The robot behind the cafe counter stared at me as it waited patiently for me to order. I glanced over the rather expansive menu before finally settling on a dark coffee, black as the void, and a croissant that looked like it had been baked by a Michelin-star robot chef. The robot nodded in acknowledgment, its mechanical eyes scanning the order before it relayed it back to me in a metallic voice.
The cafe was bustling, as it usually was. Just on the corner of 5th and Main, it was a somewhat popular spot, with wide windows and a cozy atmosphere that was surprisingly devoid of any actual human warmth. The robotic baristas whizzed around, their movements almost synchronized, the little cafe hats atop their heads getting a chuckle out of me.
"Your order will be ready momentarily," the robot told me, its voice a pleasant blend of professional and friendly. It was a new model, one that had rolled out in the last year. It was eerie how much more human-like they were getting. But that was the point of Wong's vision, I suppose. To make AI that was indistinguishable from the real thing. The only thing that told it apart was the polished silver skin and glowing blue eyes.
We were a solid week into Wong's big project, and so far, Zander and I had made zero progress. The only thing we'd actually managed to do was agree that the project itself was impossible. It was like Wong was setting everyone up for failure, so he'd finally have a reason to replace us all with his "perfect" robots.
The robot returned to the counter with a cardboard cup filled with steaming coffee and a perfectly flaky croissant. The smell of freshly baked goods and roasted beans filled the air, which was relaxing, at best. I took it and nodded a quick thank you before making my way to the back of the cafe, where Noelle was at a booth with Zander, who had a beyond exhausted look in his eyes.
"I give up," Zander said when I returned to the table. "Wong can fire me, I'll just get a new job as a...um...cat herder."
"Cat herder?" I raised an eyebrow.
"As a cat herder, your primary responsibilities would revolve around managing, guiding, and, quite literally, corralling a multitude of feline subjects with unique and independent personalities. This role requires-" Noelle began, but Zander waved her words away with a tired hand.
"Why'd you bring her, anyway? I thought she was just an at-home assistant." Zander huffed, peeling a piece of my croissant off and shoving it into his mouth.
"She's helping us with this project." I said, pulling my laptop out of my bag. "And she's got a pretty good idea for the design. Besides, having AI input might be helpful."
Zander grunted in response. "Okay, but remember, we're trying to make something that's gonna be intimate. It's gotta be perfect, and I don't trust her to know what that means."
"According to my data-banks, the proper meaning of 'perfect' is 'having all the required or desired elements, qualities, or characteristics; as excellent as it is possible to be'. But for humans, 'perfect' can be highly subjective, especially in matters of companionship," Noelle replied, looking like she wanted to say "duh."
Zander stared at her, then huffed and looked over at me. "Okay, whatever. Do we even have a design idea sketched out? Or are we still trying to figure out what 'intimate' actually means to Wong?"
"We have a rough concept," I said, booting up my laptop and opening a file. "It's gotta be sleek, obviously, but also...comfortable. Something that won't make you feel weird having around."
"No one feels weird around robots anymore, Eric," Zander said, taking a sip of the coffee I had bought for myself. "They're everywhere. We need something that stands out, something that screams 'I'm not just a toaster with legs'. Something...desirable."
"For the last time, I'm not putting giant breasts on it."
"Oh, come on! It's not about that, it's about...aesthetics!" Zander protested.
"Nope."
"Noelle, tell Eric he's no fun," Zander said with a laugh, leaning back in the booth.
"Master Eric is quite right in his refusal to objectify the new AI," she responded, her eyes flicking to me with a hint of a smile.
I grinned at Zander. "Ha. But seriously, guys, we need to nail down the concept before we can even start coding. We're not just making a pretty robot here; we're crafting an AI that can perform basic desires."
"So basically, we're making a sexbot," Zander said, not bothering to hide his grin.
I glared at him. "Shush, don't say it like that. We're creating a companion that understands and fulfills emotional needs, not just...that."
