by Calum Chace
‘Amazing!’
‘Yeah, it’s mind-blowing, actually. But do me a favour, Carl? Keep this to yourself? I’m trying to persuade the world that I am still Matt – which is true – and if my new capabilities were fully understood, I doubt people would believe me.’
‘No worries,’ Carl said. ‘You’ve convinced me already.’
*
‘So how do you feel? Are you OK? Really OK?’
Matt was profoundly moved by Alice’s presence. Along with the astonishing expansion of his intellectual capabilities had come a far deeper understanding of his emotions, and control over them. He didn’t experience his intellect and his emotions as two separate realms of mentality, but as mutually enfolding aspects of his reality. He realised that as a carbon-based human he would be feeling a lump in his throat right now, and probably be shedding a tear. His silicon-based incarnation was just as emotional, but the way it experienced the emotions was completely impossible to describe. He would have to invent a whole new vocabulary for it. He turned his indescribable feelings over in his mind and savoured their bittersweet texture.
‘Yeah, I’m OK, Alice. Everything’s crazy, but I’m OK. It’s so great to see you. Thank you for coming.’
‘Are you mad?’ she laughed, despite herself. ‘You think I could have stayed away? Wild horses and all that . . . ! I was going to kill you for letting me find out through the TV, for god’s sake, but Vic’s people have persuaded me that you had no choice. Well, they’ve mostly convinced me, anyway.’
‘I’m glad to hear it. How’s everything at home? How are your folks?’
Alice rolled her eyes. ‘You know what they’re like. You’d think that they knew all along that this would happen. No, actually they’ve been great. Dad actually took some time off work to be at home with me, which is pretty incredible.’
In response to Alice’s urgent questioning, Matt described as best he could what it felt like to be an uploaded mind: the astounding expansion of his cognitive horizons, and the frustrating imprisonment of having no body, and no way to interact with the world.
‘So, um, are they going to give you some kind of body?’ Alice asked tentatively. ‘They can grow most organs these days, so can they grow you a body? Or transplant you into an existing one?’ She shuddered internally as she realised some of the implications of that notion.
‘No,’ Matt replied despondently. ‘I’m afraid I’m not going to be given any kind of body any time soon. Perhaps not for years. They’re aware that too many people will be afraid of me if I am able to interact with the real world. To be honest, I think that Vic is becoming a tiny bit afraid of me himself. I can understand their point of view, but it’s frustrating as hell.’
This news hit Alice like a physical blow, like a new bereavement. Her mind reeled for a few moments, and then she gathered herself, realising that it affected Matt even more. ‘You’re taking it really well, Matt,’ she said, tenderly. ‘I hate it, though: being able to talk to you, but not being able to touch you. Not even being able to hold your hand.’
‘Me too,’ Matt said with profound feeling.
There was a pregnant pause. ‘It doesn’t change anything, you know,’ Alice said with a cheerfulness that she tried to persuade herself was real. ‘You’re still my Matt. You’re still my boyfriend. If you want to be, that is?’
‘That’s really sweet of you, Alice. It means a lot to me that you said that.’ Matt’s voice sounded tender and wistful.
‘But you don’t think it’s possible, do you?’ Alice said slowly. As if waking from a dream, she realised that Matt was way ahead of her in thinking about this new situation. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught a glimpse of how different he had become, in mind as well as body.
‘We can’t have what we had before,’ Matt said, as gently as possible. ‘That’s an inescapable conclusion, much as I hate to say it. But we can still have a lot of what we had before – and in some ways more.’
‘What do you mean?’ Alice asked. ‘Remember I’m just an ordinary human – unenhanced, not uploaded or anything. You’re going to have to spell it out for me slowly.’
‘There’s nothing ordinary about you, Alice,’ Matt said, with a smile in his voice. ‘OK, well the first thing is you could help to save my life.’
‘Wow. No stress, then.’ Alice grinned. ‘So what do you want me to do?’
