You could have Fooled Me

You could have Fooled Me

Hello there my name is Ramon Carina. I attend my local college ‘Rug- Moore innovative Art college’. Along with around 800 other artists.

The college is just like any other with the only difference being we are the first college too trial AI students. By that I don’t mean the usual traditional AI learning assistants like Alexa and Siri.

I mean there are around 80 of those students who are actual physical student humanoids mixing in with humans to learn for themselves. They blend in by looking like them and all though we are all aware of these students existing. No one has pointed out which students are Human and which are AI.

I’d like to think I can tell which students are not human, no matter how human they look or act. There are going to be certain things that give them away. Such as how they look close up and with a keen eye, their mannerisms.

For instance within my own friend group, I know one of the girls Romilly is obviously an AI. Don’t get me wrong she’s very attractive with her blue diamonesque eyes, and Purple pony tail. But when you look at her closely she has perfectly smooth skin with what looks like fake freckle marks on her right cheek. Making her almost glow, with a radiant light Olive skin tone.

I like to tease my friend Roman about his crush on her.

“Crushing on an AI Romey isn’t gonna get you far in life, maybe try a human girlfriend.”

“ Ramon how do you know she’s AI?”

“Look at her closely mate and you will see her skins not realistic. Nobody has such smooth skin. Plus she has a symmetrical face, not to mention, the badly created freckles.”

“Hmm I don’t know Ramon, I don’t really see any difference in her and she doesn’t have a robotic type of voice. We have had many conversations together and she seems legit.”

“ That’s the whole point of integrating them in with us, so we get used to having them around.”

Roman looked puzzled as he contemplated what I had said.

“Yeah ok but what about the other 79? How do you know I’m not an AI?”

“ Come on mate we basically grew up together, you my friend are most definitely human!”

“But how do you know my parents are actually my parents?’

“Well let’s see, you have dark brown curly hair and green eyes, which are currently blood shot from lack of sleep and you quite happily blush when I tease you.”

With that statement came a slap against my chest and his characteristic head-shake.

“Alright man if you say so. If Romilly is AI then I’m gonna have to say ‘welcome to the future, where you get to date the perfect girl’. Let’s hope your crush is human then hey ..later man?”

He chuckled to himself, walking away. I knew there was no way in this world I would crush on an AI. I paid attention to detail and I’d taken a close look at all three of the girls in our friend group. There was only one AI among us. The other two girls Ramona and Romina (my crush) were quite obviously real and human.

Romina with her brown wavy hair, deep olive skin, brown eyes, uneven freckles and her dimples when she smiled, flirting back with me made it clear she was human.

And, Ramona with her short blond pink toned dyed hair, pale porcelain skin, what looked like a cyst on her left cheek , not to mention both her cheeks having rough uneven looking skin patches. She had to be human. Of course I already know I’m human with my light brown hair, Amber eyes and golden toned skin.

Then there is also personality to consider. Having lived near Roman my whole life and gone through childhood years as best friends. It’s obvious we are both cool and not in danger of being anything but human. After all AI robot humanoids wouldn’t have aged. They would have been built, programmed and made to look fully human to fit in just like I can see Romilly has.

Her communication skills are not as complex as us humans are. All that reading between the lines, getting sarcasm etc. she doesn’t have that natural human filter. Instead she states the facts of a situation, quite unemotionally too. Oh there she is now, let me show you.

“Hi Romilly, how are you doing girl?”

“I’m ok thanks and you?”

“I’m really good today thanks...Wait is that all you have to say? What about an actual conversation?”

“What would you like to talk about Ramon?”

“Well anything really, that’s what friends do isn’t it? They talk about things they have in common”

“I’m not sure what you mean?”

“Well what do we have in common?”

“We are in the same art college.”

“Yes that’s true, but there must be other things we have in common?”

“Like what?”

“Like things we do in our spare time?”

“Ok, we hang out in the library”

“Yes that’s true but only to study”

“Yes, we are here to study art”

“Ok, don’t worry!”

“I’m not..."

There you go, she has monotone factual replies and no real enthusiasm in our conversation as she starts walking off.

"Ok then, bye Romilly, maybe catch ya later yeah?"

"Of course. I'll see you later Ramon.".

She walks off quietly to the library, probably to study, like the nerd she has been created to be. Or maybe she's just gonna recharge her batteries in the AI facility they have in the back of the library. I’ve seen her go in there a fair bit, she can only be going in there for one thing and thats to charge her batteries, Right.

Oh here comes Ramona and Romina

"Hi girls how are you both doing?"

"Hi Ramon, we're good how are you?" (A perfectly timed in tune Chorus).

"Yeah I'm good where are you off to?"

"We are off to the library to finish this collage, wanna join us?"

"Yeah sure Ramona. I just saw Romilly head that way."

"Cool! I need her opinion on something."

"Oh my opinion not good enough now Ramona?" Romina teases

"of course, but I like to compare both opinions" Ramona giggles.

When we arrive at the library, no one is there except the librarian.' I knew it!' Romilly is in the AI facility room. Not that I’d be able to confirm my suspicions. If I went over to check it out, not having a passcode. Also it’s a completely white wooden door with no windows. But I know I’m right, she’s the only one in our group who isn’t quite human enough to be a real human.

“It doesn’t look like Romilly came here after all” I state smugly.

“Ahh shoot I really needed her opinion!” Ramona pulls a disappointed look

“I guess you only have my opinion to go by after all Ramona.” Romina smiles satisfied with herself.

