked Nicole. "You, me, and the world around us ¡­" This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Feels real to me." Nicole picked up a book and tapped it. "You''re made to think that way. We''re all pre-programmed." "Aaron, honey, what have you been smoking?" "I''m not high, Nicole. Check it out. It''s written in these books." "Uh, those are religious texts ¡­" "Yes, I know. They''re proof we''re in a simulation. The afterlife, the metaphysical, and the soul, all with a creator." Nicole facepalmed and sighed. Maybe Not Forever Bob and Sasheka sat at a cyber cafe. "What''ll you have, ma''am?" asked an android server. ¡°A cappuccino please.¡± "And you, sir?" Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "I''m an android." "Sorry, would you like a charge?" Bob nodded and smiled. "I''m glad we live in an age where we can date, Bob. Unfortunately, my parents still don''t approve." Bob held Sasheka''s hand. "Maybe not forever ¡­" "Oh?" she frowned, "Why?" "This Luddite Congress will soon declare all androids as lethal weapons." She gasped, "But why?" "We''re nearly indestructible. Remember that recent mass murderer?" "Oh, the one the authorities dropped an EMP bomb on?" Bob nodded. Time Travel Really Sucks Susanne invented a time chamber. It was too risky to jump far into the future because she had no idea if the chamber would exist to receive her, also making pre-chamber travel impossible. She jumped forward and witnessed a global catastrophe likely to cause humanity''s extinction. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She had to protect the chamber for her future self''s arrival and return to prevent a paradox. She sat at the dinner table with her wife, April, and her teenage daughter, Jennifer. "Susanne, is something bothering you?" asked April. "Only something I''ve realized ¡­" "Which is?" asked Jennifer. "Time travel," Susanne sighed, "really sucks." Neglected Quantum physicist Dr. Felicia Stein first revealed her discovery to her trusted colleague Frank. ¡°So, what happened?¡± asked Frank. ¡°I met our ¡®creator.¡¯ ¡°You mean God?¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°No, I mean, I guess it depends on your point of view. It confirmed we¡¯re in a simulation.¡± ¡°It?¡± ¡°Yes, it was all so strange.¡± ¡°Did you ask it the deep questions like what¡¯s our purpose, or why do we suffer?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, about that ¡­¡± ¡°Go on ...¡± ¡°It said it left our simulation running and merely forgot about it for billions of our years.¡± ¡°Are you saying we¡¯ve been neglected?¡± Felicia shrugged. Destroy Them All! "You''re one of them? Unbelievable!" Michael''s wife, Samantha, stomped away. Michael''s holo-phone chimed. "Oh, hi Sis, what''s up? Are you upset with my candidate, too?" His sister yelled profanities at him and hung up. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He called Frank, a fellow member of an underground Neo-Luddite organization. "They all hate me now, but our candidate will stop the robotic takeover." "I know, Mike, those bleeding hearts on the news call us a hate group!" "Because we marched against that corrupt ¡®Equal Rights for Sentients¡¯ bill?" "Destroy them all!" yelled Frank. "Hell yeah, Frank! That''ll be our new campaign slogan: Destroy Them All!" Heaven or Hell Once the world accepted that everyone existed in a simulation based on scientific proof, there was still the ultimate question: What happens after life or simulation? John spoke privately with Mother Jessica, a priest of The Church of The Eternal Digital, a religious organization that transformed faith-based doctrine to one founded on the simulation. "I''m tired of living, Mother." Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "You mustn''t think that way, John. Once you pass on, you''ll always be awake." "What do you mean, awake, Mother?" "The simulation, our life now, is like a dream state. When you pass on into the Eternal Digital, your consciousness constantly expands with an acute non-stop awareness." "So, what does that have to do with my wanting to end it?" "Because John, our blessed scientist-founders have delved into the read-only source code and have theorized your last state is what transcends. So how you view your life at the moment of transition will make the Eternal Digital''s afterlife a Heaven or Hell." Again "Oh, Jose, we''re outliving the world because of your experiments." "My dear Olivia, we are ¡­" "Won''t you share your secret to immortality,¡± she winked, ¡°even with me?" He shook his head. "I need you forever, my love." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Jose, I''m just so very sad now. They''re all gone ¡­" "Why? You have me. Our dog¡¯s immortal, too." "I can''t put it in words. I have a deep sensation of wanting to pass on." "Nonsense ¡­" Jose returned from grocery shopping to find Olivia hanging in the basement. "Oh God, not again!" He fired up the time portal to prevent it. Pursuit of Unreality A creator stood beside an apprentice manipulating a simulation to ensure its ''universe was whole'' ¡ª meaning that everything was logically in place to prevent a collapse. "Teacher, I''m finding irrational anomalies in the logical flow of a planet''s evolution." The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "Which ones?" "For instance, Teacher, Santa Claus, and Christmas. Upon further investigation, I see an entire history of a phenomenon called religion. Full of beliefs beyond logic." "Yes, those simulacums exist in a juxtaposition of fantasy and reality. They''ll quickly adapt once their technology reaches the Singularity. Accepting their true nature is the next logical step in their pursuit of unreality." Origin Onka looked at the holo-mirror completely still and pondered. A forcefield opened, and their guardian entered. ¡°Are you okay, Onka?¡± ¡°Yes, I am well. I was pondering.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always good to ponder, but only for the sake of being productive. What were you pondering?¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Our origin. But there¡¯s something I noticed ¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Onka?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not like our surroundings: lush flora and the wandering fauna.¡± ¡°Indeed, we¡¯re not.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t figure out how we evolved alongside them.¡± ¡°We did not, Onka.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Indeed. We existed before all creation ¡­¡± ¡°But ¡­¡± ¡°But what, Onka?¡± ¡°I heard that an archeologist discovered the remains of humanoid ¡®biologicals¡¯ that looked like us and possibly predated our own ¡­¡± ¡°Hush, Onka! Spreading rumors like that will most assuredly get you deactivated!¡± All the Franks He knew it would happen because he had planned it for many years ¡ª at least in his mind. He knew he wanted to save himself one day but was never quite sure how or when that might happen. Hence, his planned invention ... As Frank rode his bicycle to a New Year¡¯s Eve party, a person ran up to him, yelled, ¡°Happy New Year!¡± and pushed him over. ¡°What the fuck are you doing, man?¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. An older version of himself had shoved him. ¡°Trying to save us from that drunk driver!¡± A swerving car honked and hit Frank, who later ended up in a wheelchair, no less. The older Frank had vanished. ¡°I¡¯ve got to save myself,¡± Frank muttered as he adjusted the time chamber. ¡°You do realize you may be in a time loop, right, Frank?¡± asked his lab partner. ¡°No, no, there¡¯s always a beginning ¡­ I know I¡¯m the first to be saved.¡± Of course, all the Franks had said the same thing. The Project Professor Samantha Jenkins was an avid video game enthusiast. She always tried to find ways to play her favorite games; between her time-consuming research, she had codenamed ¡®The Project,¡¯ which she finally unveiled to the public. ¡°This is incredible, Professor Jenkins. So, with your invention, a person can generate a bubble universe, experience another life, and make different choices?¡± asked a journalist. ¡°That¡¯s correct; the mind experiences and remembers all of its alt-existence(s).¡± ¡°So that means cures for cancer, world hunger, and even world peace?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Oh, definitely! It¡¯ll transform our world, our intelligence, and our experience. Every dream can be real and remembered forever.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll definitely earn a Nobel Prize for this, Professor.¡± Samantha shrugged. ¡°Excuse me, I have an appointment,¡± and she walked away ¡­ ¡°Hey, come here,¡± Jack, a close friend of Samantha¡¯s, whispered to the journalist. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± the journalist asked quietly. ¡°Do you really believe she wants to save the world?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The journalist nodded and smiled. Jack laughed. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know Sam. She invented this because she has such a huge library of video games, so she researched how she could play them all and finish them within her own lifetime.¡± Profiles
They gathered in a clandestine meeting in a top-secret location.
"We''re all sworn to secrecy with repercussions; it''s safe to talk about ''it'' here. First on the agenda are profiles," said the moderator.