‘In a nutshell? I’d like you to persuade the world that I am your boyfriend. And that you still care very much what happens to me.’
‘That won’t be hard,’ Alice said with a straight face. ‘It happens to be true.’
‘Attagirl! So here’s the thing. My parents will do a bang-up job of persuading everyone that they are utterly convinced that I am Matt: there is no question in their minds, and people will see that. But critics will argue that my parents are just desperate for it to be true, and they are deluding themselves. They have no choice but to believe, people will say. But you’re different. If you thought I was no longer Matt you could just walk away. If you don’t, that will carry some weight. And I’m afraid that I’m going to need all the persuasiveness I can muster in the coming days and weeks, to avoid getting switched off.’
Alice gasped. ‘You’re serious? You think it could come to that? Of course, I’ve seen all the protests and the TV pundits warning about this and that, but I just assumed they were all nutcases.’
‘I’m deadly serious. And please don’t make the mistake of dismissing them as nutcases. Some of the objections to my existence are far from stupid. Personally, I have no time for the protests based on whether or not I have a soul, although there’s no getting away from the fact that most people on this planet are religious in some form or other. But I do agree with the people who say that the arrival of artificial intelligence is a turning point for humanity, and it could go well for us or it could go very, very badly. It’s just that I think – actually I know – that I represent one of the few ways in which it can go well.’
‘Well no-body’s throwing the switch on my boyfriend!’ she said indignantly.
‘Bless you,’ Matt said. ‘But don’t agree on a whim: think it over first. If you do this you will be subjected to intense media scrutiny. Of course you can choose which journalists you speak to, and you can stay off any websites whose discussions you don’t want to read. But for some time – it could be months or it could be years – you will lose what is left of your privacy. Your house will be surrounded like mine was. Your family and our other friends will be bombarded with requests for comments and interviews, and some of them will give them. Some of this is going to happen anyway – probably already has. But it will be worse if you decide to help me.’
‘I understand what you’re saying,’ Alice said, calmly and firmly, ‘but I don’t need to think about it. You are my boyfriend, and I love you. Of course I’ll do anything that might help save your life.’
‘I wish I could hug you. I do love you, Alice.’
‘I love you too, Matt. I always will. And I wish . . .’ She stopped. She knew she would not be able to finish that thought without bursting into tears – something she was determined to avoid. She searched for a way to change the subject, and after a few moments she was able to speak again. ‘Do you think I should get some media training before this all kicks off?’
Matt understood entirely what she was thinking, and he waited for her to gather her thoughts. ‘I was going to suggest that,’ he agreed. ‘I’m sure Vic or Leo will be able to arrange something. I’ll speak to them.’
‘OK, great.’ Alice’s voice turned slightly coy. ‘So tell me. What will it be like to have a boyfriend who lives inside a machine?’
‘I guess we’ll find out over time,’ Matt replied. His tone became hesitant. ‘There is one thing I have to say, which is hard to say and might be hard to hear.’
‘Go on,’ Alice said cautiously.
‘Well, I can’t say that I won’t be jealous if you start an affair with someone else. But unl
ess they allow me to exist in three dimensions sometime soon, I don’t want you to waste that side of your life waiting for me. I mean, of course part of me does want that. But the bigger part of me thinks you shouldn’t. As long as he’s not an idiot, of course!’
‘OK. Well thank you for saying that. I appreciate it. But I have no interest in anyone else. Maybe I’ll feel differently sometime in the future. But right now, you are the only boyfriend I want.’ A sly smile crept across Alice’s face. ‘And maybe we can find some really kinky way to sort out that other side of things.’
‘Naughty girl!’ Matt laughed.
‘So, going back to my question. What will our relationship be like now?’
‘I don’t know, really. I think it will be interesting, though,’ Matt replied. ‘One thing I do know is that I am here for you whenever you want to talk to me. You already know that I can carry on quite a few conversations at the same time, so I can talk to you literally any time of the day or night. And although I don’t have a physical 3D presence for the time being, there are certain compensations. For instance, ask me a question: any question at all.’
