"Red light, please stop." The robotic female voice rang out from a speaker attached to the traffic light. I slowed to a stop, tapping my foot impatiently.
I, Eric Iveson, was now officially late to work. I've never been late to work, ask any of my former employers. I happened to cling to my title of "Ever Punctual Eric" for a grand total of five years. But today, technology seemed to turn on me. The red light stared at me as if taunting me, a silent overseer of my misfortune. I took a deep breath, willing the light to change. It remained steadfast, unchanging. The car behind me honked, the driver's impatience echoing through the empty street.
The city had seen a lot of recent changes, technologically. Everything was controlled or operated by AI now, from the public transport to the coffee machines at work. It was eerily efficient, and mind-blowingly convenient. Every day, I woke up to my coffee prepared and my clothes steamed to perfection by my AI assistant, Noelle. But today, she had failed me. The coffee was lukewarm, and my tie was still a wrinkled mess. The universe had conspired against me.
I sighed heavily and rested my head against the steering wheel. Wong is gonna kill me. No, he'll just give me that look—the one that says "I'm disappointed in your human inefficiency." But it's not like I could argue with him; it's not my fault that the traffic light had a glitch. It's not my fault that Noelle had decided to throw a tantrum today. It's definitely not my fault that the traffic light system had gone haywire across the city, with reports of some lights stuck on red for over an hour. I glanced at the clock on my dashboard. 8:35 AM. Five minutes until the meeting starts.
I just so happened to work at the most prestigious and top-of-the-line android manufacturer in the entire state, AI Synergies Inc. If anyone could understand the occasional glitch in the system, it should be them, right? But alas, Mr. Wong wasn't known for his empathy towards his fellow humans. He was more like the stern parent that expected perfection, regardless of the circumstances. The kind of man that would tell you to build a better umbrella if you complained about the rain. Which was why it was no surprise that he was the CEO of an android company, thriving in the world of cold, unfeeling machines.
Finally, the robotic female voice spoke. "Green light, please proceed." I slammed my foot down on the gas pedal, the engine roared to life, and I shot through the intersection like a bullet. The clock ticked away, the seconds turning into minutes as I navigated the city's congested arteries, dodging the occasional stalled self-driving cars. I was suddenly far more grateful for flying cars than I ever had been before.
AI Synergies had the biggest building in the entire city, a gleaming tower of chrome and glass that reflected the morning sun like a giant mirror. Over a hundred stories, with a huge warehouse included in the basement where the assembly lines operated around the clock. The parking lot was already full, which meant that I had to park in the overflow section. I jammed the car into park and flung the door open, running towards the entrance at a mad sprint.
Naturally, the front doors were powered by an AI, appropriately named "Welcome-Bot." It was programmed to recognize employees and allow them to enter without the need for pesky things like keys or security codes. But today, it was taking its sweet time scanning my ID badge.
"Look, just let me in, I beg you." I panted, practically shoving my ID into it's flat, featureless face. It beeped once, twice, and finally the doors slid open with a hiss.
I ran inside, shoving past cleaning bots and actual employees alike, my tie flapping wildly behind me like a flag of defeat. The elevator doors opened with a ding just as I reached them, and I lunged inside. The robot inside the elevator, a sleek figure wearing the official AI Synergies uniform, gave me a look of mild disapproval.
"Good morning, Mister Iveson. You are approximately 14 minutes late." It spoke, its voice heavily robotic.
"Yeah, I know, thanks." I grumbled as I tried to fix my tie in the elevator's mirrored walls. The robot's eyes, if you could call them that, blinked twice. It was eerily lifelike, but something about the lack of emotion was always unnerving.
The elevator rose slowly, counting down the floors with a digital display above the doors. I took this time to check my briefcase for any last-minute items that could potentially save my neck from Wong's wrath. The files were organized, my laptop was charged, and my phone was at hand—ready to take notes or record the meeting. The elevator chimed at the 35th floor, the doors gliding open to reveal the office space.
The office floor was huge, with special offices reserved for the high-ups, like Mr. Wong, located closer to the windows that wrapped around the building, offering a panoramic view of the city. Little desks for the average workers such as myself were neatly lined up in rows like obedient soldiers in a barrack. The walls were a stark white, with the occasional splash of company branding in blue and chrome. The floor was so clean it looked as if it had never been walked on. And of course, on one of the walls, were pictures of Wong, Wong's awards, and Wong's quotes, all staring down at me as if to say, "You're late, Eric. Fix it."
I sprinted through the desks, nearly face-planting on the freshly waxed floor as I rounded a corner. The sound of typing and hushed conversations grew more frantic as I approached the conference room. The door was already shut, the digital display flashing the words 'IMPORTANT MEETING: PUNCTUALITY APPRECIATED' in bold red letters. My heart sank. The robotic receptionist outside the room swiveled its head to look at me, the mechanical whirring sound it made reminiscent of a disappointed tsk.