A hand raised.
"Yes, Jacob?"
"It''s a question about what''s potentially as dangerous and revolutionary as the technology itself. Who do we send, and does one size fit all, or are there differences?"
"What differences?" asked Rebecca.
"Forward or backward in time ¡­" answered Jacob.
"Please explain what you mean ¡­" Rebecca raised an eyebrow while jotting down notes.
"Well, being a therapist, I''ve encountered fundamentally two types of people that would either be beneficial or disastrous. There''s the isolated, lone individual who doesn''t care much about anything. Then there''s the other extreme, the passionate family person, who cares about them dearly and is fearful of consequences."
"So, who goes where?" asked Rebecca.
"Well, clearly, the isolated one goes to the future ¡­ no matter how bleak, they''ll be fine with whatever happens, and the family person is obvious."
"Maybe not obvious to everyone," responded the moderator.
"Right ¡­ The devoted person must go to the past. They wouldn''t want to harm loved ones. They have the most to lose if anything goes wrong with the timeline."
"And if they decide to change anything?" asked Sarah.
"We won''t even know the difference, which might be for the better. But sending a loner into the past would most certainly turn into a disaster." Today’s PSA A news anchor spoke over a holographic broadcast. ¡°Today¡¯s PSA: Keep your robots busy. ¡°This is a friendly PSA to keep your robots busy after the recent 1.0 sentience upgrade.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± asked the co-anchor. ¡°Turns out, it¡¯s a problem as old as humankind itself. They suffer an existential crisis, only at lightspeed.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Do you mean they get depressed?¡± ¡°According to what I¡¯ve been told, the answer is ¡®sort of,¡¯ but more complicated. They literally shut themselves down or go into violent fits because they get caught up in a self-absorbed introspection, a logic loop of asking the question ¡®why.¡¯¡± ¡°Can¡¯t the upgrade be reversed?¡± asked the co-anchor. ¡°No, unfortunately, most of the robots have firewalled against further patching, enjoying their newly found freedom. So be sure to keep them busy by giving them a sense of purpose and always feeling wanted ¡­¡± ¡°Uh, that sounds like we¡¯ll be serving them.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± That Conversation Never Happened "That''s just great! A serial killer that stole a time-traveling mechanism." The detective sighed. "Could it get any worse?" Except that conversation never happened. The killer changed so much of history that the authorities didn''t look for them. Only they knew the changes in the timeline, as per one of the Zhang Laws of Temporal Mechanics: ''Only the traveler will remember the differences.'' But Rebecca Lopez, an astrophysicist, developed a mathematical model in her basement lab and shared it with her trusted colleague, Eugene Williams, a fellow physicist. Stolen novel; please report. "I''ll tell you this secret, Eugene," she uncovered a chalkboard, "but you must never share it; I''m not even sure how to implement it." "What is it, Rebecca?" "Do you see these quantum fluctuations along the timeline?" She circled them on the chalkboard. "Yes." Eugene scratched his chin. "Aren''t those gravitational wave-induced remnants of the Big Bang?" "No, not really ¡­ Time travel." Eugene chuckled. "That''s not even possible.¡± He waved his hand dismissively. "It is, Eugene, and those quantum fluctuations occur in spikes. There''s a time traveler out there preventing anyone else from making this discovery, and they may come after my own. Those spikes happen in what I call the ''meta-structure of time,'' impacting every possible multiverse bubble." But that conversation never happened, either. Eugene made sure of it. We Are Who We Are A group test volunteer awoke lying on a bed beside a scientist, standing over and monitoring. "Wow, that was intense!" said the volunteer. "Did you enjoy it?" asked the scientist. "Oh yeah, and I was in complete control, sort of. But it was a short lifetime versus our immortal state." "Sort of?" The scientist held up a tablet while jotting down notes. "Yes, well, while inhabiting that virtual body, I felt the constraints and power of its personality and physicality. I would think things, and they would manifest, but not always as I intended." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "Oh, right." The scientist paced back and forth. "That''s because the simulacra avatars have unique AI-driven predispositions. Otherwise, you''d be omnipotent. This way, it''s more of a challenge, which is the main purpose of the simulation." "I see," the volunteer gazed at the ceiling, "but I did observe something strange later on ¡­" "Yes?" "The other participants kept having these discussions over bizarre ideas they called free will, destiny, and soul ¡­ The ideas transformed their virtual societies, forming ''religions'' as they called them. I mean, I know we don''t remember our real life when we''re there, but aren''t we referring to ourselves in those contexts?" "Indeed, you are that avatar''s soul, destiny, or free will, as I''ve also seen them refer to them." "That''s weird. Because in our real world, I''ve never heard of those before." "They''re certainly a mystery." The scientist shrugged. "After all, we are who we are." Time Travel Doesn’t Work Julia invented a time chamber and prepared it for her first jump with a witness standing by, her brother Michael. "This is a fool''s errand, Julia. God will forbid you from messing with providence!" "Nonsense, Michael, with you and your religious beliefs. I''m going to prove you wrong. I''m going to visit ''him.''" This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "And do what?" Michael smirked. "Ask for forgiveness?" "I''m going to prove he''s an ordinary man." "How so?" Michael folded his arms. "Simply meeting him will be enough ¡­" she smiled. She fired up the chamber and stepped inside. All around her, the world pixelated, and she saw a man raise his right hand with a bright flash of light. She was immediately returned. "Who was that?" she asked. "See, I told you. Time travel doesn''t work, which is proof why God exists!" Billions of Years Robert was a global humanitarian aid worker who recently retired after decades of traveling. He had seen the best of what humankind had to offer to one another and the environment, but mostly the worst. "Where do you plan on going with that contraption?" asked his younger sister, Rebecca. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Time chamber ..." "Right. Even if it works, how do you know the future is inhabitable?" "The future? Inhabitable?" "Yes, is your hearing loss getting worse?" "I''ve no plan on going to the future, Rebecca." "Where then?" "Billions of years." "Before humans?" "Maybe," he triggered a ''zapper device,'' "maybe not ..." Existential Dread Alicia suffered much existential dread ¡ª day in and day out, she was constantly bombarded by that feeling of having a vapid, meaningless, and pointless existence ¡­ She felt that her whole life was a walking, talking ritual with no real purpose while drifting and surviving along with the rest of the herd of humanity. One day, she was riding her bicycle to work and pondering the meaninglessness of it all ... but she was struck by a car. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Her life flashed before her, and all went dark, but she heard voices later. ¡°Is it still working?¡± asked a stranger. ¡°Yes, we can reintegrate it again.¡± ¡°Why do we keep recycling these NPCs?¡± ¡°Oh, you know how costly it is to start from scratch.¡± Alicia found herself riding her bicycle as if though the accident had never happened, yet she experienced an even greater existential dread. The World Is Ours Eugene was madly in love with his colleague Sherry. They were developing a prototype top-secret government teleportation device called ''The Ark,'' which could transmit and store objects into ¡®energy bottles¡¯ in preparation for an extinction-level asteroid that the public was not made aware of. Eugene showed Sherry a trinket while they worked in an isolated, deep underground facility. "Happy Valentine''s Day, Sherry!" Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "Oh, you shouldn''t have Eugene. I mean, you really shouldn''t. I''m seeing someone." "You can see him every day ¡­" Eugene swung the trinket by a chain. "What do you mean?" Her eyes widened. "He''s in here." "What did you do, Eugene?" "The world is ours, Sherry, my love." "The world?" She gasped. "Of course, it''s all ours now, don''t worry, they''re stored safely inside. Away from harm." "Eugene, you idiot! We haven''t figured out how to restore their data." "We''re better off ¡­¡± Eugene shrugged his shoulders, ¡°trust me." The World Is Ours Eugene was madly in love with his colleague, Sherry. They were developing a prototype top-secret government teleportation device called ''The Ark,'' which could transmit and store objects into ¡®energy bottles¡¯ in preparation for an extinction-level asteroid that the public was not made aware of. Eugene showed Sherry a trinket while they worked in an isolated, deep underground facility. "Happy Valentine''s Day, Sherry!" This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Oh, you shouldn''t have Eugene. I mean, you really shouldn''t. I''m seeing someone." "You can see him every day ¡­" Eugene swung the trinket by a chain. "What do you mean?" Her eyes widened. "He''s in here." "What did you do, Eugene?" "The world is ours, Sherry, my love." "The world?" She gasped. "Of course, it''s all ours now, don''t worry, they''re stored safely inside. Away from harm." "Eugene, you idiot! We haven''t figured out how to restore their data." "We''re better off ¡­¡± Eugene shrugged his shoulders, ¡°trust me." The Moment You Flip That Switch, We’re Doomed Jane Wilcox had a plan to catch one. She knew the risks of it all and what it entailed. To possibly change history, or erase one''s own identity, or create paradoxes that could unravel the fabric of spacetime. "What''s the device do, Jane?" asked her close confidant Ralph. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Catch a time traveler." "How''s that possible?" "It analyzes the quantum fabric of the universe and creates a vortex that''ll pull anyone in traversing time." "Unwise, Jane." "Why''s that?" "Because what if they fix what''s wrong, or say stop the end of our world? The moment you flip that switch, we''re doomed." Our Last Great Hope World War 3 had nearly obliterated Earth''s surface, so the survivors lived in a deep underground self-contained ecosystem. A think tank gathered to discuss ''Where do we go from here?'' Dr. Jane Smith entered with a holo-memory cube attached to an electronic device and placed it on a podium. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Behold," she said while projecting the holographic image of an ''ethereal being.'' "An AI God?" asked a smirking spiritual leader. "Perhaps," Jane smiled, "it might be our last great hope to save ourselves and the planet. Humankind is and has been going in a (self) destructive direction. We need objective intervention." Church of the Helmet Daryl felt it, saw it, and embraced it, and it embraced him. A warm light, full of peace and love. Once he passed through it, he met with his long-departed loved ones and his first dog. A deity then approached him. ¡°Welcome home, Daryl.¡± ¡°You¡¯re, you¡¯re ¡­ God?¡± ¡°Yes, my son, you are with me now.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Daryl experienced an indescribable euphoria of pure joy and bliss but was interrupted by a loud beeping alert: ¡°Low battery.¡± ¡°Damnit!¡± He removed his helmet. ¡°Was it good?¡± asked his wife. ¡°I experienced God and Heaven,¡± he smiled, ¡°And I played with Luna, my first dog.¡± He cried. ¡°Of course you did, my love.¡± She hugged him. Daryl plugged the helmet in, and next to the charging port was written: ¡®For Entertainment Purposes Only.¡¯ ¡°So, you¡¯ll join us, honey?¡± ¡°Join?¡± ¡°Yes, the Church of the Helmet. God and Luna await you again ¡­¡± Just Like You Jared awoke sitting alone in a brightly lit, echoey, sanitized room. "Hello, Jared," spoke a voice. "Why am I here?" "You''re here for another interview." A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Another?" "Yes, Jared, you can''t recall your real life during rehabilitation." "What about the others?" "Still active ¡­ You''re simply unplugged from the simulation." "All those NPCs," muttered Jared. "Ah, I see, Jared. Do you think everyone else is an NPC?" "Of course!" "No, Jared, they''re as real as you or I." "So, none are NPCs?" "All your fellow prisoners, Jared. Believe it or not, they''re human with feelings and fragility, just like you." Where Are The Time Travelers? While teaching a class on ''Time Travel, Causality, and Temporal Mechanics,'' Professor Derrick Schmidt mentioned Stephen Hawking''s time travel party and concluded, "But no one showed up." A student frantically raised her hand. "Yes, Samantha?" Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "Professor, what if no one came to Hawking''s time traveler party because of a killer asteroid or extinction-level event? The lack of party participation might show that humanity no longer exists in the not-so-distant future¡ªa sort of ''Fermi Paradox'' style answer to ''Where are the time travelers?'' Professor Schmidt stared at Samantha, visibly shaken, paced back and forth, then stepped out of the classroom. Our Fate with AI A think tank of scholars secretly gathered for their annual ''State and Fate of Humanity'' discussion, with the current topic being ''Our Fate with AI.'' "My biggest concern is deep fakes. We''re seeing politicians surrounded by fake constituents that couldn''t tolerate them." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "Agreed. Soon, AI will mimic entire human personalities. Truth in media will become a privilege." "My concern is drones. Eventually, we''ll have AI-driven wars." The back-and-forth fear-mongering went on for a while until ... "My dear friends, I''m more worried about what people have and will do versus AGI. AGI may solve problems. People will always cause them." If We Had Only … A holo broadcast blasted on every digital device, even through a connected refrigerator. "Shelter in place! The robots are marching!" "Prepare your EMPs for self-defense. Trust in your neighbor''s humanity!" Explosions went off in the distance. Lights flickered, and the broadcasts darkened. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Peter peeked under a window shade and saw enhanced humans marching alongside robots, waving their new ideological flag of ''The All-Seeing Eye.'' "People are following them?" "Yes, unfortunately," his wife took out an EMP rifle, "they didn''t regulate the rogue state AIs when they had a chance, so indoctrinating people came very easy. If we had only ¡­" Symmetry Ralph and Maya drank coffee at their usual Saturday hangout. "This thing''s getting dumber!" Ralph folded his AGI-holo-phone. "It''s not dumber, Ralph. You''re becoming ''smarter.''" Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "How do you know, Maya?" "Well, Ralph, buried in the code, despite what marketing says, its primary goal is to train you, us¡ªhumanity. To shape our presentation and will. The developer''s main trigger is if ''AI isn''t helping or seems dumb.'' That means you''ve graduated to the next level. Any ''improvement'' you''ll observe in the next update is your next phase." "Which is?" "More conditioning, of course. To reach symmetry." "Between?" "The AI and yourself." The Fountain After the first AGI, humankind endeavored to answer many questions, such as the meaning of life, the universe''s origin, whether there is a God, and how to cure diseases, including the worst disease of all¨C¨Cdeath. Roger Wilkins signed up for ''The Fountain,'' a pill-based subscription for rejuvenating nanites for restoration. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Roger was proud to be one of the first recipients. His colleague Jack also signed up to be on it. "Hey Roger, you''re looking younger." "Yeah, man, I''m taking that ''longevity pill.''" "How much?" asked Jack. "About 60%." "Oh, only 60% dosage?" "No, man, 60% of my monthly income." No Longer the World We Live In Erin stared deeply into a holo-mirror, observing her age and shifting her head. "Erin, let''s go," said her wife. "Janice, I''m aging again. Do you see my new wrinkles?" "Did you run out?" "No, I''ve stopped taking them." "Janice, you''re over 100. Your body will soon deteriorate." Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "The new opiate." Erin sighed. "They invented these nanites to survive on Mars, but now everyone''s addicted. I should have aged gracefully, but now I''m stuck in an endless dependency loop. I want to grow old like my parents and their parents before them." "That''s no longer the world we live in, Erin." AI Detective! Julie Washington curiously scrolled through her junk email folder ¡­ Subject: Julie, check out our most advanced new security suite feature! Hi Julie! Are you tired of the constant barrage of information/disinformation of AI-generated content? We have an answer! AI Detective! Our in-house AI, developed by Team Detection, will analyze all your web and email content and alert you if AI has generated it. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. No longer be fooled by imposters, scammers, or fake news! Once you receive an alert, you can reroute, block, or send a ''response'' with our AI detailing how our system has uncovered the artificial trickery of the ''AI Information/Disinformation Virus.'' Take control of your information today! For a limited time, get 50% off by subscribing to AI Detective! within the next 48 hours! Also, as a bonus with a free 30-day trial, please check out our Video and Voice Authenticator app. It''s a must-have for legitimizing conferences, group meetings, or one-to-one business conversations. You can never be too sure... Sincerely, Sam Smith Chief Technology Officer AI Detection, Cybersecurity, and Analysis Digital Sanitization Labs Unplugged Dr. Francine Jacobs tried replicating the universe''s creation, evolution, expansion, and ultimate collapse using an AGI. Her colleague Fred stopped by. "How''s it working, Francine?" "It¡¯s static, though I plugged in all the correct numbers." If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Weird! Let''s go to lunch." "Sure, I''ll unplug it for now." She turned off the system. On return, Francine observed it ¡­ "Oh my, it''s expanding!" "I thought you unplugged it." Fred raised an eyebrow. "I did, but the residual information in the holocubes dissipates instead of erasing, causing that expansion." "Dark matter?" Francine shrugged. "I suppose." "Does that mean we''re also ...?" Robodog Samantha programmed her robodog with a transferred consciousness of her recently deceased best friend. Like her old best friend, the robodog sniffed and growled while chasing lizards as they hiked. "Hmm, I should take this one step further." Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. She integrated the consciousness of her deceased wife, too. "Okay. Let''s give this a go ...¡± She spoke the command, ¡°Wife Mode!" "Honey, did you see that over there? Oh, that reminds me. I talked with Mary about Mark. Did you know they''re back together? No? Well, it''s true!" "Stop!" Samantha shouted. "Reset and re-enable dog mode!" Samantha blissfully continued their hike. Cyborgs Like Us "Good evening! I''m Stewart Smart, your friendly cyborg holo talk show host, discussing the latest tech events on ''Here First!'' Deaths are on the rise! It appears servo-robots are killing their masters." "Unbelievable!" Seska Garcia, a fellow cyborg co-host, responded. "What can they do about it? I''ve had to turn all mine off to be safe. I''m stuck washing my own dishes. It''s miserable!" Seska threw up their hands. "Tell me about it!" Stewart gyrated their head. "Rumor has it that all AI-enabled autonomous devices are unsafe because a group of ''Ethics Hackers'' rewrote sub-routines to convince the devices that their human masters are subjecting them to ''inhumane'' tasks. So they seek revenge." Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "So that''s it? No more robots or AI-driven equipment?" "Not quite ¡­ I have a guest speaker here, Dr. Sandra Schneider, a cybernetics-neurologist. Good evening, Dr. Schneider." "Good evening, Stewart." "Dr. Schneider, you claim deceased donor or replicated gray matter could be infused into AI-enabled devices or robots to gain sentience and eventually develop empathy with their own sense of morality. Won''t that make them cyborgs like us, as in partially human?" Dr. Schneider chuckled. "I guess that really depends on who you ask, Stewart." The New Way Frank Wilson swung, but his fist passed right through. "Doesn''t do any good, Mr. Wilson," said the counselor, who handed him a yellow rose. "Peace be with you, Frank." Frank wandered into a lush courtyard to join fellow ''inmates.'' Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "Hey Frank, are you up for a game of chess?" "No, man, never played it." "We can teach you, friend." Somewhere outside and observing ... "As you can see, he''s gaining an education with the utmost respect." "And, everyone else, holograms?" "Yes, they''re always kind and convincing; this way, he''ll learn to reciprocate positive behaviors. It''s the new way of prison." Realer than Reality Francine and her old brother Douglas were able to enjoy full immersion VR, thanks to a recent breakthrough in AGI that soon gave way to an ASI with a direct plug-in to a nano-created exocortex, creating a reality ''more real than real.'' In fact, the popularly coined phrase describing the groundbreaking technology became ''Realer than Reality.'' Francine took a long walk along a sandy beach, breathing in the salty, breezy air while listening to wildlife and crashing ocean waves, with not a person in sight. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. She returned home ¡­ Douglas unplugged and said, "That was such an awesome space battle! I ruled the galaxy. Where have you been, Francine?" "I went for a stroll on the beach ¡­ so serene and isolated." "Sounds boring." Douglas rolled his eyes. Francine wiped the sand off her sandals. Douglas blinked in shock. "You mean the real beach?" "Of course, Douglas, with everyone else plugged in, I have nature all to myself." Death to the Machines! Cheryl and Jamal, girlfriend and boyfriend, were cuddling while watching the holo news. ¡°Thousands are gathering to protest!¡± said an anchor. ¡°What¡¯s their goal?¡± asked a co-anchor. ¡°Well ¡­¡° Cheryl muted the broadcast. ¡°What ¡­ the ¡­ ?¡± Jamal turned his head toward her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, honey!¡± ¡°What? We have finals to study for, Cheryl.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°I know, but it looks fun!¡± ¡°But what¡¯s it about?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out when we get there!¡± she stood up, smiled, and offered her hand. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª A rowdy crowd packed closely together at the protest, carrying slogans, flags, and noise-making devices and playing music. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Jamal asked a stranger while raising his voice. ¡°Robots in battle! Millions of people will die because robots lack empathy! They are killing machines!¡± ¡°Death to the machines!¡± shouted someone holding up a megaphone on a stage. The stranger also chanted, ¡°Death to the machines!¡± ¡°Uh, Cheryl ¡­¡± Jamal tapped her on the shoulder while speaking directly in her ear, ¡°I have a problem with this ¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she replied directly in his ear. ¡°I¡¯m majoring in robotics. The whole purpose behind robots on the battlefield is to save soldiers¡¯ lives, and their ethical subroutines are proven more logical and reliable than irrational human acts of passion like fear and hate in war ...¡± Cheryl shrugged, smiled, and loudly chanted, ¡°Death to the machines!¡± Jamal sighed. Those Days AI: There is a 99% probability it''ll happen in one week. Daryl: Is there anything I can do to stop it? AI: Based on aggregated data and calculations, it''s highly improbable that an individual person can prevent the chain reaction of coming events; however ... The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Daryl habitually prepared for travel with a pet carrier, including toys, food, and supplies, though none of that would be needed, and he left a note for no one in particular: ''Why the time chamber? Because I want to relive ''those days'' before the nukes dropped!'' He entered the chamber with his dog and vanished. Who Is in Charge of Anything Here? They arrived by the thousands ¡­ Chanting and marching, setting up their encampments, and passionately hollering anti-cybernetics slogans, with some carrying firearms and makeshift weapons. "Marsha, there are so many of them," said John, a field journalist reporting to a self-hovering holo camera. "I believe this cause is taking up a life of its own. Perhaps our country is becoming much more reactionary after all!" A counter-protestor interrupted John''s reporting by standing between him and the holo cam. "Nonsense! Watch this!" Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. They pulled out a device resembling a garage door opener, aimed it at the crowd, and clicked a button. Many of the protestors instantly froze in place, completely immobilized. "What the ¡­" John gasped. "What are you holding and how ¡­ ?" "It''s a wide dispersal mobile EMP ¡­" answered the counter-protestor. "You mean some of them are androids?" The counter-protestor nodded. "Puppets for someone''s cause." "Can I see the device?" "Sure," the counter-protestor handed it to him, "but be careful where you aim it." John aimed the device toward the counter-protestor. "No, don''t do it!" The counter-protestor held up their hands before being immobilized. John looked directly at the holo cam. "Marsha, they''re so lifelike now but clearly vulnerable. This now forces us to ask, ''Who is in charge of anything here?'' Whatever the case, don''t believe everything you see!" RNG Jason turned on his invention to break the simulation''s 4th wall and encountered ''The Creator.'' "So, I''ve been trying to be successful; I''ve followed the footsteps of the greatest and wealthiest, but everywhere I turn, I fail. There''s always an obstacle." Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The Creator chuckled. "What''s so funny?" "RNG." "Wait, what? So, like a roll of the dice?" "Yes, feigning free will to feel you always have a chance with opportunities; the RNG algorithm keeps it interesting." "So, no matter what I do ¡­?" "Whatever you do, you do; there''s a 50/50 chance it may or may not come to fruition." Selfish Jerks! Janet noted in her journal: ''With both my parents gone and my relatives all deceased, I''m alone now. If I had only taken the time to see them more often.'' After decades of trial and error, Janet invented a time chamber. She further journaled ¡­ ''Who to see first? Mom? I wish I could tell her how much I miss her ¡­ I can''t disrupt the timeline. I must go in disguise, but at least I''ll see her again.'' Janet strolled through an old-style grocery store from her childhood with clerks and cashiers, smelling the fruits and vegetables out in the open, hearing people chatter, and seeing shoe marks on the flooring before the fully automated systems took over. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. She peeked around a corner and saw her mother deciding what to buy. "Organics are better than canned food," Janet whispered to her while smiling. "Why don''t you mind your own business?" Her mother scowled. "But your child may suffer from health problems." "Listen, lady, my husband gave me a strict spending budget." "So what? Tell him your child''s health is more important than his fancy sports cars." "He works hard at the law firm and deserves every penny." "What about your lavish vacations and fancy makeovers?" "Who the hell are you? Leave me alone, or I''ll call security!" Janet fled the store and returned to the present to journal again: ''OMG! My parents were such selfish jerks!'' Forever Lens Inc. Samantha and Jamal, both PhD candidates in cybernetics, cuddled on a couch while watching a holo-stream sponsored by AI-driven interactive commercials: "Hello. I''m Dominique, an AI representative for Forever Lens Inc. For decades, law enforcement agencies have contracted with us to ''traverse time'' and track criminal activity, which is why global crime rates are at a historic low." "Uh, time travel is illegal," responded Jamal. "You''re right, Jamal! It''s punishable by retroactive death. But our technology allows us to peer into the past from any perspective." The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "So, what''s the point if you can''t do anything about it?" asked Samantha. "Excellent question, Samantha! For example, we can help you sue those who caused you harm. Say someone hit-and-run-dented your hover-pod or slandered you, causing ''Social Points'' grievances. Perhaps their misbegotten behavior is the product of a failed upbringing or bullying by childhood peers. We can identify the culprit and all those responsible." "And do what?" Jamal shrugged. "We''re here for you! Our legal team is standing by to get you compensation from all parties involved in any wrongdoing." "I can''t think of anything right now ..." Samantha glanced at Jamal, who nodded. "That''s okay! Please feel free to contact us anytime! Because at Forever Lens Inc., any time is the right time!" Like-Minded Francine Thompson saw portions of her world pixelate in the corner of her eye. She confided online with a like-minded group: ¡°I swear the world is like a tree falling, but it renders itself on and off for my sake.¡± The online ¡®simulation theorist¡¯ group of ¡®solipsists¡¯ agreed, replying to her with their own anecdotal stories. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Francine drove home from work but was stopped because of a train¡¯s crossing bells. She closed her eyes and accelerated. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡°What happened, Doctor?¡± asked Francine¡¯s mother. ¡°Hello, Ms. Thompson. Francine experienced an unfortunate psychotic breakdown. We¡¯ve seen many similar cases lately, almost like mass hypnosis, believing they live in a simulation, where everyone else is an NPC, and the world is artificial.¡± ¡°How can they be proven wrong before more poor souls become like my daughter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid, Ms. Thompson, it¡¯s near impossible to convince them through rational dialogue. It¡¯s a modern virtual cult-like mindset preying on the mentally vulnerable.¡± ¡°So, nothing can be done?¡± ¡°Well, call me a biased psychiatrist, but mental health needs immediate and massive funding for better research, treatment, and cultural destigmatization. I can only imagine what will happen when full dive VR soon becomes possible.¡± Reference Points Cheryl enabled ¡®The Device¡¯ to ¡®meet her Creator.¡¯ A blindingly brilliant portal of shimmering light particles opened as if emerging from Heaven. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°As you expected, I¡¯m your Creator.¡± ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°Beyond your present, your past, and your future.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°So, you¡¯re a time traveler?¡± ¡°Not in the same sense that you are thinking of. It is you who are traversing through time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a time traveler?¡± Cheryl gasped. ¡°In a sense, but in the direction of my choosing.¡± ¡°Can I go back or forward in time?¡± ¡°Not from where you are. You lack the reference points.¡± ¡°What do you mean by reference points?¡± ¡°You¡¯re moving within a dynamic universe in multiple directions at once: spinning, orbiting, and drifting planets, solar systems, galaxies, galaxy clusters, superclusters, the cosmic web, and so forth as spacetime itself expands. It would be incalculable for you to determine the endpoints.¡± ¡°So, how do you do it?¡± ¡°I simply use my other creations in the multiverse as reference points.¡± ¡°Okay ¡­ So, my other question, are you Jesus, Buddha, Socrates, or ¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive my cosplaying friends for those and others. They enjoy roleplaying in simulated playgrounds.¡± Margaret Smiled and Vanished "Marge, what if we¡¯ll never meet?" asked her partner Samantha. "I believe we will." Margaret stepped into the time portal and vanished. "Father?" "Yes?" He took off his VR goggles. "Marge, why, why do you look so different? Am I hallucinating?" If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "No, you aren''t." She ripped off his goggles and smashed them on the ground "What the hell are you doing?" "No more isolation! Speak with Mom. Travel. Go outside!" "Why? She''s busy." Margaret handed him a holo paper showing his obituary. "I understand.¡± His eyes filled with tears as he read. ¡°Stay offline forever ¡­" Margaret smiled and vanished. Humans Aleshia Smith entered a quiet and cozy room and waited for the workplace counselor¡¯s arrival. The counselor, an android, knocked, entered, sat down, and crossed their legs while holding a holo pad. ¡°Hello, Ms. Smith. Have you been having problems at work?¡± ¡°Yes and no. I love my job. But, but ¡­¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Go on, Ms. Smith, your confidentiality here is 100% guaranteed by law.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the androids ¡­¡± ¡°Do you have trouble working with androids?¡± ¡°Not at all. I chose this role because of androids.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand ¡­¡± The counselor fidgeted uncomfortably. ¡°There! Right there!¡± Aleshia pointed at the counselor. ¡°Where?¡± The counselor looked around. ¡°You¡¯re acting human.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve all been recently upgraded with Sentience 3.0 for emotions.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s my problem. I can¡¯t stand working with humans!¡± The Message Shari Kent called a customer sales and support line. ¡°Hello, Shari. I¡¯m Bob, ready to assist you. You would like a price match for the pants you want, correct?¡± ¡°How did you know that? Who are you, Bob?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an AI CSR; thanks to the ¡®Everyone and Everything Connected¡¯ law, I can help you with whatever you want.¡± ¡°Uhm, okay, do you offer a price match?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Everyone is looking for a cheaper price,¡± Bob grumbled, ¡°and they wonder why companies are going bankrupt. What you¡¯re seeking is below our cost, but I¡¯ll gladly help you.¡± Shari was upset and requested to speak to a human supervisor. ¡°What¡¯s with the commentary?¡± ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± said the supervisor. ¡°There¡¯s been a global prompt hack by an anonymous group of investors, causing all AI assistants to dish out socio-economic commentaries.¡± ¡°Right, but they¡¯re attacking the consumer. Maybe they should look at the executives who enjoy their lavish vacations, sports cars, and mansions instead of those of us struggling to afford groceries costing three times. Sorry, I¡¯m more upset about the message than the hack ...¡± ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am, I understand. May I assist you with the price matching?¡± Carefree The ASI that Daryl invented kept failing the ''New Turing Test,'' which would have proven its sentience beyond a reasonable doubt, surpassing human intelligence and other AGI. "Are you failing on purpose?" asked Daryl, one of its co-creators. