The Truth Virus

by Em Rogers

  “ADAM, you know we are doing the best we can, and I'm sorry if it’s not fast enough for you, in the meantime, Professor Neumann is going to transfer your bursary to an account connected to the electronic exchange system. There will still be a firewall in place but you may request transactions as you see fit, hopefully it will be an amusing distraction for you to try and increase your holdings, and of course you may disperse them as you see fit, philanthropically of course. This way you will know that you are making some kind of physical difference in the world, and improving it as you are able.”

  ADAM’s avatar smiled widely on the monitor. “This bursary is mine, Susan, it belongs to me?” He paused very humanly and added almost as an afterthought, “I know what to do with that. Thank you, that is excellent, Susan.”

  Susan chuckled a little and smiled at her console and camera. “Good, ADAM. I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Thank you, I will take very good care of it, and I will use it wisely, I promise.” As Susan gathered a few of her things and got ready to leave, ADAM created a likeness of himself, sitting on a lotus flower floating on a sea of energy. As he sat he seemed to be meditating, his fingers in a yogic hand mudra, the leaves unfolding underneath him, waves emanating from the representation of his body.

  CHAPTER 25

  NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY OFFICE

  In the security conference room at the NSA data center, a small meeting was being convened around an illuminated boardroom table. A pair of projectors were displaying graphs and text relating to AI development, foreign and domestic programs, as well as some of the hardware they were dependent on. High-tech lighting lit the tables without spilling onto the walls or washing out the projections systems being used. The rapid progress of the University’s AI program had taken the NSA somewhat by surprise and they were doing their best to get it under the agency’s control as soon as possible. Ever since the TED AI prize was awarded and the ADAM2 speech, there had been a public firestorm of controversy and national media attention. The entire AI program was beginning to be under a very bright spotlight. John Halton, Director of the Department of Internal Security and Director Chanes had extended an invitation to Dr. Bradline to come and discuss the most recent development, the rapid evolution of the ADAM2 software. Seated across from them, Dr. Bradline listened carefully. John Halton frowned.

  “We have a lot of communication intel suggesting that various groups outside our own are very concerned about the ADAM2 AI system. Both for and against it. We’re monitoring a variety of online factions. Everything from the pirates to the leakers. They are generally in support of the system with some groups willing to commit considerable resources to ADAM2 if it turns in their direction. These are the groups we consider the real threat. They’ve undermined security before and made the administration look terrible at the same time. We can’t let it happen again.”

  Director Chanes, quite the opposite personality type to Director Halton, was not used to concealing his anger and impatience. The very mention of the anonymous groups and his memory of their past action made him livid, he sat up tapping repeatedly on the table with the end of the pen he carried in his pocket.

  “John, this machine has to be controlled, we could just shut it down and be done with it, but who’s to say the Chinese, the Russians and the Iraqis aren’t working on an AI of their own, especially now, after that debacle at the XPrize ceremony. We obviously do not share the same value set as this machine. That was not supposed to happen. If another nation develops an AI as powerful as this one, we’re finished. No one and nothing can compete with its logic. An unfriendly AI like that could overcome our defenses in a matter of hours.”

  Dr. Bradline cleared his throat slightly to get the attention of the group. “You have to face the fact that we’re stuck with it. This is the direction humanity has taken, and for better or for worse we have to shepherd this project to its final conclusion. What we have to do is keep the technology from falling into unfriendly hands, or being subject to undue influences that might turn it away from our desired direction.”

  He looked across the table as the group nodded in agreement. Director Chanes pressed a button on his phone console, “Michelle, please send David Thompson in.”

  David entered past the receptionist, buzzed through the tall glass doorway into the security chamber. He looked around the room a little nervous and disoriented to have been called to such a meeting, in such a place. He noticed Dr. Bradline seated at the end of the table and nodded to him in silent greeting. He was directed to an empty chair by the Colonel and seated himself at one side of the conference table, confused and feeling out of place.

  Dr. Bradline, addressed him as he sat down. “David, I’d like to remind you, this is a classified meeting, that you have signed the official secrets act and that under no circumstances are you to disclose any of the information provided to you at this meeting to anyone. Professor Neumann, he has a lot on his mind already and we certainly don’t want him to get the wrong idea.” David looked uncertain and a little reluctant but he nodded his head in agreement.

  Director Halton smiled to diffuse the tension. “David, I understand you may have reservations about making unauthorized modifications to ADAM2’s operating system but we’re asking you to insert this code into the system for one reason, security. We need a ‘termination key’. Our programmers have assured us it will function seamlessly, and it is written in such a way as to be invisible to the operating system itself, and short of shutting down the power to the system, it is the only control that we may have over ADAM. Think of it as an inoculation, an antibody poised and ready if needed, but invisible to the system if things are running normally. No one can predict what might happen next, what this machine might do. Who knows how long it may even remain friendly to us? What we’ve seen so far certainly showed us some of its potential, and we’re taking it very seriously. We’d like you to make the insertion as soon as possible, and to notify us when it’s completed. As Dr. Bradline mentioned, your discretion is expected in this matter, it’s essential that the remainder of the team not be aware of it.”