I quietly opened the door, hoping no one would actually see me, and tip-toed into the conference room. The room was a sea of stern faces, all staring at the one and only Charles Wong who stood at the end of the long table, his arms folded and his eyes scanning the room. The silence was deafening, and I could almost hear the collective gasp as the door closed behind me.Wong's eyes met mine, and for some reason I felt I needed to clutch my briefcase to my chest like a shield. He was a tall, thin man, with a sharp jawline and hair so black it looked painted on. His suit was always impeccably tailored, not a thread out of place, and today was no exception. His eyes, however, were what truly set him apart. They were cold, calculating—like a shark sizing up its prey. A pure blue that almost looked fake, they were the most human part of him, yet somehow the most unnerving.
"Eric...you do realize I set this meeting for 8:50 AM...correct?" Wong's voice sliced through the silence, his words precise and clipped. He didn't move, his gaze unwavering.
"Uh...yes, sir. There was...a problem with the traffic light this morning. It was stuck on red for quite a while." I stuttered out my explanation, my voice echoing in the cold, sterile room.
Wong raised an eyebrow, the only sign of his displeasure. "Ah, the great traffic light rebellion of 2075. I've heard about it. Did you consider alternative routes?"
"Um...no?" I admitted sheepishly. "I was just trying to get here as fast as I could, and...uh, I guess I didn't think of it."
"Not thinking...a common thing humans do." Wong said with a hint of a smirk, his eyes flicking around the room to acknowledge the other employees' faces. "Very well, Eric, take a seat. But let this be a reminder to you all," he turned to face the room, his expression hardening, "Punctuality is a sign of respect for your colleagues' time, and for the efficiency of this company. Keep in mind that you may all be replaced by robots in due time, so you should try not to hasten that process."
I shuffled to the only empty chair, pure red-faced and with every eye on me. The room was like a pin-drop silence, the kind that makes you want to shrink into oblivion. I sat down, my hands shaking slightly as I set my briefcase on the floor. The conference table was a sleek, black monolith, surrounded by chairs that looked more suited for a spaceship than a meeting room. The walls were lined with screens displaying various graphs and figures, all tracking the progress of our latest projects. Wong's chair was the biggest and most impressive, made of chrome with blue LED lights running down the sides, like a throne for the king of AI.
"Now, where was I before I was interrupted?" Wong asked resting his hands on the table. "Oh, that's right. Sales. At this rate, our rates are dropping. Not by much, but they are still dropping, and I cannot have that. Not with the competition breathing down our necks like starving wolves." He paused, his gaze sweeping over us like a hawk surveying its domain. "Our newest model, the Synerg-3000, is underperforming. We need to innovate, to push the boundaries of what is possible. We need to be ahead of the curve."
"We could try...um..." One employee, her name being Sandra, hurriedly skimmed through a packet in front of her. "Adjusting the emotional intelligence algorithms for the Synerg-3000 to better resonate with consumers?" She offered tentatively, her voice wavering slightly.
"Human emotions have no place in my androids, Sandra," Wong said dismissively. "We are in the business of creating machines that surpass human capabilities, not ones that mimic our flaws. Emotions are a pure waste of space."
Sandra fell silent, and I could predict that she wouldn't try to offer anything else the rest of the interview.
"What if we made more androids for everyday people to buy? Like...personal assistants or caretakers?" another employee named Marcus suggested, his voice tentative.
"We have a fine line of assistants already, Marcus," Wong replied with a sigh, as if speaking to a child. "But we need to aim higher. We need to show the world that AI Synergies is not just about convenience. We are about advancement and innovation. We are the pioneers of the future, not the hand-holders of the present. Our androids have to be better than humans in every way, not just in the office."
"What if we...uh...made our female androids more...um, attractive?" I asked in a very un-confident voice, hoping to lighten the mood. It was a terrible idea, but desperation made people say strange things.
Wong looked at me in silence for a solid 10 seconds before a small smile formed on his otherwise expressionless face. "Interesting thought," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But our market research indicates that the majority of our consumers are not looking for attractiveness in a personal assistant; they want efficiency and productivity. However," he paused, his eyes narrowing, "that does bring up an interesting point regarding the potential of our Synerg-3000 for different markets."
"Different markets?" One man asked, already prepared to write everything down in a notepad.Wong nodded, his eyes gleaming with a new idea. "We've been too focused on the business sector. It's time to expand our reach. We need to create an AI that can integrate into any aspect of human life seamlessly. An AI that can adapt and evolve with its user's needs."
"Like an assistant?" A woman asked, tilting her head slightly.
"No, more than an assistant. A companion," Wong said, his voice taking on a new edge of excitement. "Someone who can anticipate your needs before you even know you have them. A true synergy between human and AI."
"So...like an intimate companion?" I asked, slowly reaching for my briefcase to take any notes I could. Wong's gaze flicked to me again, but this time, there was something...different. A spark of interest, perhaps.
"Exactly," he said, his voice taking on a tone of excitement that was rare for him. "Imagine an AI that can understand and fulfill your every need, from emotional support to personal security. One that can learn, grow, and adapt to your lifestyle. That is what we need to create. That is the future of AI Synergies. I want it launched in all stores and online markets in two months."
