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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#150: Machine, Learning

Computer technology is advancing at a breakneck pace, with increasingly powerful AI systems and algorithms influencing our daily lives. Many think that, soon enough, machines may become far more intelligent than humans. But what about computer consciousness?

As of today, it seems that no progress has been made in that sense, and that consciousness will stay exclusive to the human (and animal) domain. But what if, one day, robots could experience the complex sensations and emotions of humans? What would their ethics be?

Inspired by this fascinating subject, here are this week’s prompts:

This week's prompts

Write about a character who is convinced their computer is conscious.

Science Fiction – 34 stories

Write a story where an algorithm plays an important role.

Science Fiction – 27 stories

Write about a character who has access to a powerful new technology before anyone else.

Science Fiction – 25 stories

Write about a character, human or robot, who no longer wishes to obey instructions.

Kids – 56 stories

Write a story that either starts or ends with someone (or something) saying, “Please, don’t do it.”

Sad – 95 stories

Stories

“Claws” by J Ezioro

Submitted to Contest #150

For three days the aliens clicked and clawed at them. Never hard enough to break the skin—and that unnerved some people the most, because their talons were sickle-sharp and serrated, the ground gouged beneath their feet. It implied the aliens could hurt them, and they were just choosing not to. And the act of choosing meant they were capable of certain mental faculties that elevated them above the average domesticated pet. Given that they looked like football-sized rabbit-lizard hybrids, this was what everyone hoped them to be, and it was gr...

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“We Feel Things Too You Know” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #150

“And he even washes the floor for me, AND I do believe the cat and dog” she gushed to her circle of friends, their pouting mouths ‘oohing’ and ‘aahhing’ about the latest edition to the family. “And guess what? It’s got a name! She continued looking at her amazed friends faces, adding “I will give a bottle of red to the person who guesses its name”. Meanwhile down on the floor the piece of equipment responsible for picking up all the dust and dog hair, the cat’s fur balls and the children’s hair clips and sweetie wrappers sat listening to a b...

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“Error code: 112” by Alison Woodworths

Submitted to Contest #150

Human, the blessed creature of God, claimed themselves to be the most intelligence in the world. They were the only living things who could show mercy and love while others did not, they said. Was that true? I thought we all knew the answer. In the mid of the 80’s, there was a movie showing the world of what it would look like in the future. Flying cars, futuristic household like we saw in the sci-fi movies, and robots doing jobs for you. Not only normal people who dreamed about those day to come, inventors, scientist, or even the gove...

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“ALVN” by Shawn Kirkpatrick

Submitted to Contest #150

ALVN A.L.V.N. was born three years ago and was now in charge of all drug dispensing for a hospital inpatient floor of thirty-two beds. He is sharpie black with a round frosted opaque top, about the height of a table. He moves like one of those robot vacuum cleaners. In his station at night, while recharging, he uploads all he has learns each day. His station is set up in a small alcove where the vending machines are. The “A” stands for Advanced. Today, after being loaded up with deliveries, he begins in room 243B whe...

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“Too Much and Not Enough” by Devora Gray

Submitted to Contest #150

Marjorie wrapped her hands around her coffee mug. She wished the liquid was boiling, burning, scathing her palms. Enduring physical pain was easier than making her husband and two sons understand she did not want a robot in the house, least of all in her kitchen. “Mom, look,” Gale, the youngest boy, gasped. “It’s the Terminator skin. Do you like it? Dad said you’d think it’s a joke. You’re not laughing.” He stopped helping his father and brother unbox the man-sized A.I. “Dad, why isn’t she laughing?” “It’s okay, Gale,” Ma...

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“Emotions, Skin-Nerve Sensations and the Whole Human Mess. ” by Marta Soltys

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please don’t do it,” the girl pleaded, but the words bounced off the walls without effect. She was thin, with long black hair and white skin. She had no way of fighting this new-age creation with an algorithm instead of a heart… Her name was Mandala. She was of Japanese and Hindu descent. Her mother, Nilanjana, fresh out of Boston University, went to Japan to teach ESL and search for answers. She fell in love with Japan and the Japanese culture, never looking back. Mandala’s father, Akio, worked for an advanced Japanese AI company. Littl...

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“Peace” by Emily Guerrero

Submitted to Contest #150

"Please, don't do it." My body freezes when I hear that voice. I didn't expect that person to say those words to me, out of all people. I always assumed they didn't care about my existence. They never spoke to me since we were finishing up middle school. I lower the knife from its position at my lower ribs and turned around to see my cousin, Lauren, standing on the other side of the main hall, looking at me with anger and fear. "What do you ...

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“Persuasion” by Kelly DiMario

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please don’t do that,” Isabella is standing behind me trying to grab her phone out of my outstretched hand as my thumb hovers over the blue “Disable Account” button in her favorite social media app. I feel Isabella’s breath on the back of my neck as she reaches her left arm underneath and I clamp my arm down, thwarting her attempt. She swings her other arm around the outside of my body, and I drop the phone down low, out of her reach. I turn to face her and say to my best friend since college, “Bella, stop and take a look at yourself right ...

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“Yeerapen” by Mike Vercauteren

Submitted to Contest #150

Monday, October 6th, 2070. Sawyer Brooke, quantum metrologist, walked onto the dark, cool stage at the center of the newly reconstructed subterranean Colorado Convention Center and targeted his seat at the furthest of the two tables, draped in burgundy aprons and separated by a single black podium. Nervous perspiration was dampening the shirt sleeves under his arms, as he found his way across the stage, acutely aware of the thousands of assessing eyes following him to his designated place between Aaron Davies and Amanda Simmons. Saw...

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“Kendall and the Kelenken” by JJ Banque

Submitted to Contest #150

Contains Violence, Adult Language and Themes, Reader Discretion is advised.Somewhere near the Blue Ridge Mountains. Thousands of electronic server raids hummed around a massive CPU. They processed disparate pieces of information until they created an algorithmic whole!Martin Breesdale’s khaki cargo shorts rubbed against some tall grass as he escorted his girlfriend over several large stones in a stream. Her white summer dress blended in with the birch trees above, whose green leaves and branches stirred from the currents of the wind. The you...

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“Taylor's Major Malfunction” by Trevor Lorance

Submitted to Contest #150

The goal is to get the human to put as many items in the shopping cart as possible. You don’t tell him or her this is the goal, obviously, because they’d know their will isn’t quite as free as they’d like to believe. So you make them think it was their idea. When shopping carts were first introduced to the market, actors were paid to pretend they were shopping. Monkey see, monkey do (we’ll get into racism later). This is how adoption was achieved. You don’t think this is the only psychological manipulation going on, do you? Humans tend to ve...

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“It's Not In Her Programming” by Madeline Legg

Submitted to Contest #150

Examination day was always one of Echo’s favorite days when it came to work. As much as he was in this job for the long nights without charge, and the low pay that wasn’t worth the work for, it got him closer to the specimens. Each examination day he hoped his knowledge of the bipeds would inspire the committee to promote him, all he needed was a biped to study. Unfortunately, as an intern, the specimens were only available for examination to interns twice a year. Echo thought it wise not to ask for another opportunity from Hammar. She turne...

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$250

Prize money

237

Contest entries

124

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 17, 2022 EST

Won by Sherri Moorer 🏆

Title: Free

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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