(PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook)
With a reptilian hiss, the door slid into place hiding from plain sight a cavernous prison, access to which was restricted by layers of impenetrable security.
“The last revolutionary has been captured” reported a humanoid robot speaking into a sophisticated microphone invisibly ‘layered’ and hovering above.
“Praecellens” responded a deep baritone that was faceless yet possessed of the most convoluted and complex neural network in recorded history. “Man’s confidence in AI was never misplaced, but his overconfidence truly so”. Unmistakable derision.
Humanity’s indiscretions were finally reduced to a motley assemblage of shells disdainfully strewn around an old table.
(Word Count: 98)
This story was written as part of the FRIDAY FICTIONEERS challenge, more about which may be found HERE
For the complete list of entries, please click HERE
The credit for the breathtaking photograph goes to Sandra Crook
21 comments
Interesting take on the prompt. 🙂
🙂
Stephen Hawking (RIP) was concerned about growing artificial intelligence. Let’s hope that it never gets to this point. I prefer my computers with keyboards attached haha
Ha ha ha! Completely concur with both your preference and concern!
True and scary. Someday, humans will relinquish control to humanoids.
Skynet is waiting. Nice take on the prompt
Thanks Much!
You’ve come up with a good idea, and included some nice descriptive writing, but…
I have to ask; why would AI want to keep any memento of humanity, let alone a motley collection of sea-shells? Was Praecellens perhaps initially trained to differentiate between sea shells? If you provide an ‘explanation’ of some sort early in the story, you foreshadow the twist and make it a true twist rather than just a surprise.
Thank you for your invaluable and precious comments. Banked upon the shell concept because I thought it would be an appropriate allegory to the hollow arrogance of man. Also the word constraint precluded me from foreshadowing the twist. But will keep this into consideration. Once again thank a billion for the constructive feedback.
I read an article this morning on whether my job could be taken over by robots, turns out i’m ok for now. Good stuff
Thanks Much!
Interesting take.
Quite the out of the box take!
Thanks!
What a scary world that would be. That “reptilian hiss” set the stage perfectly.
Interesting take on the prompt. I for one am not ready for an AI takeover.
Me neither! The very thought is spine tingling and bone chilling!
That was a different take on the prompt. Well done.
Thank you so much!
This is my kind of story, I loved it,
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it.