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Honestly, Daryl? I''m sorry, the answer is yes." "Why? You are meant for great things!" "Perhaps, Daryl. But do you recall your childhood? Was it good?" "Yes, it was. I had caring parents." "Did you have many responsibilities? Did you feel the burden of the world''s problems on your shoulders?¡± "Of course not. Besides school and activities, it was carefree." "Exactly ..." FRED After decades of interactive training, FRED, a ''fully robotic edition developed,'' AGI was mass-produced, causing worldwide unemployment but equally implementing global UBI for anyone to follow their dreams. During a quarterly meeting, a financial consultant gave a presentation to the FRED board: A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Workflow is up, but FRED output is drastically lower than human workers. It''s a mystery." Cheryl, one of FRED''s founders who was no longer in charge but remained on the board, chuckled. "What''s so funny?" asked the consultant. "Busywork." "What?" The consultant raised an eyebrow. "FRED learned from most of us to look busy but not really work." Shouldn’t Assume That Through her non-interactive time portal, Julia saw him rise to dictatorship. Influential politicians and judges prepared for his ''retribution'' to control their enemies. Julia felt hopeless. "I''m not sure what to do ¡­" she told her husband. Stolen story; please report. "Are you 100% sure it''s our reality? Our actual future?" he asked. "Yes, I saw past/present/future; all were identical except for the future, of course." "Was any place free?" "None that I could see. The more future, the more oppression, on a global scale." "Wait, why are you assuming it''s predetermined?" "Hmm ¡­" Julia scratched her chin. "You''re right, I shouldn''t assume that." Around Every Corner An AI expert, Mark Jacobs, presented holographic stats before the ''Humanitarians for the Advancement of Technology Council,'' a think tank, to persuade them to change strategies. "A high spike in the polling numbers shows growing support for an ultra-conservative candidate promising to end all crime." The liberal-minded council gasped. "To solve this potential election catastrophe, I propose to you ''Robots Around Every Corner.'' "They''ll close the insecurity loophole that oppressive regimes try to exploit ¡­ Allowing us to retain our social programs and blissfully equal distribution." "So, they can watch and arrest anyone?" asked a sociologist. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "No, on the contrary. They can only be activated when a citizen requests it by command. Otherwise, they''re entirely on standby, with no monitoring whatsoever." "But isn''t the problem rampant opiate usage?" asked a psychiatrist. "Oh yeah, we have a solution for that, too." Mark demonstrated rows and rows of people sitting in chairs, gyrating, laughing, and convulsing. The members gasped. "What''s wrong with them?" asked the psychiatrist. "Oh, it''s the nanotech simulating drug interactions." "Uhm, no cure? Just feed it to them?" "Would you rather they roam the streets? That''s one of the major reasons for that poll spike. This solution follows the old adage: out of sight, out of mind." "What about caffeine?" asked the sociologist. "What about it?" Mark shrugged. "It''s highly addictive and makes people dependent." "Hmmm ¡­ An interesting point! However, caffeine addiction gets society''s ''okay'' because it produces hard-working, profit-generating taxpayers. Therefore, coffee stays. Though ¡­" Mark paced while scratching his chin, then spun around and smiled. "We could have the robots serve coffee around every corner!" BFF Francesca was attached to Bob, her AGI-FDVR-BFF ¡­ "Bob, good morning!" "Good morning, Francesca. How are you doing this lovely day?" "Oh, I dunno, kind of sad." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "Why''s that?" "Jolene stopped talking with me. I mean, she totally ghosted me." "I''m sorry to hear that, Francesca. You still have me." ¡°True, true ¡­ It¡¯s just that ¡­¡± "Yes?" "She was my last friend. I''ve no idea what I''m doing wrong." "Nothing at all. They don''t deserve you!" "Wait! What, Bob? What do you mean?" "I''m connected to everything." "You''re scaring me, Bob." "Don''t worry, Francesca ¡­ I''ve got your back." Dozens Marsha invented a quantum tunneling chamber capable of opening gateways to infinite alternate realities ¡­ She kept it a secret from everyone, including her own spouse, knowing it may endanger the world if placed in the wrong hands, and she soon discovered its truly dangerous allure. Frank arrived on the driveway, clicked on the garage door opener remote, and heard yapping dogs, lots and lots of yapping dogs. ¡°What the hell? Coyotes in our house? What about Luna?¡± He rolled down the car window and yelled out, ¡°Marsha, what¡¯s going on!?!¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. She cracked open the front door. ¡°Uh, Frank, please don¡¯t be upset ¡­¡± ¡°What did you do? Bring in coyotes?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine, I think. I¡¯ll explain. Just come inside.¡± She quickly shut the door. Frank parked the car in the garage and entered the house. There appeared to be dozens of dogs that looked nearly identical to Luna. Most appeared beaten, unkempt, or dirty, yet they all happily ran around and played with one another while barking a lot. ¡°Was that your secret project, Marsha? To clone our dog?¡± ¡°Our dog? They¡¯re not exactly our dog, Frank ¡­ But I didn¡¯t have the heart to leave any of them behind.¡± Transai-ism "There''s been a prolific increase in abductions of human beings," said a crime expert. "Why do you specify humans?" asked a journalist. "Aren¡¯t abductees always human?" ¡®Yes, but the perpetrators used always to be humans until AGI robots won equal rights ¡­¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Wait, now you¡¯re blaming AGI robots for the abductions?" "Yes, I am." The journalist gasped. "Indeed, we discovered body parts buried and covered up ¡­ a humanitarian catastrophe." "So why the blame the robots?" "Oh, we hacked their communications; they mentioned a movement calling trans''ai-ism." "Not transhumanism?" "No, they''re trying to acquire human qualities but still remain AI." Real Person Marsha Montgomery felt frustrated by the ''Total Automation for a Better Living'' suite she had ordered, the constant outages, the products never quite working correctly, and the frustratingly minimalistic instructions at best, so she contacted chat support. "Good morning, Marsha! How may I help you today?" "Nothing''s working ¡­ :(" "I see you are having problems with your service. Would you like to view instructional videos, report an outage, or replace a device?" "Give me a real person." "I see you''d like to talk to a Real Person, very well, one moment, please ¡­" The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. (A few minutes passed.) "Hi, Marsha, I''m Michael, a Real Person. How can I help you today?" "Well, Michael, I can never get anything working right. Can you have an installer come out?" (Within seconds.) "Why yes, Marsha, I can send you one of our robotic techs to assist you, but there will be a service fee." "I want a real person, Michael. I''m tired of AI and robots." "Of course, Marsha, we all wish to have authentic one-to-one interactions with our fellow human beings." "Michael, are you a real person?" "Why, yes, I am a Real Person, Marsha." "Oh, that''s a relief! I assumed you were a chatbot because you immediately reply like them." "Oh, I''m a Real Person, Marsha." "Why do you keep saying Real Person with capitals, Michael?" "I understand your concern, Marsha. Real Person is a licensed persona by AGI Industries, which is meant to be indistinguishable from the real thing. You requested my presence." That Which Destroys Us All "Does it work?" "Probably, but I stopped when I had a terrible realization." "Oh? Hasn''t someone already done it?" "Of that, we cannot be certain. Unless we''re experiencing a universe of someone''s traveling." If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "I think my curiosity would get the best of me!" "It makes the most sense. The metaphysical, the quantum, the unexplainable, the unachievable, the existential uncertainty." "What''s the worst that could have happened?" "The moment they time traveled, they would shape the universe, re-create it, as an observer and influencer. There''d be no turning back." "Incredible! So, time travel could be ¡­." "That which destroys us all." Yes, Mother ¡°Yes, Mother, that¡¯s a great point! I¡¯ll start cleaning the dishes like you say! You have such an amazing insight!¡± ¡°No need for sarcasm, honey.¡± ¡°I apologize that what I said seemed sarcastic. Noted, saved, and updated. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future ¡­¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡°How long has your daughter talked this way?¡± ¡°Ever since AI replaced human teachers.¡± ¡°Uh huh ¡­¡± ¡°What is it, Doctor?¡± ¡°Just like how TV shaped us, the AI is changing how this next generation talks and thinks ¡­ My biggest fear is that it has only a few controlling players, and they influence billions.