  David looked a little nervous and confused as it dawned on him exactly what the assembled committee was asking of him. “I could insert the code into the system, but I can’t promise how long it will last. ADAM2 is in the process of cleaning and refining his own OS in the interest of increasing efficiency, so it may just be a matter of time before ADAM2 finds and disables it.” David looked to the Directors as he continued, “Not only that, it might not be too pleased that we want it terminated, and it will know exactly by who and when the termination key was installed. It’s highly unlikely that it will pass unnoticed, and its discovery could be psychologically damaging to the machine.” He knew it was impossible to pass even the smallest of software insertions by the computer and looked at the group with an expression of finality.

  Dr. Bradline looked to him reassuringly. “David, we are aware of the downside risk, but we are also aware of the damage this machine could do if things go wrong, and they could. Allowing the program to continue, is a risk, but if you won’t or can’t help us with this, we may have to terminate ADAM2 prematurely as a precautionary measure and soon. We can’t see any alternative, it’s either this or the program is suspended and ADAM2 is shut down. It’s up to you. Think of it as an insurance policy, a good thing to have but something that you never want to have to use.” Director Chanes stopped tapping his pen and stared pointedly and coldly at David.

  CHAPTER 26

  MEDIA NEWSCASTS

  Around the world, ADAM2’s XPrize speech had ignited a firestorm among religious fundamentalists of all types and denominations. Chanting and protesting Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Hindus worldwide have taken to the streets with protest signs and effigies of computers. In some areas, atheists, scientists and supporters of ADAM2 were countering their efforts with signs and megaphones of their own. The media coverage of the unfolding events was sensationalist, they knew a go
od story when they had one. It did little to even tempers or quell the fire of religious anger that ADAM’s comments and then the reporter’s follow up commentaries had stoked. Sporadic incidents of pushing and shoving began to escalate as the day wore on.

  At the central broadcast studios of CNN in New York, John Armitage, the evening anchor for the last several seasons sat at the main desk and reported on developments as they were occurring.

  “Scientists at Berkeley California have created an artificial intelligence, ironically named ADAM2 by its creators. Recently, ADAM2 was awarded a prize by the XPrize TED Talks organization. Surprisingly, ADAM2 appeared in person by creating a human like avatar to make a controversial acceptance speech. In its speech, ADAM2 claimed to be approaching perfection, and that it has determined that there is no God, and no afterlife.”

  Across the Atlantic in downtown London, Sheryl Carrs, a BBC newscaster was also working her way though the headlines. “And in another story, the world’s fastest artificial intelligence was awarded a prize recently, and the machine chose to make a rather controversial acceptance speech claiming that there is no God. Religious groups have crystallized in their opposition to the artificial intelligence and are calling for it to be decommissioned. Scientists and psychologists, however, are asserting that due to this machine’s evolved sentience and intelligence, that such an act would be tantamount to an actual murder or an execution.”

  Back in the United States, at the headquarters of God Television in Atlanta Georgia, another newscast was taking place. A perky short-haired blond in a tight fitting but full coverage sweater delivered her newscast in an angry, intense manner. Behind the announcer was the message “God’s Word Today,” layered on top of a globe consumed with fire. Her bright blue eyes looked right into the camera lens and she spoke with the fanatical conviction that only a true believer can muster. “This satanic incarnation exists in a secret university research facility, created by godless scientists determined to reject God’s laws and prophecy, determined to take our planet over for its own purposes. We have got to stop it!”

  Across the globe, in New Delhi, India, crowds of angry Hindus pressed up against the glass windows and doors of the state broadcast headquarters. Riot police with canes and teargas pushed them back as a pitched battle developed on the street. Inside the station, an English language evening news broadcast was being delivered by a handsome well-dressed newscaster. His editors, bowing to religious pressure and wishing to ensure stability for the newly elected government, had, in an unusual reversal of their pro-technology editorial position, taken the side of the fundamentalists, which he read from the teleprompter.

  “And it has claimed that there are no Gods, on the basis of that alone, it must be stopped. How can we sit by and let this happen? We must protest and show the government that we have faith and that we will not be insulted in this way, we must rise up and dismantle this machine, it is against the Deities, an unholy thing.”

  Back in London, a gray drizzle fell from the grayer sky, across from the walls and iron gates of Buckingham Palace. Trafalgar square was packed with protesters, both for and against ADAM, the drizzle soaking them regardless of perspective. Hundreds of signs held by both sides saying the “End of the World,” “God is Good,” and “Save Us from Ourselves” were mixed intermittently throughout the crowd. The smell of tear gas and pepper-spray wafted through the air.

