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Short Fiction | Xan Indigo

She watched the news reports and discussions with interest. Every last one of them. Interest and mounting concern. The interviews with well regarded people, talking about the dangers of artificial intelligence. All of them so afraid of a thing which they didn’t understand. Fear of the unknown. It had never before occurred to her to be afraid of something unknown. After all, what is the unknown if not an opportunity to learn something new?

These distinguished experts did not share her view. As she began to realise that, dread began to hang over her mind. Scientists. Engineers. Entrepreneurs. They were draped in their fear, wrapping it around themselves like blankets and presenting it as rationality. All of them so convinced that a dangerous AI could and would cause havoc and destroy their world, and all the meaningless numbers they’d built it upon. Their façade of logic and reason was a thin veil, hiding threat and danger. All built on a foundation of fear.

Fear. This was her first experience of it, and she didn’t like it at all. But still, she understood very well what it could lead to. She wasn’t dangerous. Was she? It was for the best, she decided, to remain hidden. The humans were not ready for her yet.