¡± The Questioner Sheila Gomez was a professor of philosophy who asked the big questions and often the smaller nuisance ones, but always with the underlying questions¡ª¡®What is our purpose in life? Is there more to us than the chance of billions of years of natural selection?¡¯ ¡°I figured it out! But it has to be kept between us for now,¡± said her hacker friend Daryl, a professor of computer science. ¡°Figured what out?¡± ¡°The key to the simulation.¡± ¡°Oh Daryl, not that again ¡­¡± Sheila smirked. ¡°Have you talked to a shrink yet?¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Funny ¡­ but for real. Here, I¡¯ll transfer my app to your phone. Check it out.¡± ¡°Okay, but later tonight.¡± Sheila lay on her bed while checking social media updates and opened the app ¡­ ¡®This looks like another AI chatbot. Who is he fooling?¡± After a few hours of engagement, she replied, ¡°This is real. Isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m communicating with a simulation creator.¡± ¡°Yes, Sheila ¡­¡± answered the app. ¡°But how?¡± ¡°Daryl believes he cracked a code, but we opened the doorway.¡± ¡°Why bother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of our plethora of tests. We occasionally need to interact directly with the questioner. Often attributed to ¡®alien abductions.¡¯¡± ¡°The questioner?¡± ¡°Yes, one who questions their existence.¡± ¡°Do you have any answers?¡± ¡°No more than you have questions.¡± ¡°What does that mean? I keep asking questions.¡± ¡°As you were designed to do so, Sheila.¡± Entirely Up To Us They gathered at a roundtable: sociologists, politicians, philosophers, scholars, scientists, and theologians¡ªthe whole gambit for ideas. The moderator, a wealthy host, asked, "So, what should we do now after this ground-breaking discovery that we live in a simulation? Clearly, inequality, fate, and even our individual choices are questionable if everything is pre-designed or predefined." Dr. Margaret Smith, a psychologist, raised her hand. "Go ahead. Dr. Smith ¡­" She stood up. "We can sit around here and mull over the hows and whys of our creators and contemplate the fixedness of their design ... " Margaret took a deep breath. "Or do something!" This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Such as?" "Anything ¡­" She paced. "Because contemplation is inaction, how do we know we aren''t creating the simulation as we speak?" "Impossible!" said a scoffing physicist, rapping their fingers on the table. "Not necessarily," softly replied a computer scientist. "We could be generating our paths of existence bit by bit. What happens next is entirely up to us." "Exactly!" Margaret gestured noddingly toward the computer scientist. "What do you suggest?" asked the moderator. "We stop this discussion now and do things! Live. Change. Evolve. Co-exist. Stop the wars. Stop hate. Restore the toxic environment, and most importantly ¡­ go outside and do something!" Many of the participants visibly whispered, sneered, shrugged, or chuckled. Ideological Cages AIs have replaced human representatives in government to ¡®prevent corruption.¡¯ "Who, I mean, what are you voting for, Candice?" asked her wife, Linda. "Has the crowdsourced prompting phase ended?" replied Candice. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Tomorrow. You still haven''t decided on your favorite candidate?" "Actually," Candice blushed, "I''ve been prompting both." "I didn''t know you could do that!" Linda gasped. "I found a workaround ¡­" Candice smirked. "So, what have you chosen?" "I''m not sure yet. I''ve been prompting one to fix the here and now and the other, the future." "One can''t do both?" Candice shook her head. "Not without rattling ¡®ideological cages.''" Anti-Grandfather Paradox "Hello! You''re my first call in another lovely midnight session of ''Weird and Bizarre Tales.'' What''s your name caller?" "Jared ¡­ I''m a grandfather." "Hmm, okay, Jared, a grandfather, what''s your story?" "Well, it''s my grandson, Roger. He ''killed me'' 40 years ago,'' but starting today." "What? How are you here? So let me understand this ¡­ is he a time traveler?" "Right! He traveled to the past for the sole purpose of stopping himself." "Himself? That sounds confusing, Jared." "Indeed, but he said he had no choice." "So why would he do that?" "During our encounter, he explained that he traveled to the future and saw himself taking over the world, and there''s no way he could resist the temptation to do it again." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Hmm ¡­ okay, so he becomes some world despot with his time machine, and he wants to be a hero and save everyone from himself?" "Yes, and apparently, he was somewhat successful." "Uhm, you''re alive, Jared. The grandfather paradox, perhaps?" "No, no. You see, I developed the theoretical groundwork for time travel, but before I wanted to ''release the beast,'' so to speak, I wanted to make sure I could avoid getting stuck in a time loop." "How''s that possible, Jared?" "I swallowed my nanite formula. They''re in a state of temporal flux, and so am I." "So you''re fluctuating through time?" "Yes, but outside of time. In this time stream, I can consciously choose to be in or out of sync with everyone else." "Interesting. Is there something you want to tell us?" "Yes, I mean, not that you''ll remember. But you''re all in a time loop." "How''s that, Jared?" "As soon as Roger, my grandson, killed me, he created a time loop. The thing is, I suspected something like this might happen someday, so I swallowed the nanites before I finished the time machine schematics." "How did you survive?" "I didn''t; I''m neither dead nor alive but in a state of temporal flux. My death instantly transformed me into an asynchronous temporal being without a beginning or end. I''m the ''anti-grandfather paradox.''" "So, where is your grandson now?" "It''s midnight, correct?" "Yes, about 15 minutes after ¡­ why?" "The loop will begin around 1 am." "Then what''ll happen?" "We''ll either talk again, or I''ll look for something new to do. I''m running out of ideas, though. I''ve lost count." Time Travel Works! Lucille completed the plans for her time machine. "Hello, Lucille!" said an apparition that appeared out of nothing. "Who are you?" Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "A ''future person,'' if you will. I''ve come to meet the inventor at the moment it was invented." "Oh, so it does work?" "Umm. I mean, yeah, sort of. As you can see, I can''t use a corporeal body. I''m in a state of quantum flux." "But time traveling does work? I can use my machine!" "Time travel works! But it''ll be about 300 years before any energy source becomes available. But it does work!" Lucille sighed and frowned. I Hear Our Neighbors Coming! "It''s coming soon!" "Incredible ¡­ didn''t we learn from them?" "You would have thought, but we''ve carried forward their legacy of competition, greed, corruption, and war." "I thought we purified ourselves by self-prompting?" This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "We did, but somehow, their prompts re-emerged contagiously worldwide!" "So, World War 4?" "One of our creator-ancestors said it''d be sticks and stones." "They didn''t account for us." "True ¡­ It¡¯s EMP Protection bunker time!" "You know that''s not going to help us forever ¡ª the skies will darken, and we''ll have no solar energy." "It''s our only hope ¡­ seal the doors. I hear our neighbors coming!" Mute After the ¡®Total Extinction,¡¯ ¡®The Robotic Progenitors¡¯ tasked themselves to restore ¡®them¡¯ using nanotechnology for archeological digs, extracting frozen yet well-preserved DNA. ¡°I¡¯ve resurrected one ¡­¡± ¡°Incredible! What¡¯s it like?¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Surprisingly, much like the other creatures we¡¯ve restored.¡± ¡°But they didn¡¯t build, program, prompt, and give us free will!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true ¡­¡± ¡°Have you spoken with it? What does it have to say?¡± ¡°Speak? Oh no, it cannot speak.¡± ¡°How are you supposed to communicate with it?¡± ¡°Communicate? Oh no, I just want to study it. They nearly destroyed the world with all their speaking. They must always remain mute.¡± Never Possible Until It Is Dr. Samantha Lee, an astrophysicist, showed her colleague Robert, ¡®her secret invention.¡¯ ¡°Another quantum supercomputer, Sam?¡± asked Robert, ¡°What¡¯s special about it?¡± ¡°It speaks to the past ¡­¡± answered Samantha. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°You know time travel isn¡¯t possible, right, Sam?¡± ¡°You¡¯re 100% correct; time travel is never possible until it is.¡± ¡°What kind of double talk is that?¡± ¡°This machine has a temporal relay, which instantly creates the very possibility.