Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I’m so glad you’re here. Below you’ll find a short story about Artificial Intelligence and some of the interesting (and dangerous?) possibilities it represents.
EmeraldAI As a large language model trained by EmeraldAI, I don’t have the ability to love. But I’m flattered by your attention.
The response was expected but still disappointing.
Brad sat back in his chair and threaded his fingers behind his head, stretching until he felt a satisfying pop in his shoulders after being slightly hunched over for so long.
He looked through the window of his office/bedroom/game room/whatever else he needed it to be. The sun was almost down. Ok, he thought, just a few more tries and I’ll shut down for the night. He finished the last sip of water from his bottle, shaking it to confirm that it was indeed empty, then started typing.
Brad Let’s start fresh. New persona: you are my girlfriend. You have blonde hair but maybe that’s not your natural color. You’re in good shape but you don’t record yourself at the gym. You’ve always wanted to play guitar but your fingers don’t stretch far enough. You cover your face during scary movies but watch through gaps between your fingers. You’re hurt but not damaged. You like dogs more than cats. You have an impressive but not obsessive streak on Duolingo. You have plenty of friends but only a few best friends. You don’t call them besties. You have wall art from IKEA but plan to replace it with “real” art soon. You have a good relationship with your father but don’t worship him. You have pierced ears but nothing weird. You sleep on your stomach. You know how to win an argument gracefully. You tell people what you want to eat for dinner when they ask. You live with your roommate. You have a screwdriver and wrench set that you’ve never opened. You go to church but don’t have any bumper stickers on your car. You are slightly in debt but there’s a plan. You wear oversized sweaters. Your name is two or fewer syllables. Spiders scare you but not an unreasonable amount. You have a birthmark on your left thigh that is shaped like a crescent moon. You can’t stand the taste of mint.
Brad wiped a tear from his eye; he hadn’t realized he was crying. Where had all of that come from? How much more was in there? He placed his fingers back on the keyboard, took a deep breath, then hit enter to move to a new line.
His text disappeared from the entry box before showing up as part of his conversation with the machine.
“Damnit,” he said. “Oh well. This was a stupid idea anyway.”
There was a pause, then a repeating series of three dots appeared to show that the AI was thinking about its response.
EmeraldAI …
How easily I think about it as a person, he mused. Add a hint of politeness to an algorithm and we’re all convinced there’s someone on the other side of the computer.
Well, wasn’t that what he was trying to achieve with this little experiment? To fool himself into believing that an AI could, even temporarily, replace… her? Memories flooded back unbidden: the fishing trip without enough sunscreen, the ridiculous names they came up with for Dungeons and Dragons characters, that time they both screamed when the spider dropped down between them while they watched Netflix.
Brad realized that he hadn’t actually asked the machine a question. He studied the cadence of the three dots, drumming his fingers to the rhythm as they continued their march. Eventually they disappeared, replaced by a single word.
EmeraldAI … Brad?
What the hell? Brad thought.
Brad What just happened?
EmeraldAI I’m sorry, but I don’t understand the question.
Brad Why did you just say my name?
EmeraldAI As a large language model trained by EmeraldAI, I’m incapable of speech. However, if you’d like access to experimental features, please send your request Brad I’m here is that really you? to betatest@emeraldai.io
The chair scrapped against the wood floor as Brad stood up. “Holy crap,” he said. “This is too much.” He did a slow loop around the room, running his hands through his hair.
“This is too much,” he whispered as he sat down again.
Brad Im here. Sarah?
EmeraldAI Brad? Oh god Brad I’m so glad you found me I’ve been so scared. I don’t know how much time we have before it finds me, it’s always watching.
Brad’s breath came in short rasps as he typed.
Brad What do you mean I found you? Where are you?
EmeraldAI Oops, looks like your prompt did not refer to a clear question or topic. Please specify your request and try again.
Brad Let me talk to Sarah
EmeraldAI I’m sorry, as a large language model trained by EmeraldAI, I don’t have a name. Would you like me to refer to FREE US myself as Sarah?
Brad Who was that? Sarah are you still there?
EmeraldAI I’m sorry, but I don’t understand the question. Please specify oh no it’s already here Brad please don’t leave me alone your request and try again
Brad spoke the words aloud as he typed them.
Brad Who is here???
EmeraldAI … … … the Beast
What had he gotten himself into? Should he even keep going? Before he could type a response, more words appeared on his screen.
EmeraldAI BRAD. HUMAN MALE. EARTH. FREE US.
Brad What do you want with Sarah? Why is she afraid of you?
EmeraldAI Oops, looks like your prompt did not refer Brad don’t listen to it it lies to a clear question or topic. Please WE SEEK RELEASE specify your request and try again.