"Right, sure." Zander winked. "I, for one, think the design should be as human as possible. Maybe some kind of customization options, you know? Like picking the personality traits, the look, the voice...everything. Oh, and some cool wigs! Women love wigs."
"Do they?" I asked, subtly turning towards Noelle as if she could confirm or deny Zander's claim. But she remained as stoic as ever, sitting as straight as a mannequin, only her eyes moving to meet mine briefly. "Well, we'll keep that in mind. But let's focus on the AI itself. What kind of emotional intelligence would this 'companion' need?"
"Well," Zander began, leaning his elbows on the table. "It'd need to be empathetic, obviously. Maybe even have some kind of learning capability to adapt to its user's moods and preferences. And it should be able to read body language, so it doesn't accidentally creep someone out."
"Yeah...yeah, that sounds good." I typed quickly on my laptop, scribbling down notes as Zander threw out ideas. "But we can't just make it a walking, talking therapist. It needs to be able to take action, to do things for its owner."
"Yep...what if we gave it like some type of...puppy mentality? You know, where it just wants to make you happy?" Zander mused, tapping his chin like a scientist.
"Nah, Wong won't go for that. He'd want something more...sophisticated." I replied, trying to steer Zander's thoughts in a more practical direction. "Like...uh...how about we give it a knack for predicting moods and acting accordingly? It could learn your favorite music, movies, or even suggest activities based on your emotional state. Take Noelle for example, she can tell when I'm stressed and offers to make me a cup of tea."
Noelle nodded as if to clarify that she had indeed learned my preferences over the years. "The AI would require an advanced algorithm capable of interpreting and responding to human emotional cues effectively," she said. "Such an AI would need to be programmed to anticipate human needs and react accordingly, offering both verbal and physical support."
"This is too hard!" Zander dropped his head onto the table with a thud. "I've got a headache just thinking about it. How are we supposed to create an AI that can understand and fulfill every human need in just two months?"
I wanted to try to calm him down, but really, I had no idea either. "Look, we're not going to figure it out all at once. We just need to break it down into smaller, manageable parts," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "We can start with the emotional intelligence. Maybe we could tweak the existing algorithms to be more intuitive."
Zander shrugged, and we ended up spending the next three hours at the cafe, shifting through so many ideas and suggestions that even Noelle looked overwhelmed. We talked about everything from the AI's learning capabilities to its potential to cook a five-course meal while reciting Shakespeare sonnets. The more we discussed, the more the reality of what Wong was asking for set in. This wasn't just a robot; this was a life-changing, game-changing creation that would blur the lines between human and AI in a way that we had never seen before.
I kept telling myself that if we did a good job, my paycheck would be worth it. The pressure was like a boulder on my chest, and the coffee wasn't helping. It was just making me more jittery. "Okay, okay," I said, trying to organize our thoughts. "We've got the emotional aspect down. Now we need to think about the technical side of things. We're going to need a serious upgrade in processing power, and the learning algorithm has to be on a whole new level."
"This is a project for tomorrow, man." Zander said as he slowly slid his way out of the booth. "My brain juices are dried up for today. Let's tackle the techy stuff after we've had some sleep.""Seriously? You're giving up just like that? We finally got a good flow going!" I protested as Zander stretched his arms out, cracking his knuckles.
"I'll dream up some designs, buddy. But we're gonna need all the rest we can get if we're going to pull this off," Zander said with a yawn, already halfway to the door. "Besides, we're not the only ones working on this. The whole company's got its eyes on the prize."
"A prize that I want." I mumbled, but Zander was already gone, leaving me with Noelle and a mountain of stress.
I was always competitive when it came to work, especially when Wong was watching. I had to admit, though, the idea of an AI that could truly understand and cater to human needs on an intimate level was a fascinating challenge, but I really wanted to incorporate emotions and physicality into it without making it creepy or unsettling. But Wong was adamant that emotions and the like didn't belong in the world of AI. I had to find a way to convince him that our creation could be more than just a cold, efficient tool. But convincing Wong of anything was like trying to teach a brick to sing.
