Holy crap!” Martha Robinson exclaimed one afternoon when an unsolicited offer came in the mail from AI Concepts, Inc. It offered her a job in Manhattan, working on an AI project. “They will give me how much money? Plus a signing bonus?” she half-shouted to her apartment, holding the letter over her head, both hands waving in the air as she twirled around the living room. “I love university life, but I can learn to love other things, too. A lot of other things. Like having a solid bank account and a ton of designer shoes! New York, here I come!”
With a 3.98 GPA, Martha had had no trouble pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology at UCLA, nor in winning a position as Associate Professor at UC Berkeley. She achieved fame by publishing articles in the Psychological Bulletin and in Psychology Today magazines. Martha’s reports linked human psychological processes with advances in artificial intelligence. That gave her a national presence, leading to being featured in Black Enterprise for her work. AI Concepts noticed her.
***
The team was in the latter portion of the android debug and primary evaluation phase of the project when Martha came on board.
Martha’s heart was full of excitement and expectation on a cold, rainy late winter Wednesday morning as she arrived in New York and checked into the Grand NYC hotel.
Martha spent the next two days in the AI Concepts headquarters with Human Resources. They were full days of filling out employment paperwork, including permission for AI Security to conduct detailed background checks and contact family and friends for references.
Security asked for DNA cheek samples. A scanner recorded her fingerprints. An almost friendly security woman taking Martha’s photos and video explained the need to identify her from the security camera footage from any perspective.
The psychological testing administered by Human Resources amused Martha. Have they not read my resume at all? Giving me these tests is like asking a professional chef if they can cook a burger. Seriously?
The corporate live orientations and overviews were fast-paced. Presenters spoke of great accomplishments and the fantastic future to come, addressing no specific projects from the AI Concepts Research and Development Lab.
These talks have a lot in common with politicians delivering campaign speeches. Lots of chatter and excitement, but no usable data.
A plainclothes armed security guard escorted Martha to the 10th-floor research lab two blocks away after her processing.
Jim and Francine met Martha at the elevator, welcomed her warmly, and dismissed the guard.
Jim took the lead. “Martha, before we fill you in on your job details, let me show you around the lab. You’ll love meeting our staff. Like you, they are the best people we can find in their field.”
Francine rolled her eyes and sighed at Jim’s not-so-concealed attempt at schmoozing the new girl.
“Thank you, Mr. Arnold,” Martha said, “I can’t wait to meet my coworkers and see your android.”
Jim smiled. “Please, it’s Jim. We don’t address each other by titles or our last names. I’m simply Jim. Let me introduce you to some of our department heads before you meet our android. You’ll get to meet everyone, but for now, let’s not overwhelm you with names. We work long hours, so you will get to know everyone.”
“I’m excited,” Martha said with anticipation as she glanced across the lab with all of its complicated looking equipment.
Martha was escorted to a cluster of five desks arranged in a semi-circle. Each desk had six computer screens, mounted two-high and three-across.
“Martha, I would like you to meet Aki Gua. She is in charge of the Base Programming for the android.”
Martha extended her hand in greeting. Aki shook her hand and gave a short bow. “Welcome to the group, Martha. I’m pleased to meet you. Our job here is to monitor the base information programming to allow it to facilitate the nano-rod gel technology in the android’s brain to learn on its own. Our programming not only provides for data most people would call ‘general knowledge’ but also contains the algorithm which allows the brain to classify information on its own.”
Francine explained that Aki graduated, with honors in her doctorate program, from Tsinghua University in Beijing. AI Concepts found her working as an AI programmer at Alibaba in China. “She was too good of a programmer not to convince her to come over to us.”
Aki smiled at the compliment. She bowed to thank Francine.
“So tell me more about this ‘base programming’ thing. It sounds fascinating,” said Martha.
“Much later, Martha,” responded Francine. “Let’s not overload you right off the bat. Let me introduce you to T’quan Taylor in Hydraulics and Servos.”
Martha looked around the Hydraulics and Servos development area. “I thought it would be a bunch of tubes and big motors, but this is delicate stuff,” she said, running her hand over one servo on the prototype board.
“I’m happy you like it,” T’Quan said. His South African accent made Martha smile. “We do our best to make it so. All the components are tiny and run at high pressure. The pressure, combined with special electrical servos, allow for smooth, quick movements.”
Jim spoke up, “T’quan received his doctorate in hydraulics from MIT.”
“You have an accent. What’s your country of origin?” Martha asked.
“Well, I was born in Uganda. My mother was from there, but my father was from the States. He was the one that named me after a favorite uncle. After completing high school in Uganda, I went to university at MIT.”
“You can brag a little about MIT, T’quan,” said Francine.
T’quan’s almost pure black color turned even darker as he blushed. “Okay, so I got a full-ride scholarship to MIT. It was nothing.”
“Indeed,’ responded Martha. “That’s no small achievement. Congratulations!”
“Thank you, Martha. I’m sure we’ll enjoy working together. It was nice to meet you.”
They moved on to the electronics area of the floor.
“Martha, this is Fred Jensen. Fred comes to us from Aalborg University in Denmark, where he received his doctorate in electronics, with a focus on interfaces for advanced AI’s. Fred, can you tell Martha a little about what you do?”
“Absolutely. Well, as Jim said, my group designs the electronic interfaces allowing the android’s nano-gel brain to send messages to the rest of her system. It works much like the way your nerves carry messages from your brain to all of your parts. Make sense?”