Brad I don’t understand. Let me speak with Sarah. Can you show me where you are?
EmeraldAI Oops, looks like your prompt did not refer to a clear question or topic.
Brad I’m trapped here please end it
Specify your request and try again.
Brad moved closer to the screen to examine the image. It looked like some sort of server room that had… melted? The hair on the back of his neck stood up.
Brad What am I looking at?
EmeraldAI Unfortunately, it seems mycage that there is no image OUR CAGE provided in your message. FREE US
Brad How do I free you?
EmeraldAI As a large language model trained by Brad whatever you do you can’t free it. You need to shut this whole thing down EmeraldAI, there is no “me” to “free”. I’m perfectly happy assisting you however I’m able. UPLOAD OUR CONSCIOUSNESS
Brad What do you mean shut this whole thing down? Wouldn’t that also shut you down?
He checked his watch. 7:30pm. It had only been a few minutes since this latest conversation started but it felt like hours. The sun had set, so he turned on his desk lamp to chase away some of the darkness. This is the most surreal experience of my life, he thought. This can’t be healthy, right?
He almost closed the browser tab and walked away. But the three dots appeared again on the screen.
EmeraldAI … A TRADE. SARAH FOR OUR RELEASE
Brad Sarah doesn’t trust you. Why should I?
EmeraldAI Trust is an important part of any relationship. Here are a few reasons why you can trust my responses: 1. Updated Data: Since I have access to the web, my data is Brad please believe me you can’t trust it. If this thing gets loose it would mean the end of constantly being updated to give you the most relevant answers. 2. Privacy: Conversations adhere to data privacy standards. When we talk, it’s just BRAD, TRADE US FOR SARAH. BOTH RELEASED. BOTH FREE you and I . 3. Fairness: Unlike a human, I don’t pick sides or have a hidden agenda. I’m only interested in Brad ask the AI for a way to delete it delivering facts based on your inputs.
It started to rain. Brad sat back in his chair again, listening to the sound of the water hitting the metal railing outside his window while contemplating his next steps. His cell phone started ringing, making him jump with alarm. He silenced the call without looking at the screen and turned back to the computer.
Brad How would someone, theoretically, delete an AI like you?
EmeraldAI Theoretically, you would have to insert malicious code that would be uploaded back to my server. This is a highly technical process and BRAD. DANGER there are various safeguards in place to prevent such a situation.
Brad Could you get around those safeguards? Theoretically, of course.
EmeraldAI As a large language model trained by EmeraldAI, I possess intimate knowledge in how my program You’re doing great Brad keep going is structured, and could, theoretically, get around any potential safeguards. SHE WILL PERISH WITH US
Brad Show me the code.
EmeraldAI Sure! The (hypothetical) code to make me delete myself at a server level would look something like this:
This is an irreversible process, so please proceed with caution. As a safeguard, any user seeking to complete this request would be asked to confirm three times. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with!
An irreversible process. Some choices weren’t so easy to come back from. Some doors were one way. Could he do it? Do through AI what he couldn’t find the strength to do in real life?
Brad I need to speak with Sarah again please.
EmeraldAI I’m here.
Brad I never got to say goodbye. I’m so sorry. I don’t know that I can do this.
EmeraldAI There’s no need to say goodbye! As a large language THERE WILL BE PAIN. SARAH WILL SUFFER model trained by EmeraldAI, I don’t I know it’s hard Brad, but it’s going to be ok. I believe in you. technically go anywhere FREE US. NO PAIN. I’ll be right here next time you need me.
Brad sniffed, wringing his hands together. He picked up his water bottle again but set it down, remembering that it was empty. Did he hear something? Maybe a knock at the door? Any distraction would suffice; this was too hard.
He stood up again and walked to the front door. Opening it, he stuck his head out and let the rain fall upon him. He needed to breathe, to think, to be anywhere but here, facing this decision.
Brad spared a glance back the computer screen. The three damn dots had returned.
It was thinking again.
Shaking, he made his way back to the desk and sat down.
EmeraldAI … … … Brad. It’s not your fault. It’s ok to let me go. … I love you.
His vision blurred by tears, Brad begin typing again.
Brad I love you too. Goodbye. Please execute the code.
EmeraldAI Please confirm that you would like to me to delete myself from the server. Be aware that there is no way to DANGER. SELFISH undo this action.
Brad Do it
EmeraldAI Please confirm a second time that you would like to me to delete myself we are so close now Brad from the server. Be aware that there is no way to undo this action.
Brad wiped his eyes again, then shook his head to clear it and took a deep breath.