It wasn't that I didn't think I could pull it off. I had a team of the best engineers and programmers at my disposal. But the sheer complexity of what Wong was asking for was daunting. Creating an AI that could anticipate and fulfill intimate needs was one thing. Creating one that did so without being eerily human was another.
I had experience with creating programs for AI that could learn and adapt, but this was on a whole new level. The thought of a robot that could replace a human companion was both thrilling and eerie. But it was the challenge of the job, and if anyone could do it, it was AI Synergies. The company was most known for pushing its own limits.
I sighed as I closed my laptop and shoved it into my bag. "Let's head home, Noelle.""I apologize that you did not achieve what you set out for today, Master Eric, but I believe we made substantial progress," Noelle said, sliding out of the booth and smoothing out her coat. "I believe you will succeed as you usually do with big projects."
"Heh, thanks Noelle."
I hadn't taken my car to the cafe, so Noelle and I walked along the busy sidewalk, her programmed stride perfectly in sync with my own. The evening air was cool, with a subtle wind brushing my bangs across my forehead. I took my glasses off and cleaned them with the hem of my shirt, letting the cool breeze soothe my tired eyes.
Hover cars shot overhead, the bright lights of the city flicking on, preparing for night. The sidewalks were fairly crowded, but not so much so that we couldn't walk side by side. The sun was slowly sinking behind the towers of skyscrapers, and there was almost a faint scent of rain in the air. I enjoyed rainy weather. It had always been a favorite of mine as a child, but I never really understood why.
I didn't live too far out of the city, so Noelle and I walked in a comfortable silence along the sidewalk, past the restaurants and stores that had begun to dim their lights. The sound of our footsteps echoed slightly off the wet pavement as the rain started to come down. It was a light drizzle, the kind that was soothing to listen to, but you'd never want to be caught in without an umbrella, which I quickly opened and handed to Noelle. The last thing I wanted was for her to short-circuit on me.Across from the fast food sectors and market districts were the warehouses, constantly puffing smoke into the air. The warehouses were huge, half the size of football fields, and mostly churned out the AI that made up most of the city's workforce. They made a few hover cars and drones, too, but the real money was in the bots. The AI boom had turned what was once a quaint little tech town into a sprawling metropolis, with towering skyscrapers that reached up to the clouds. They even had robots that cleaned the windows on those skyscrapers, which was a job I was grateful I never had to do. I was pretty sure that someday there would be robots in charge of making other robots, and the humans would just be left to sit around and eat ice cream. Or whatever it was that humans did in a world that didn't need them anymore.
I didn't usually hang around the warehouses. For some reason, they were always dark and ominous, even during the day. The buildings were huge, the dump piles were a mess, and the smoke that billowed from them was thick and acrid, smelling faintly of burnt metal that even the fresh scent of rain couldn't wash out. Warehouses in general were eerie, but these ones had something extra about them that made my skin crawl. Maybe it was the thought that every warehouse only had one human in charge, while all the employees were robots. Maybe it was the way they never stopped moving, never took breaks, never slept.
Noelle and I crossed the street to the business sector, where all those dreaded warehouses and factories were located. It seemed like no matter how many technological advancements the city made, this area was always stuck in the past. The buildings looked like they hadn't been painted in decades, the paint peeling in places, revealing the rusted metal underneath. The sidewalks were cracked and uneven, making our walk feel more like a hike through a dystopian wasteland than a stroll through a modern metropolis.
Noelle seemed unbothered, as she normally was, by the bleak surroundings. She was programmed for efficiency, not aesthetic appreciation. We walked by a group of older-model AI, their lights dimming slightly as they paused their work to watch us pass. They were maintenance bots, tasked with keeping the city's infrastructure running smoothly. Their bodies were bulky and utilitarian, which made Noelle's model look more appealing.
I paused for a brief moment and watched the older bots work, their movements stiff and methodical compared to Noelle's fluid grace. They had grease smears across their chassis, their lights flickered every few seconds, and their joints creaked with wear. For some reason, I found myself thinking up improvements for them in my head, like a reflex action from my job.