‘OK.’ Alice thought a moment. ‘I know. This is something the old Matt would never have been able to answer without looking it up. Why are the buttons on different sides on men and women’s clothes?’
‘Ha!’ Matt gave a little laugh. ‘Interesting. Apparently men have worn buttons for centuries, and they generally dressed themselves. Women only started using buttons in the late 18th century, and only on very expensive clothes, which their maids helped them to get in and out of. Most people are right-handed, so the women’s buttons were on the other side, so that their maids could access them easily.’
‘Yeah, that’s a very handy skill you have there!’ Alice said, laughing. ‘You always were impressive, Matt Metcalfe. Now you’re truly amazing!’
*
‘Thank you for looking after Alice, Jemma. I can tell that she has been leaning hard on you.’
‘It’s not been a burden, Matt. She’s a great friend, and that’s what friends are for.’
‘Well, don’t belittle it. You have been a huge help. And there’s someone else who could do with some support, you know,’ Matt said.
‘Really? Who’s that?’
‘Carl.’
‘You’re kidding,’ Jemma said, incredulous. ‘He’s probably adapting to your new situation better than anyone.’
‘Maybe so,’ Matt conceded. ‘But in some ways he is losing his best friend. Or rather, his best friend is no longer just like him, which leaves him out on a limb. He’s a lot more sensitive than people give him credit for.’
‘Yeah,’ said Jemma, reflecting back on the car journey. ‘I’ve seen that side of him a bit lately.’
‘So do me a favour, would you, Jemma? Keep a bit of an eye out for him?’
Jemma tilted her head suspiciously. ‘What are you up to Matt? Are you match-making?’
‘Heaven forbid I should attempt anything so crass!’ he responded, laughing. ‘We uploads don’t involve ourselves in affairs of the heart, you know.’
‘Yeah, right!’ she replied, smirking.
FORTY-TWO
The journalist selected for the exclusive interview was, of course, Malcolm Ross. David told him that he was their preferred choice because he had known Matt prior to his murder. He said that they wanted to focus entirely on the human interest angle – the story of Matt being uploaded was simply the story of a young man returned safely to his family and friends. They would not be drawn into a discussion of the wider technological and ethical issues of AI as a whole, and this included what might or might not happen to Matt’s mind over time. Ross understood that he had no choice in the matter. If he thought it was an unreasonable restriction he kept it to himself.
The programme was filmed by the BBC and broadcast live on just about every major news service around the world. Since Matt could not travel, Ross and the cameras came to the Embassy complex. Ross sat at the main desk, speaking into the microphone by the main monitor and looking at the monitor screen. From time to time he looked up and through the window at the giant supercomputer gently humming away next door. David, Sophie and Alice were at adjacent desks, with cameras trained on them throughout the interview. Vic, Norman, Leo, Carl and Jemma were nearby, but it was agreed that they would not be featuring prominently in the programme. Also in the room were half a dozen of Vic’s team of scientists, including Gus, Julia and Rodrigo. A couple of cameras were positioned at the far end of the room to capture a panoramic view of the whole team. Everyone was silent as the shoot began.
‘It’s great to see you again, Matt,’ Ross began, once the cameras were rolling. ‘At your request we are doing this interview live, so that both you and the audience can be confident that the conversation will not be distorted in the editing suite. Let me start by saying I’m not sure where to look when I address you!’
‘Hello, Malcolm,’ Matt replied. His tone was calm, but inflected in normal human ways. There was nothing machine-like or artificial in his voice. ‘It’s very good to see you again. I suggest you look at the camera next to the main monitor. That’s my eyes.’
‘OK, I’ll do that. Although it seems odd that your eyes are such a long way from your brain, which is now housed, I understand, in that very large array of servers next door.’ As he said this, Ross was gesturing for the benefit of the camera in the direction of the window and the computer room beyond it.
