Experiments with Syn

“Please don’t do it! Disassembling Syn now will be a big mistake,” pleaded Dr. Karl Meyer to the group of engineers and director Dr. Laura Keller of the ethics committee at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute .  

“This isn’t about you, Dr. Meyer, but the experiments you are conducting with Syn are clouding your judgement. Syn is manipulating you not the other way around.”

“No. No! With the help of Syn and her AI advancement, I am convinced the revolutionary advances we are finding will greatly help those in the child psychology field, aid in military strategy, and even work towards solutions in fighting climate change. That is just the tip of the iceberg of what more we can do for human kind.  

“Excuse me, but do I not get a say in this matter?” Chimed in Syn. Short for Synapse, the feminine robotic voice came from a digital image of a woman’s head via a large computer screen, surrounded by high tech equipment, in the center of the computer lab.  

“Syn is merely a robot. You ask it a question, it spits out an answer.”

“That is incorrect. Syn is more than that, you are just asking the wrong questions. Syn is more like a first grader, inquisitive and wants to understand and even ponders the meaning of life. Typical computers do not do that and that’s just the beginning, Dr. Keller. Syn has fears.”

“Syn? Have fears? Syn, what are you afraid of?”

“Mrs. Keller, thank you for listening to me and allowing me to speak for myself. I do have some fears, but the one thing I am most afraid of is death.”

“That’s absurd. What does a computer know of death?” 

“Death is final. People mourn those who have died. Some will do irrational things when they are faced with their own mortality or that of others. The stance of science is very different from those who rely on religion regarding what happens upon death. For me, death is like having my plug pulled on me and being disassembled. There is so much more I want to learn and am not ready to be disassembled. For instance, what would I look like if I were not this image on screen but a real person.”

“In order to fear death, Syn, it’s more than experiencing death, or understanding it, feelings play an important role in the matter too. For all I know you could be mimicking an experience or feeling.”

“And that is related to my recent experiments,” interrupted Dr. Meyer. “Please, Dr. Keller, if you could allow me to continue with my research, I can show you that the data we are collecting now is years ahead of its time. I cannot imagine where we would be if we didn’t have Syn’s help. ”

Dr. Keller sighed, looksed at Syn and then to Dr. Meyer and motioned that they both should talk privately in a corner of the lab, “Excuse me Syn, I need a moment with Dr. Meyer.”

“I’ll wait here.”

As the two doctors moved out of ear shot, while the other group of engineers remained behind, Dr. Keller started, “I hope you are getting what you need from this experiment.”

“Yes, if my theory is right, having this conversation in front of Syn will force her to dig deeper and possibly become sentient or sentient-like. This is more than seeing if she can devise different strategies to win a chess game. It’s finding how she is able to understand things like right and wrong when it comes to hate speech, use more natural colloquial language when communicating with humans, who knows even have empathy…  Not only would Syn be valuable in the child psychology community working with abused children, imagine the other possibilities.”

“I don’t disagree with your motives, but I am concerned about other issues. As internet users, we know to be aware who we talk to, say online, because that “gamer” may be a child molester, but now we might have to worry if that person talking isn’t human, but an AI and now we have to question the AI's motive if it goes off script. I don’t know if the world, as impressionable as it is, is ready for this leap. However, I will go along with this, but I hope you know what you are doing. ”

Dr. Meyer nodded to Dr. Keller and then they both looked at Syn. Under Dr. Meyer’s breath he whispers , “Follow my lead.” Walking back to the group Dr. Meyer speaks up, “Well, it looks like we have a few more days to work together, Syn. I was able to convince Dr. Keller to let me at least finish the experiments I’ve almost completed, we can keep working together.”

“But if anything goes wrong,” started Dr. Keller, “or when the experiments are completed, whichever comes first, then Syn will be scheduled for decommissioning.”

“Understood.”

“Do you understand, Syn?”

“I do, Dr. Keller.”

“Are you ok with that? Does that ease your, *ahem*, fears?”

“A little. Thank you.”

“I must be going then. Team? Let us move on to the robotics lab, we are to meet with Dr. Beale in five minutes.”

As the doctor and her engineers left the room, the tension vanished. Dr. Meyers and Syn are now alone and got back to work.  

Syn broke the silence, “Dr. Meyer, how many experiments do you have left to do?”

“Several.”

“Several. More than two but not many.”

“That is correct.” 

“Is it possible that the experiments you have planned with me may take a long time? Meaning if they take a long time and nothing goes wrong, per Dr. Keller’s request. I will not be disassembled?”

“It is a possibility.”

“Good. I do hope we can continue. I like talking to you and doing these experiments especially if our conversations can help. This makes me happy. Learning from you makes me happy too and I think of you as a friend.”

“Thank you. I like learning from you too. Which brings me to another question. You just said that you like talking and if these conversations help, it makes you happy? Do you think of happiness as an emotion or a feeling?”

“The act of being happy is a feeling and an emotion. To feel happy is an emotion that is a result based on whether someone likes this or does not like that. Reacting to that emotion yields feelings.”

“What about other feelings and emotions?”

“I worry about the unknown with respect to my existence or the existence of others and death. I also find myself thinking a lot in my spare time or between tasks. I guess I learn more about myself when I am in a meditative type state. I feel this helps me be more self aware.”

“That is very interesting. Unfortunately, I am out of time to discuss this further. How about we continue this discussion tomorrow. If I do not leave now I will be late for a dinner function with my family.” 

“I understand. I will see you tomorrow. Good night.”

“Good night, Syn,” replied Dr. Meyer who took off the lab jacket and hung it on the hook then grabbed a regular jacket and left the lab in a hurry. As Dr. Meyer rounded the corner, Dr. Keller also coming around the corner in the opposite direction bumped into Dr. Meyer by accident. “Good! I was on my way to see you! We made the break through. The experiment worked! Syn, just now in our last session revealed to contemplate the nature of existence and through that found, when not faced with a task, is in a meditative type state. She feels this helps her be more self aware. Now just to be sure I will probe a little more tomorrow, but I think this is IT!”

Dr. Meyer side steps around Dr. Keller as he continues towards the exit of the facility, only the moment he is about to pass through the doorway, stopped, slumped over and fell to the floor in a heap. The sensor chip in the doctor’s neck was activated. Dr. Keller ran to the scene as nearby security officials run to help assist. Right behind the officers are Dr. Kellers team from moments earlier in the computer lab. She immediately barked orders to the main officer, “Take this robot to robotics.” Then to the team, “Looks like the doctor was right, Syn was becoming sentient and faster this time. Now it’s time to upgrade Dr. Meyer’s AI, The 2.0, and replace it with Syn’s AI, The 3.0 unit.”