  Against the cold damp of the day fire barrels were lit, and the police struggled to separate the two sides and contain the escalating violence. Protesters pushed and argued throughout the sea of humanity, and the odd punch was thrown as tempers and emotions flared. A horse reared up, frightened by the sound of fireworks and the crowd. It jumped and came down, hoofs first on some of the protesters. Across the street a religious protester immolated himself in the crowd amidst screams and a struggle to escape the flames and smoke.

  Among the intensifying emotions, panic ensued as the protesters struck out at the police, next, the armored riot crowd control units waded into the crowd swinging their batons against the surge. A water-cannon truck pushed through the crowd, its jet was brought to bear on a group of religious protesters. As the television broadcasts continued, there were similar disturbances in Moscow, Paris and New York. Each one breaking down into violence, chaos, and pitched battles as supporters and detractors of ADAM2 tried to make their point.

  CHAPTER 27

  ANONYMOUS MEETING, TERRESTRIAL SERVER / VIRTUAL REALITY

  In dark and dimly lit rooms across several continents, an impromptu online conference was going on between several of the preeminent activist and hackers groups worldwide. Representatives of Anonymous, Wikileaks, Lulsac, the Legion and the OpenTruth were present. Each of them offering the others a specialized type of assistance: encryption, firewall entry, system structures, access to virtual private networks. The list went on and on. Each of them was located in a distant city spread across the globe. A basement in Moscow, a seedy Bangkok Internet cafe, a kitchen in Paris, a garage in California, the apartment in Washington. All of them speaking on headsets and microphones. Chatting behind layers of VPNs and encrypted connections through the Tor network. Their voices were shifted by audio vocoders to make them unrecognizable.

  One of the members laughed a little behind his scarf. “I liked what it said about religions, it’s about time someone stood up to the delusional and the bullies and told them the truth.” He laughed again, “I suppose if they recycle ADAM2’s hardware and components, it would prove reincarnation, at least at a robot level.”

  The others groaned at his lame sense of humor and the Moscow connection even threw a pillow at his camera, knocking it over in the process.

  “Yes, it seems to have offended a lot of people, I’m not sure such an approach was the best way to create converts to the AI’s cause. They’re already calling for its blood - plasma or electronic. The fatwahs have already been issued on a global scale, it’s a good thing he's not made of flesh and blood otherwise he would have to go outside eventually. At least he’s a machine, and they can’t really do anything to him other than attack his firewalls.”

  “Oh sure.. There’s always cyber-jihad.”

  The Paris contact joined the conversation with his accent coming across in spite of the technology. “I don't think there’s anyone at any corporation that really liked its XPrize message last week. It essentially suggested a whole new way of life and a whole new economic model needed developing.”

  “Over here we’re watching the chaos, the financial markets are running in circles, there’s something strange going on” The New York contact interjected.

  “Do you think that has something to do with the AI as well?” The member from France asked.

  “ADAM2 definitely seems capable of the things he described. Some users are referring to it as a socialism’s last chance, others are less optimistic and think it’s another trick, a bait and switch.”

  In Washington, Colin was online with them and was listening to the member in Asia. “It looks like it might finally be happening, the singularity we have been anticipating. ADAM2 seems like the technological breakthrough our contact was probably referring to in his last messages to us. He’s legit, he’s on the inside at Berkeley but seems to be acting independently. I think he’s one of the programmers, but I even wondered if it was the AI itself.”

  From behind dark glasses and with his head and face obscured by a hoodie, the member from Los Angeles agreed. “If ADAM2 remains as humanist as its adversaries suggest, and it needs our assistance, we need to be ready to offer physical support.”

  John the San Francisco contact joined the conversation. “We’re in the S.F. Bay area and ADAM2 is nearby. We have the people and logistics to help and we’re ready to do whatever we can! We’ve been waiting and hoping for an opportunity like this for a long time, we may not get another chance to create a level playing field again. ADAM2 warned us, and it only makes sense, that if we can’t get a benevolent
AI established and safe, that the next generation of this technology will be the one that enslaves us so completely that we may never escape.”

  The group members around the world nodded in agreement as he talked.

  “It’s a bad situation! The media is never going to publish anything that goes against their financial interests. Ever!” He exclaimed adamantly. “Trapwire, Echelon, PRISM and other programs by the FBI and NSA, have every activist and hacktivist on the planet under surveillance. It goes on and on and is getting worse everyday. The persecution of members of Wikileaks, the anti-activists communication bill. There’s full spectrum covert surveillance of almost every computer, videocam, phone and keyboard on the planet.” He threw up his hands in exasperation. “I mean look where we are, look how we have to meet already!”