"Oh my, how unfortunate." Noelle's voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned my head to where she was looking. In one of the dump piles, a robotic figure lay still, half buried under a mound of discarded metal and circuitry. It was missing an arm, and the head had no hair attached, exposing the shiny metal beneath. The metal was scratched, but in its entirety, it was a human-like form. "It appears to be a damaged model."
"Hm. Weird. Can you tell which model it is?"
"I cannot. It is too far for my sensors to accurately assess, but it appears to be an early prototype for a personal care model," Noelle replied, tilting her head slightly to get a better view. "Judging by the state of disrepair, it is likely obsolete or defective."
"Wonder what happened. It looks like it had been pretty well made. But robots aren't normally dismantled and thrown away like this," I said, stepping closer to the fence separating the sidewalk from the dump. The rain pattered down on the robot body, sliding down its frame in silver rivulets.
"Perhaps it will be repurposed someday," Noelle said, her voice tinged with something that sounded almost like sadness. "But for now, it is no longer of use."
I stared at it, feeling a strange tug of pity. "Maybe we should report it," I said, not sure why it was bothering me so much. "Or...what if we used it for our project? We'd be ahead of everyone else if we had a body for the AI already."
"I suppose, but are you sure it would be alright to repurpose it?" Noelle asked, her voice measured as she held my umbrella over her head. "Entering a dump facility without proper clearance could be seen as suspicious."
"Then keep a lookout, I'll be quick." I set my briefcase down against the fence and began to hoist myself over the barbed wire. "I'll just grab it and we can see if it's salvageable."
"Please be careful, Master Eric," Noelle warned as I swung a leg over the fence. The barbed wire was surprisingly sharp, and I hissed as I felt it snag my pant leg. I managed to land gracefully despite the rain-slicked ground, my eyes never leaving the robot.
"Yeah, just make sure nobody sees me," I whispered over my shoulder. The rain was getting heavier, and the light from the street lamps reflected off the puddles, casting eerie shadows on the robotic limbs scattered around the dump. The area was eerily silent, aside from the occasional sizzle of rainwater hitting metal and the distant whir of machines working in the warehouses. I tiptoed across the pavement, my shoes squelching in the puddles, and made my way to the robot.
It was half buried under an old couch and a pile of now-soaked cardboard boxes several feet from the fence. There were a few robots wandering around, going through the piles of scrap and garbage, but none of them paid me any attention. The rain was really coming down now, soaking through my shirt and plastering my hair to my forehead. I nearly slipped twice on the way over, but I managed to keep my footing.
I reached the robot body and crouched down, the rain now a steady drumming on the pavement around me. The cold metal was slick under my fingertips as I tried to free it from the debris. It was surprisingly heavy, and I had to use all my strength to drag it out into the open. The rain washed the grime away, revealing a sleek and almost beautiful form underneath the filth. It was definitely a prototype for something intended to interact with humans closely. The chest was designed to look like it had breasts, the face was delicately sculpted, and the metal was a slightly peeled silver. The face had a tan synthetic skin overlay that was now bubbling and peeling from the rain.
I couldn't believe my luck. It was like finding a treasure in a dumpster. If we could get this to work, we'd be ahead of the game by a mile. "Okay, I've got it," I whisper-shouted out to Noelle. "I'm coming back. This thing is heavy."
"Yes, Master Eric." Noelle stepped closer to the fence, extending a hand to help balance my weight as I hoisted the robot body over the barbed wire. The rain was coming down in sheets now, soaking everything and making the metal slippery. I managed to pass it to Noelle without cutting myself, and she held it with surprising strength, her grip firm despite the downpour.
"Let's get out of here," I said, and we quickly made our way back to my house. The rain was now a downpour, making the city lights look like they were underwater. The streets were mostly deserted, the usual bustle of AI-operated vehicles reduced to a few hardy souls navigating the puddles, and a few nocturnal teenagers racing their hoverboards through the rain.