“ what did you want her opinion on Ramona, maybe I could help?” I ask

Ramona looks at me shaking her head.

“ It’s really a girls opinion I need on this, I’m not sure you are so good with makeup tips, but thanks for the offer Ramon.”

“Ok sure thing, should we get to that artwork then girls?”.

I ask as Roman walks into the library.

“Hi guys has anyone seen Romilly?”

“Well that’s just great mate! What about us three?’ I place my hand on my chest, and open my mouth into a shocked smily expression, mocking him. The girls giggle away.

“She probably went to the ladies room or home, it is her half day. “ Ramona states

“Oh, right of course I forgot that.”

I think to myself, ‘Hmm ok maybe I’m wrong about that! But there’s still something off about her’.

"Why don't you help us with this collage boys, it's about our time here after all?" Romina asks hopefully, looking at me with that flirty feathered eyelash blink of hers.

"Sure why not", Roman adds still looking disappointed about missing Romilly.

I nod that I’ll help too.

At the same time Ramona replies.

"Ok you three get started, I'm just gonna pop to the ladies."

We get started working on the collage, which shows our individual subjects, general meeting areas and of course the library. Romilly is completely right about the fact we spend most of our time there.

Around an hour or so later I notice Ramona still hasn't returned. I frown to myself ‘ thats odd she was only going to the ladies room, why has she been an hour? and why haven't Romina and Roman noticed she hasn't returned.'

"Hey Roman, Romina, didn't Ramona say she was going to the ladies? She's been there an hour or more do you think she's ok?"

"Knowing Ramona she's probably got distracted into something else and totally forgotten to come back." Romina laughs knowingly.

"Yeah your probably right.." I yawn. "It must be getting late, I’m ready for my bed.." I state

Romina and Roman look at each other and then back to me smiling. Just as Romina is about to reply Roman jumps in with

"Look who just came out of the AI facility room together"

I turn and see not only Romilly as I suspected, but Ramona with her.

"Whhhhat!" its all I can respond, I knew I was right about Romilly, but Ramona? HOW! she 's the most human of the whole group. As they approach I grin, looking at them both.

"Well I knew I was right about you Romilly, but Ramona I mean how can you be an AI?"

"How ?what?" Romina asks perplexed

Roman gets there before me with an amused look

"Ramon thinks Romilly is an AI humanoid.”

All four of them burst into laughter . It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Romilly laugh . And it’s strangely the most human I've ever seen her, now she's finally been caught out.

The girls look at each other knowingly. Ramona speaks first.

"Are you gonna tell him or shall I?"

"hmmm" Romilly coughs.

"Ramon, I'm most definitely not AI, but you are correct about Ramona."

Mouth agape I can’t help but comment what’s obvious to me.

"But your skin is too smooth to be real and Ramona's skin has the human bumpy exterior.."

With that Romilly hands me a handheld microscope and beckons me to look at her skin through it.

On closer inspection even though her skin looks smooth and perfected to the naked eye, I can see her pores and what I thought were fake freckles are actually foundation covered, real freckles.

"Wow!”

"Guess you can't tease me for having a crush on an AI Humanoid anymore huh?" Roman grins wider than a Cheshire Cat.

Romilly looks towards him with raised eyes, but doesn't answer and neither do I. Instead I am still needing my curiosity satisfied.

"So you're not an AI Humanoid?"

"But you both just came out of the AI facility room ." Another yawn escapes me, I honestly can't understand why I'm suddenly so tired.

Ramona is the one who replies.

"You do know Romilly is the robotics assistant student right?.. " When I don't respond she continues " The robotics lead Augustus Lange employ's one student on the robotics course a year, to assist him in the facility room. Their payment is his professional help in building their very own AI, with his full support and sponsorship"

"Here Ramon take a look at Ramona's skin as I explained she is an AI Humanoid" Romilly is pointing at Ramona’s face.

Again I take a look at the skin on Ramona’s face this time. What I thought was a cyst, is actually a small button with tiny writing on it. I can see it says 'Power, on/off'. Just below, on what looked like rough looking skin from a distance, is actually small but not so tiny, writing again. On the same cheek it says AI 1468 Ramona. On the other cheek it says property of Rug-Moore Innovative Art college." I'm completely gobsmacked by what I have just witnessed. Pulling back from Ramona's face I have to ask.

"Are you saying... Romilllly built yoooou.." I manage as the tiredness begins to overtake me. One last time I yawn starting to pass out just as Ramona replies.

"No not me I'm an original Augustus Lange AI 1468 . Romilly built an AI 1507, a more advanced and updated AI , She built..." The world turns black before I can hear anymore.

***

Hello, My name is Romilly Carina. I have built my AI 1507 to be the most complex yet.

He has been programmed to believe he is completely human and thus far acts as such.

The experiment is going so much better than I Anticipated, thanks to the supervision of Augustus Lange. With the help of my friends, Romina( Whom I programmed into his artificial episodic memory as being his preferred attraction), and stored in his neural networks. Along with Roman's past being added the same way, as if they always knew each other and grew up together.

Ramona AI 1468 was to help keep the experiment under control, by keeping a close eye on him. Acting as our fifth friend, and erasing all memories of his required recharges.

Due to this I named him after her and called him 'Ramon'

The experiment has been completely successful. His Memory is once again erased, reload commencing in 3 2 1….

"Thank you Ramona.. Hello Ramon how are you feeling?...."

The End