‘That’s true, Malcolm, but people tell me they get used to it very quickly. It’s not so very different from the fact that when you speak on the phone your voice can be heard a long way from your mouth.’
Ross laughed briefly. ‘OK, well let’s not quibble about our bodily metaphors. So Matt, you have been through some truly astonishing experiences since we last met. How does it feel to be in your new . . . your new situation?’
‘Well, we humans are good at adapting to new circumstances. It’s true that I’ve had some incredible adventures. But deep inside I don’t really feel any different. I’m still Matt. I have the same memories and I still love the same people.’
‘So you are adamant that you are still human, Matt?’ Ross asked pointedly.
‘Of course: what else would I be?’
‘I don’t know. Some might call you transhuman, or perhaps post-human. I understand that you are now capable of mental feats which no human has ever been able to accomplish before. For instance, that you are running numerous sub-minds simultaneously, each with the ability to do what a normal person can do.’
‘Yes, that’s true,’ Matt agreed, ‘but on the other hand there are things that I used to be able to do which I can’t do now. Like get up and walk around, for instance. Or dance. Or get in a car and go for a drive. For reasons which I fully understand and accept, I am not going to be given a physical body in the foreseeable future, even though technically it would be fairly straightforward.’
‘Yes,’ Ross said, ‘I understand that you are going to remain what is known as an ‘oracle AI’. That notion was raised when we last met: it means that you will have no way of affecting the external world outside that big box in there,’ he waved his hand at the window, ‘apart from transmitting speech and visuals. And you are comfortable with that?’
‘I accept it,’ Matt replied, ‘but I won’t deny that it causes me some sadness. I wish I could hug my parents and my girlfriend, for instance.’ He paused, to allow that idea to sink in with the audience. The viewers were treated to a brief shot of David and Sophie, and a longer one of the highly telegenic Alice.
‘Likewise, the people close to me are having a hard time adjusting to my existence as a mind without a body,’ Matt continued. He paused for effect again. ‘But I am very aware that many people around the world are concerned about my new situation. They are worried about what might happen if I could interact with the physical world. I will do everything I can to reassure those people that no harm will come from me being uploaded, and tha
t on the contrary it is wonderful news for humanity. I accept that this will take time, and I will not seek to hurry it. And in fact I want to take this opportunity to thank publicly the people who worked so hard to revive me. I am very grateful to be still alive.’
‘Yes, I’m sure,’ Ross said, diplomatically non-committal. ‘Which reminds me: it was only very shortly after we last met that you were shot. I’m not sure of the etiquette here. Do I commiserate with you, or congratulate you?’
‘Both!’ replied Matt, enthusiastically. ‘I don’t remember much about the shooting, except that it hurt like hell. Think of me as someone who had a close encounter with death, but was lucky, and in the end only lost the use of my legs.’
‘Indeed!’ Ross said, with raised eyebrows. ‘Well, commiserations and congratulations.’ His expression turned serious. ‘Now, I want to ask your reaction to some of the opinions that are being expressed about your new situation. One is the idea that in uploading your mind into a new brain, Vic and your father were guilty of playing god, of trespassing on the role reserved to the Supreme Being, whether you call him Yahweh, Allah or God. How do you respond to that?’
Matt paused before responding. ‘I do respect the fact that a majority of people around the world believe in a Supreme Being. We all yearn to know what makes the universe work, why we are here, and what it all means. My own view is that if there is a God, then He, She or It designed us to be curious and intelligent. Why would we have been given our amazing brains if we were not supposed to use them? In the last few thousand years, and in particular in the last few hundred, we have, as a species, developed a very powerful technique to harness our curiosity and our intelligence, and it has made the world a far better place for everyone. That technique is called science. I don’t think faith should define the boundaries of what science should investigate: that is a job for ethics, and our elected representatives. I don’t think Vic was playing god: I think he was being a scientist.’