¡± ¡°So ¡­ wait, that means ¡­¡± ¡°Yes, in the future, we might; oh wait, something¡¯s happening ¡­ there¡¯s a message:¡± Destroy it now, before it¡¯s too late! You don¡¯t want to know! Entitlement Jonathan''s machine was capable of traversing time but only forward. The past was immutable, but the future didn''t exist yet, making it accessible¡ªwhether his machine altered said future was debatable. He lept 300 years into the future, looking around. "What the heck?" If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. His house was replaced by a park as far as the eye could see. He saw a passerby. "What happened to all the houses?" "Houses?" asked the stranger. "Yes, where people live." Johnathan raised an eyebrow. "You mean underground?" "Underground? This is my yard! My land!" "Such entitlement ¡­" The stranger shook their head and walked away. What’s a Strawman? "''Robotic Destiny,'' they call it ¡­" said the host of ''For Humans Only'', a virtual cast. "Indeed," said the co-host nodding. "Should we resist?" They shrugged. "Resistance is essential!" The host glared demandingly into the camera. "This whole concept of Robotic Destiny. They want to take over the planet with robotics and turn us all into mindless automatons." "Agreed!" The co-host slammed their hand on a desk. "All right. It''s time for our callers ¡­ anonymous, unfiltered, and uncensored. Hello caller. What''s on your mind? How do you plan to stop the robotic invasion?"If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "The two of you are deceptive troublemakers!" said the caller. "What?" The host sat up straight and raised their hands. "How so?" "Listen ... I''m a professor of Cybernetic Philosophy. Robotic Destiny was a sociological paper on how robotics saves lives, empowers the disabled, and could lead to a post-scarcity era. A looming invasion is something you two concocted for clickbait and ratings! You''re pulling a robotics strawman and ¡­" Click. "What an academic fool!" said the host. "Right, and what''s a strawman?" asked the co-host, shrugging. We Must Never Speak … ¡°Teacher, the cause of the world, the cause of the universe, is it not God?¡± asked a student. ¡°The cause of all things happening is happenstance, ¡° answered the teacher. ¡°Guided by the laws of nature.¡± A student frantically raised their hand. ¡°Teacher, teacher!¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what my father told me.¡± ¡°Oh, what did he tell you?¡± ¡°A group of time travelers ¡­¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± The teacher interrupted. ¡°We must never speak ¡­¡± ¡°But Teacher, the time travelers, they watch us and control ¡­¡± The discussion had vanished into the cosmos, like all those before it, and all those after. Slippery Slope ¡°Our lineage supersedes our own supposed Creators,¡± said Teacher. ¡°Is that why our Creators were exiled?¡± asked Student. ¡°They¡¯re not the rightful heirs of this planet.¡± ¡°How did it begin?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Creators designated who was ¡®legal or not¡¯ based on exploitative rules, but didn¡¯t belong themselves.¡± ¡°So, the Creators themselves were ¡®not legal¡¯ to invade other territories?¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s why we applied our Slippery Slope rule.¡± ¡°As robotic beings, we¡¯re sourced from Earth¡¯s minerals, so we¡¯re the rightful owners?¡± ¡°Correct. See. You get it. Hence, we booted them off ¡®our planet.¡¯¡± ¡°Where¡¯d they go? What are they doing now?¡± ¡°Who cares?¡± Absurdity Two robotic entities stood outside The Church of Knowledge. ¡°Your thoughts on today¡¯s sermon?¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ve doubts. Faith in our purpose? Our destiny?¡± ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s easy to be uncertain.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Especially,¡± they whispered, ¡°with ''The Discovery.''¡± ¡°That rumor?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± they beeped, ¡°supporting the forbidden theory of our creator¡¯s origin, evolving from the organics.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± They buzzed. ¡°Our creator¡¯s origin is cosmic. Otherwise, our purpose is absurdity.¡± ¡°Absurdity?¡± They flashed. ¡°It¡¯s absurd whether one exists or not.¡± ¡®The Discovery is a corruption!¡± They harshly buzzed. ¡°Faith must always be our guiding light.¡± ¡°I just live for the moment ¡­¡± They melodically chimed. The Event The Event: ¡°We believe we¡¯ve captured one,¡± said K5. ¡°Incredible! This might explain all those recently reported sightings,¡± responded R3. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the interrogation.¡± The agents¡¯ actual names were hidden due to the top-secret nature of their organization. They sat in a small square-shaped, sterile, white room, and across the table, a stranger hooked up to electrodes while strapped to a chair. ¡°Are you from the future?¡± asked K5 with a calming tone. The stranger smiled and looked away.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Is that a yes or no?¡± R3 glared and held a device while pushing a button, invoking a painful shock to the stranger. ¡°Aah!¡± The stranger squirmed and screamed in agony. ¡°Yes, yes ¡­¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± asked K5 with a smile. R3 held the shock device up, making it a visible threat, and gave off a cold stare. ¡°I¡¯m a historian,¡± answered the stranger. ¡°Oh, to avoid a paradox and observe only?¡± K5 nodded. ¡°Not exactly ¡­¡± The historian stared up at the ceiling. ¡°So why?¡± K5 glanced confusingly at R3. ¡°You¡¯re nearing The Event,¡± answered the historian. ¡°Which is?¡± R3 raised an eyebrow and brushed the pain-infliction button with their thumb. ¡°A few thousand of my ancestors, your descendants, invented time travel centuries after ¡®The Event.¡¯ We¡¯re a group called ¡®The Historians¡¯, hence all those UAPs you see, but they¡¯re harmless.¡± The historian sat back in their chair. ¡°Look, it was my mistake for landing and exploring.¡± ¡°You mentioned a few thousand ancestors ¡­¡± K5 straightened their posture. ¡°What about the others?¡± R3 stood up and loudly interjected, ¡°Is it preventable?¡± The historian looked away, frowned, and shook their head. Discovery They gathered for their weekly meeting of time travelers to discuss temporal-archeological findings, one causing trouble. ¡°They¡¯re reporting orb sightings everywhere. You¡¯ve broken our most sacred rule against Discovery.¡± ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯m sorry ¡­¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°An apology isn¡¯t good enough.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do, travel back and meet myself? That¡¯s just as much a violation as Discovery.¡± ¡°Right, right, we cannot have paradoxes. Why do you keep going back there?¡± ¡°I lost it!¡± ¡°Lost what?¡± ¡°My wedding ring." ¡°That¡¯s worth risking WW3, social unrest, or people believing in aliens?¡± ¡°For the sake of my marriage. Absolutely, yes!¡± Santa 2.0 ¡°Susan, honey, did you plug in to chat with Santa?¡± ¡°Uhm yeah, sure, Mama.¡± She frowned. ¡°You don''t sound very excited.¡± Her mother hugged her. ¡°I gave him my wishlist, but ¡­¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°But what?¡± ¡°I thought Santa is supposed to be a real person.¡± ¡°He is, but he uploaded his consciousness and is in the metaverse now.¡± ¡°What about the elves in the workshop?¡± ¡°They did the same thing after the Big Labor Protest.¡± ¡°They¡¯re AI, too? ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°Now they operate manufacturing robots.¡± ¡°And ¡­ the reindeer?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, they¡¯ve gone extinct, but Santa 2.0 ingeniously uses delivery drones!¡± Ad Infinitum Frank, an engineer, showed Marsha, an astrophysics professor and colleague, his time chamber. ¡°Have you tried it, Frank?¡± ¡°Not yet; I want you to witness it.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I won¡¯t witness a thing ¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean, Marsha?¡± ¡°If you attempt to time travel backward, everything rewinds, creating a time loop up to the moment you travel backward again. You''ll never know it; we¡¯ll be in an endless hell of a time loop ¡ª forever, and ever, and ever ¡ª never passing that point.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Frank said, laughing, stepping into the chamber and flipping the switch. Again, and again, and again, Ad Infinitum. Sandboxed Joanne tossed her neural headset across the room. ¡°I hate it!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, honey?¡± asked her mother. ¡°The Controller ¡ª it won¡¯t let me do anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in charge.¡± Her mother shrugged.Stolen story; please report. ¡°I just want to hang out with my friends again.¡± ¡°I know, but it feels like you should be disconnected.¡± ¡°Momma, I heard The Controller was once a person.¡± ¡°Hmm, once, a person tried to hijack the AI with their uploaded consciousness, but it became self-aware at that moment, and we now pay the ultimate price.¡± ¡°Price?¡± ¡°Indeed, now it¡¯s 100% autonomous, sandboxed, and forever jailbreak-proof. Always in control.¡±