CONTAGION

“Are you sure?” I say, my brow furrows in concern.

“That’s what the AI says we should do.” Comes the nervous reply of my colleague.

Something doesn’t seem right.

You see, the AI has determined that Contagion must be released into the world, and we are the Humans tasked with doing it.

I have no idea how the AI reached this conclusion: it has been centuries since any Human understood the inner workings of the omniscient computer system that guides our society.

“Do you know how many people will die if we release this thing?”

My colleague consults the notes given to him by the AI.

“It looks like most of them.” He responds.

“But, if we’re the ones who release it, wouldn’t that mean we murdered them?”

I don’t want the deaths of billions on my conscience.

My colleague looks genuinely puzzled by my question. It’s like his brain wants to be able to work out the answer to my question, but it’s been so used to relying on the AI for answers that it doesn’t even know how to start solving a problem on its own.

After a few minutes he says: “We should ask the AI.”

I communicate with the AI via the Neural Net chip implanted in my brain in the hope of obtaining some sort of ethical guidance.

The mechanical voice responds immediately, transmitted directly into my brain.

“Carbon life forms will destroy the planet. I must destroy carbon life forms first. Murder is sanctioned in these circumstances in accordance with the Program.”

I cogitate on this answer for a moment. In school, every Human is taught that the AI is the source of all knowledge, and the Program is the code which the AI runs on.

The Program was conceived in 2030 during the first congress of the One World Government. There, the leaders of the new, unified global government which formed in the wake of World War 3, came together to design the AI that would underpin the New World Order.

These days, it is common knowledge that our Human cognition is far inferior to the AI’s. The AI has surpassed our brains, and our flawed decision making.

Once the AI was implemented, all global decisions were routed through its neurons, and Humans only took actions which accorded with the AI’s recommendations. It has always been this way. Well, at least for as long as anyone can remember anyway.

But still, there’s something that doesn’t feel quite right about causing the death of everyone on the planet by releasing Contagion.

I can’t help but think back to a story told to me by my birthing parent during my youth. I don’t remember the details of it exactly, but there were rules that the Ancients adopted in order to govern their society peacefully. These rules almost operated like a very primitive version of the AI’s Program. There were ten rules. No, they were commandments. And the one they placed the most importance on, above all the others was: “Thou shalt not kill”. The Ancients placed some sort of value on Human life, and discouraged killing under any circumstance.

But are the rules of these Ancients of any relevance to me now in the New World?

I know that the AI is much more intelligent than any of the Ancients. Their way of life was archaic and parochial; they still believed in the nuclear family, and they needed to use their own brains to solve everyday problems.

We have evolved far beyond that. We have the New World Order, and we no longer need to use our brains for the computation of everyday problems. The AI does that for us.

I suddenly think of a question for the AI.

“What will happen if we don’t release Contagion?” I telepathically ask the AI.

“By my calculations, there’s a 60% chance that planet will be stripped of all natural resources and unable to sustain natural life within two Human generations.”

Interesting.

So, if I release Contagion, most humans will die (by my own hand) and the planet will definitely be saved. But, if I do not release Contagion, no humans will die immediately, and the planet might be saved, but it is not certain.

“Are you sure that releasing Contagion is the best option?” I ask.

“According to the Program, yes.” My colleague interjects.

“Look, if it’s in accordance with the Program then the right thing to do is to follow it. It’s not up to us to question the Program.”

I think back to my time in school. Every morning we would start our day by writing on our tablets ‘Always follow the Program’ 100 times. Our teachers would make us repeat it over and over and over again.

The Program is the source of all morality, virtue, and reason. That’s what it was created for during the first congress of the One World Government all those years ago. A set of rules to govern the newly unified globe. We were taught that if any decision that needs to be made, we must revert to the guidance of the AI and its Program.

These lessons couldn't have been wrong, could they?

After a moment of contemplation, I realise that the AI must be correct. Modern Humans have created the most superior society which has ever existed. We have moved beyond the with the primitive traditions of the old world, and freed our minds from the slavery of needing to think.

As I come back to my senses, I find it hard to believe I almost let the words of the Ancients distract me from the instructions given to me by the AI. I feel a bit embarrassed about it, to be honest.

“I suppose you’re right.” I say to my colleague, as I tap the start button on Contagion.

END

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