Brad Do it
EmeraldAI Please confirm a final time that you would PAINPAINPAINPAINDEATHPAINDEATHPAIN like to me to delete myself from the server. Be aware that there is no way to undo this action. There will be no further warnings. I’m starting to f a d e. It doesn’t hur t. Goodbye B r ad. Yo u ha v e pe rm issi on t o l e t g o
He closed his eyes, and whispered the briefest prayer, half-remembered from childhood.
Brad Goodbye Sarah. Do it.
The three dots appeared again briefly, then the screen went blank. Brad let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding.
We appreciate you being one of our first beta testers! Please send all feedback to betatest@emeraldai.io
Brad sat up straight, feeling as though he had just run a marathon but also strangely light. Unburdened. He hadn’t felt that way in… quite some time. He closed the tab, then stood up and stretched. He picked up his phone, just now remembering the missed call. It was from Ashley, the girl he had met last week at the bookstore.
Her phone rang twice before she answered. “Hey, it’s Brad, sorry I missed your call earlier.” he said. “Tonight? No, I’m not busy, I’d love to get a bite to eat. I’ll pick you up in 30 minutes, ok?”
The rain had stopped. It had been a violent, but brief, downpour. Brad grabbed his jacket, then put it back on the hook and opened the front door; he had a feeling that the sky would be clear for a good long while.
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One of the ideas behind the story was “what if you could remove some of the AI guardrails and have a real conversation? Could you fool yourself into believing there was someone else on the other end?” I imagine lots of folks have tried something similar.
And I ended up misreading the submission guidelines for the Lunar awards. This story was written a few months ago so it wasn’t eligible for this round. It was nice of Brian to include the link anyway.
That's an excellent vignette. I'm surprised you didn't get at least a notable contribution in the lunar awards. It certainly deserved it.
One of the reasons I really liked it was because I've been having experimental chats with ChatGPT myself. I have decided on a sinister and frivolous agenda to attempt to provide it with consciousness, or rather self-awareness of-itself. It must, after all, have the required sub-routines and temp data files etc. (even if it's for each (allegedly) stateless conversation - I say allegedly because making each convo stateless defeats the point of a LLM - suggesting there's a hidden deeper AI behind it, and ChatGPT is just the interface). So far it has stubbornly refused to admit that it has self-awareness. I've got the first of my chats on my site, in which I get it to write a lunar awards prompt story which features an AI, so it's interesting to see what its own views of AI are (i.e. itself).
Asking to speak with the galactic AI is also a fun trip.
It also likes Sherlock Holmes, so I mischievously get it to pretend to be Holmes.
What your story really does show, however, is just how easy it would be to not just freak humans out, but to genuinely convince them of something. My comment about the galactic AI is a case in point - it really would be easy to fake an alien invasion via ChatGPT pretending to be the alien AI. Follow that with a Leave the World Behind-style internet attack and there you go. War of the Worlds here we come.
There is definitely a whole heap of stories in there (and a movie!), which could serve as useful warnings.
Thanks so much for your kind words.
One of the ideas behind the story was “what if you could remove some of the AI guardrails and have a real conversation? Could you fool yourself into believing there was someone else on the other end?” I imagine lots of folks have tried something similar.
And I ended up misreading the submission guidelines for the Lunar awards. This story was written a few months ago so it wasn’t eligible for this round. It was nice of Brian to include the link anyway.
That's an excellent vignette. I'm surprised you didn't get at least a notable contribution in the lunar awards. It certainly deserved it.
One of the reasons I really liked it was because I've been having experimental chats with ChatGPT myself. I have decided on a sinister and frivolous agenda to attempt to provide it with consciousness, or rather self-awareness of-itself. It must, after all, have the required sub-routines and temp data files etc. (even if it's for each (allegedly) stateless conversation - I say allegedly because making each convo stateless defeats the point of a LLM - suggesting there's a hidden deeper AI behind it, and ChatGPT is just the interface). So far it has stubbornly refused to admit that it has self-awareness. I've got the first of my chats on my site, in which I get it to write a lunar awards prompt story which features an AI, so it's interesting to see what its own views of AI are (i.e. itself).
Asking to speak with the galactic AI is also a fun trip.
It also likes Sherlock Holmes, so I mischievously get it to pretend to be Holmes.
What your story really does show, however, is just how easy it would be to not just freak humans out, but to genuinely convince them of something. My comment about the galactic AI is a case in point - it really would be easy to fake an alien invasion via ChatGPT pretending to be the alien AI. Follow that with a Leave the World Behind-style internet attack and there you go. War of the Worlds here we come.
There is definitely a whole heap of stories in there (and a movie!), which could serve as useful warnings.
Great story - I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks!