Made for Error

AI

𝚃𝚆: 𝚂𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎

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In 2083 a group of babies were selected to be a part of a trial, long since deemed inhuman. Those babies had a microchip with an artificial intelligence implanted into their heads. They were monitored closely for the next seven years before the trial was shut down.

The media got wind of the trial and spun stories about it. Those stories sparked outrage at the government for allowing that to happen. An investigation was launched. Only five weeks later was the trial shut was down for good.

The babies with the chips were seven years old at this point. The chips never got removed. The AI grew with the child. By 2100, a large amount of them had committed suicide, after reportedly saying the voice was driving them mad. Only a few survived into adulthood.

Many of the trial records were lost after they got shut down. The few records recovered included lists of the children with chips, their medical and growth records, and a never-published press release. Out of thirty kids, only seven are still alive twenty-two years later. Among them is Alessia Phillips-Grey.

~

Alessia woke up to Nova blaring in her head. What a great way to start the day, she thought. A headache already. Just great. Alessia had been a loner all her life, as the other kids found out she was a trial baby. They bullied her from the time she entered school, to the time she graduated, for being a freak. As she grew, so did Nova in a way. At first, Nova was a slightly feminine, robotic voice programmed to help and comfort her, when needed. Now, twenty-two years later, Nova was more of a friend, than a helper.

"Good morning Alessia," Nova said. "Sorry to wake you like that, but you didn't respond to my trying to wake you gently."

Alessia recalled the first time she remembered hearing Nova's voice. She was five then. Nova's voice was cool, robotic, and emotionless. Just now as she apologized to Alessia, her voice sounded empathetic, kind, and truly sorry. Her voice hasn't sounded robotic in years.

Upon sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal, Alessia checked the news on her phone.

"Really?" Nova scoffed. "Out of anything in the kitchen you chose cereal? And what have I told you about going on your phone first thing in the morning?" Nova asked.

"I don't care, Nova. Let me eat in peace." She remarked.

The first article in her newsfeed was 'Another Trial Baby Commits Suicide.'

Early Monday morning, a body was discovered at the bottom of the Terminal Tower, in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The body was identified to belong to Clarence James. Security cameras show that he rode the elevator to the top floor, then walked to the roof where he supposedly jumped. The body was examined and found to have... click to read more.

"How many people that were in the trial are still alive?" Alessia inquired, not expecting an answer.

"Six, including you," Nova said.

"Damn, okay."

After finishing her cereal, Alessia went to change for work. She didn't enjoy her job, but she was qualified and it paid well. It was also the only place she applied willing to hire a trial baby. There are many rumors and plenty of gossip surrounding the trial babies, and it only grows when another one dies. Alessia has heard of people making bets on who'd be the next one to die.

She pulled a simple blouse and pair of pants out of her closet. Nova gave a sound of approval as Alessia looked in the mirror. She gathered her things and left.

The same whispers and looks followed her as she walked into the office, taking a seat at her desk. Today they were louder. She could've sworn she heard her coworkers making bets that she would be next. Opening her computer, Alessia started to work on her assignments, given to her in an email. The day continued to drag on. She turned in a statistics report to her boss at 5 pm before leaving.