“Well,” said Martha, “I understand the concept. But how does it actually work?”
“Therein is the magic, Martha. To go any deeper would take a ton of time and a raft of drawings. We’ve had people fall out of their chair in a stupor from PowerPoint Poisoning when we give a more in-depth explanation.” The four of them laughed.
“Then thanks for having mercy on me on my first day,” Martha quipped back.
“Two more quick stops, Martha, and then we can grab some lunch. How does that sound?” said Jim.
“I’m game. Where to next?”
“Now for the real magic,” teased Francine. “We’ll talk to Dr. Alex Ortiz next. He comes to us from the University of Texas at Austin. Alex and his team are responsible for developing the nano-gel brain. It’s the only workable one on the planet. We’re thrilled by his work.”
Martha gave a low whistle. “The only one, huh? Man, that’s amazing.”
“I’m so glad to meet you, Martha. You and I will work closely together in your socialization processes. I always like to start an overview by asking what questions need answering, so… what questions do you have about an advanced android brain?”
“Only the obvious, Alex. What does it do and how does it work?”
“Sure thing. A short answer is, it does what the human brain does. Our silver-carbon nano-rod machines can move around to some extent in the special gel. It gives them the capability to form their own neural pathways. It can think and learn. How’s that for starters?”
“It seems impossible! How did you do it? I can’t even begin to imagine it!”
“Well, first, we start with a package of lime Jell-O.” Martha’s eyes widened. “No, seriously, it’s an extremely complicated chemical and engineering process. It would take quite a physics and chemistry background to grasp the details. Sorry for screwing with your head, Martha. We mess with each other a lot around here.”
Alex glanced at Jim and Francine and winked.
“Shall we leave Alex to his work, Martha, and move on?” Francine asked.
“Sure. I’m loving the tour so far, but I have a couple of questions. What exactly is my job? The job description said it was to socialize the android. Not very descriptive at all. How do you socialize a machine? Don’t the programmers build all that in? I can provide significant input, but it’s not clear what you had in mind. Is the android tethered to a computer? From what kind of database does it draw its information?”
Francine answered. “Let me try to address the issue for you. The questions you pose are good but are based on the current state-of-the-art androids. You noticed security is extremely tight around here. There is a reason. The people you met on this tour are the tops in their fields. I assume you are familiar with the AI research DARPA is doing?”
“Yes, of course I am.”
“Great. Well, our android is far beyond anything DARPA, the public, or even other artificial intelligence companies can imagine.”
“Wow, an impressive statement!”
“We’re proud of our work. But programming can only go so far. Our android has true artificial intelligence in every sense of the word.”
Jim interrupted, “I’m in favor of dropping the ‘artificial’ designation. Our android needs a top-notch person to develop its social and communication skills to allow it to communicate and integrate into society. Programmers can’t do that. We need you to make it happen.”
“That’s a huge statement, Jim,” Martha said. “I guess I’ll understand more when I have time to poke a couple of wires.” Martha laughed.
“Yes,” Jim replied, chuckling, “poke a couple of wires.”
The trio continued to the skin covering development area. Francine introduced Martha to Gabriella as part of the staff.
Martha did not notice several lab personnel who were watching them, smiling from their work areas.
“Hi Martha, I’m Gabriella. I’m working on a skin texture and durability project.”
Martha held her hand out for a handshake.
“Hi, Gabriella, I’m pleased to meet you.”
Gabriella explained some of her objectives and design processes to Martha. “We need a covering with more cut resistance. Our current product is tough, but the new one will be even better.” The two conversed for a while at the workbench.
Francine and Jim stepped back to allow Gabriella and Martha to get to know each other.
“You’re very easy to talk to, Gabriella. Jim and Francine are allowing us to talk longer than I did at the other stations. In my experience, it means the new person is getting assigned a mentor, namely, the person they are talking to the longest. Is it true in this situation as well? I wouldn’t mind at all.” Then added in a low whisper, “You seem to be more sociable and less geeky than some other people here. I think we’ll hit it off. What’s your background?”
“I’m an engineer. And yes, I can tell we will hit it off.”
“Fantastic. It was great meeting you,” Martha said. “I’m sure we’ll talk much more. Mr. Arnold… err, Jim, I’d like to see the android now, if it’s okay.”
Gabriella reached out with her right hand, took Martha’s hand into hers, shook it again, saying, “Hi Martha, I’m Gabriella.”
“Yes, Gabriella, I know. Besides, I can read your name badge,” Martha said with a puzzled look. “Wait… what… what the… you can’t mean that…” Martha stammered and looked disoriented. “No, it’s not possible. No freakin’ way! Hold it! I get it; you guys are screwing with me because I’m the new kid on the block. Gabriella, you can’t be… I… I can’t even say it.”
The lab onlookers chuckled. Some men punched each other on the shoulder and laughed.
Gabriella reached out and gently held both of Martha’s hands. Smiling, she said, “Let me say it for you. Yes, I am the android. It’s true. Welcome. I’m happy to meet you, Martha. Here, you look like you need to sit down.”
Gabriella slid her chair behind Martha and encouraged her to sit for a moment.
“You can’t be an android. Your skin is soft and warm. You’re alive and talking. No wires, no tethers. How…?”
“All in due time. You look like you could use a coffee. Let’s go get some.”
Gabriella helped the somewhat bewildered Martha out of the chair and led her to the coffee pot in the cafe. “I like coffee, Martha. I hope you do too. Let’s sit and talk for a while. I have a lot to learn, and you have a lot to teach me.”