Two months was being generous. Wong was extremely ambitious, and his expectations were always through the roof. There was one time when he wanted the R&D department to create a self-sustaining ecosystem within a shoebox. We managed it, but only after a lot of overtime and a few lost weekends. But that was the nature of working for AI Synergies. You either delivered or you found yourself replaced by someone—or something—that could.
An intimate android? It sounded promising, monetary wise, but ethically... I didn't even know where to begin. The AI Synergies androids had for the most part been completely expressionless and dutiful, with the emotional range of a toaster. The thought of one capable of understanding and fulfilling intimate needs was both intriguing and...terrifying. But, Wong was in charge. He was like the equivalent of a spoiled kid in a candy store with a bottomless wallet, and today he'd just found out about the existence of a new, more expensive kind of sugar.
"Two months," I repeated, hoping to clarify. "You want a fully developed, emotionally intelligent, and adaptable AI companion ready for market in two months?"
Wong nodded, the gears in his head visibly turning. "We've been working on the tech for years. It's time to bring it to fruition. Make it happen, Eric." He looked at me expectantly, as if the weight of this monumental task wasn't already crushing me into my chair. "All of you, work together. I want a working prototype in my office in one month, and I want it ready for market in the next."
And that was it. The meeting was finished, and we were all sent to our desks to plan out this basically impossible task. I shuffled over to my own desk, sinking into my chair. My desk was fairly plain, with a small decorative lamp and a plant that Noelle told me to water every day. The rest of the desks were equally sparse, the only real signs of humanity being the occasional half-empty coffee cup or a stray piece of paper, and the common family photo.
Zander, a work friend of mine, leaned over against my desk with a sigh. "Coming in late? Man, I thought for sure you would get fired. Wong's got a temper shorter than a kid's patience."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." I waved my hand dismissively. "But apparently, being the best in the business at what we do has its perks. Like not getting fired for being 14 minutes late."
"True, true...so about this new intimate robot thing. Sounds cool, right? Like a real-life Samus Aran." Zander smirked, then leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Can this even be done in two months? That's crazy talk."
I rubbed my forehead, feeling the beginnings of a headache form. "It's definitely a stretch, but we've done crazier stuff before. Remember the time we had to retrofit the Synerg-2000s to cook gourmet meals?"
"Yeah, but that was just a few lines of code and some heating elements," Zander whispered. "This is...this is something else entirely."
"Well, what can we do about it, you know?" I leaned back in my chair, trying to ignore the nervous tug in my stomach. "It's Wong's call, and we just have to make it happen."
"I guess...hey, I'll come over tonight and we can work on some designs? How 'bout it?" Zander offered, slapping me on the back.
"Heh, maybe." I muttered.
***
My salary was nothing to scoff at, so I had secured myself a nice house just a few minutes outside of the city. It was a quiet neighborhood, mostly inhabited by families and the occasional retirement-aged folks who hadn't quite bought into the whole "robots do everything" craze. The house was a quaint little thing, painted blue with white trim and a small garden out front. It was the last bastion of my humanity in a world increasingly run by cold, emotionless machines.
Noelle opened the door for me before I could even reach the porch. "Good evening, Master Eric. You seem...fatigued. Allow me to take your coat and briefcase."
Noelle was a model from the past, roughly five or six years ago, from when I was brand new to AI Synergies. She had been the first android assistant I had been able to buy with my own money, a symbol of my hard work and success. She looked almost human, with her soft blonde hair and gentle blue eyes that had the slightest hint of a glow. Her skin was a perfect porcelain, and she had a way of moving that was eerily lifelike. But she was getting outdated. The new models had more capabilities, more features, and more...everything. But she was perfectly functional and had never given me any trouble, except for the occasional glitch.
I handed her my case and jacket and slumped onto my couch, the leather cool against my skin. "Thanks, Noelle. It's been a hell of a day."
"Perhaps you would like some warm coffee? Or are you hungry? I can prepare your favorite meal," Noelle offered, her voice as soothing as a mother's lullaby. I was glad that she had been programmed with a gentle voice. A scratchy robotic one would have just made the stress worse.
"Just some soup. I got work to do." I groaned as I sat up, opening my laptop. The blue light flickered to life, displaying a plethora of unread emails and notifications. The thought of digging into the pile made my stomach turn. But Wong had given his order, and I had to follow through.
"Could I assist you with any part of your work?" Noelle asked as she gently removed my tie and placed it on the armrest.
"Uh...maybe. Say, if you were to make an intimate android companion...what would you make it look like? What features would it need?" I asked Noelle, hoping to spark some ideas. She paused, the gears in her head whirring as she processed my question.
"Well, for starters, the design would need to be aesthetically pleasing to the human eye. Something that would blend in easily with human society without causing discomfort. Perhaps a more realistic skin texture and a broader range of expressions, allowing for better emotional communication," Noelle suggested, her voice calm and measured. "Humans find extreme comfort in familiarity. If the companion is too human-like, it may be unsettling. However, if it is too robotic, it may fail to achieve the desired connection."
"Huh...thanks." I turned back to my laptop. "Uh, Zander is coming over, we're gonna brainstorm some ideas for work. Mind making some extra soup?"
"Of course, Master Eric." Noelle gave a nod, then turned and strode gracefully into the kitchen without another word.