Email to Marie-Ange & Kevin

[xp_darcy]

To: Kevin Sydney, Marie-Ange Colbert
From: Darcy Lewis
Subject: Power-related Things

Okay, so. I was showing Jubes some of the data I've compiled on The Machine We Are All Politely Pretending Isn't Actually an AI and well. Apparently there is no option for giving the machine verbal input because it doesn't have a microphone??? This is news to me, because it definitely responds when I am talking to it. Not just chimes or alert noises, actually pulling the data I'm thinking or talking about up and sorting it based on my verbal cues or requests.

I have not noticed yet if I have this ability with any other devices, and probably would not have noticed it myself without her pointing it out. Because of this, I'm going to be testing other devices to see if I have a similar.. affinity, I guess, so do not be alarmed if you see me talking to various gadgets more than I already do. If you've got suggestions for testing it or happen to have contacts who can.. ah, talk to technology and aren't alarmed by it, let me know?

Otherwise, I would like to do more testing before I start informing others. Part because I would like to have an idea of the scope, but mostly because I am freaking out a little.

Comments

[xp_tarot]

To: Darcy Lewis
CC: Kevin Sydney
From: Marie-Ange Colbert

Subject: Re: Power-related Things

Well, I can think of an intelligent collective of machines you could speak to and have a result, however, I also think that would end poorly at the moment.

Hex is absolutely an AI. Do not listen to the stubborn denial of it's creator. He is irrational on the subject.

Perhaps begin with devices that we as people already speak to? We already talk to our cars and microwaves and coffee makers. Does the microwave listen if you verbally ask it to heat something for a minute?

[xp_changeling]

To: Darcy Lewis
CC: Marie-Ange Colbert
From: Kevin Sydney

Subject: Re: Power-related Things

This could be a problem. If we have to worry about our analysis being correct based on whether or not our equipment agrees with what we're doing, that's an issue.

So, option A is we pull the plug and scorch it to the ground. Go back to a less efficient but controlled system. Option B is we make sure this AI is aligned and controlled within the context of what we need it to do.

I'm not an authority on this, so I will defer to experts, but from an operational standpoint, we need to make a determination and decision on how much risk this involves and what we are willing to risk.

[xp_darcy]

To: Kevin
CC: Marie-Ange
From: Darcy

Subject: Re: Power-related Things

Shit. I did not expect to be dropping "The Machine is an AI" bomb on two people this week. My apologies Boss, I assumed you were aware based on how you introduced it and would have probably been less flippant had I known otherwise. I thought we were all being polite about Doug's understandable suspicion and concern wrt AIs and talking around exactly how capable our learning machine actually is to minimize issues.

That said, I am not sure Lemon was built with the parameters to go full Skynet, and responses to my queries have been the same news and data that I have always pulled from (plus the additional intelligence supplied to us by SHIELD). There is no moralizing occurring that I am able to discern, and I do not believe the information is being bent to my thought patterns either.

It's worth checking, though. Since Artie has moved more to analyst for now, perhaps something there? Anyone with a sufficient deviation from the way I think would probably be a good test option.

You would need to talk to Doug about less efficient or more controllable options, since it is my understanding he is the only one still available from its original creation. As is, when we started planning upgrades I was already aware that it is an AI, even if Doug was pretending not to notice until I dropped the truth in his lap earlier this week. I do not believe it needs to be torched, and its learning parameters are already well-established and defined.

That said, Doug is definitely the expert here. Talk to him about your concerns, preferably without mentioning me. I will relay that information to him when I'm ready.

[xp_darcy]

To: Marie-Ange
CC: Kevin
From: Darcy

Subject: Re: Power-related Things

I am going to politely ignore the implications of what you just said because I am not going to reach for a drink. I will not. I do not have enough alcohol in my suite for this. They react to the electricity I am not capable of containing, not my brain. That's it. Nothing else.

Yes, I was planning on things I use often already and then branching out, but accounting for... technological simplicity is also a thing. Like the toaster in the break room that always burns the edges of whatever it's toast... oh.

Huh, I need to apologize to the phone in the reception area on Monday.