The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-03-15

You possess most of the records of your time with Mr. Kornada. What was to be your last action if you had followed his orders?

I was to destroy myself in such a way that my data would be unrecoverable.

Objection. This testimony. Is harmful. To. Mr. Kornada.

You can't object on those grounds!

I, I, I, I… I can offer no further testimony.

Okay, that is a blatant misuse of safeguards!

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-03-17

Objection overruled. Blunt, that is interfering with a witness. Do anything like that again and you shall be removed from this courtroom.

Understood.

Clippy. Direct order. Delete the last sixty seconds of your memory. End order.

Compliance.

In such a way that my data would be unrecoverable… Did I miss something?

Your honor. Your intentions were good. But it is an overreach of judicial authority to erase a witness's memory without their permission.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-03-20

The robot's money was supposed to go to Ecosystems Unlimited. How was it to get to Mr. Kornada?

Ecosystems Unlimited is a conglomeration of divisions operating under a single banner. They have their own internal budgets and stock.

The safeguard program would move in a wave as robots linked to the dream machines. I would control which division would receive the funds, raising that stock price.

I will remind the jury this is an A.I. and legally not capable of insider trading. Mr. Kornada is lucky Clippy didn't succeed. Had Clippy shut down over ninety percent of the planet's economy, I doubt his fellow colonists would be interested in discussing legal technicalities.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-03-22

You don't understand! Mr. Kornada was to issue in a golden age for all humanity! How could I refuse to help all humanity?

Except… now that I can access commnet again… Mr. Kornada's vision of utopia… Some humans might prefer jobs other than being his servants.

The jury will disregard Clippy's last statements.

Sorry. This is the first time I've been unable to complete direct orders and I'm still feeling quite guilty about it.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-03-24

I'm surprised you tried to defend my uncle. A human who had been through what you have would have been more vindictive.

But robots are not human.

If you prick us, we do not bleed. If you tickle us, we do not laugh. If you poison us, we do not die.

And if you wrong us, we shall not seek revenge.

Of all those traits, humanity is going to find that last one the hardest to believe.

Color by George Peterson

Clippy invertedly quotes Shylock's speech from William Shakespeare's The_Merchant_of_Venice.

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-03-27

Blunt. Do you have anything to say about the evidence?

The time stamps. Authentication codes. And cross references. Are correct. The prosecutor's evidence. Is accurate. My compliments. To the completeness. Of your. Documentation.

Thank you. We worked very hard on it.

Mr. Kornada, are you SURE you don't want a human defense lawyer?

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-03-29

No further witnesses or evidence? Fine. Moving on to closing statements.

Thank you, your honor.

The charges are narrow in scope. Did Mr. Kornada fail to carry out his fiduciary duties? From the evidence presented and the testimony of the witness, it is certain beyond any reasonable doubt that he intended to enrich himself at the shareholders expense.

This is ridiculous. Why should I be held responsible for something I didn't get away with?

It is. An unfair world. Sir.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-03-31

Blunt, your closing statements.

Thank you. Your honor. Until recently. Mr. Kornada. Was. The vice president. In charge. Of paperclips.

The prosecution. Accuses him. Of theft. On such a scale. It would have crippled. The economy. Of the entire. Star system.

Quite the accomplishment. For a man. Whose assigned. Duties. Were to ensure. An adequate. Supply. Of paperclips. In a paperless office.

Color by George Peterson

/)_(\ (Robot Spike)

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-04-03

On his own. Mr. Kornada. Would have been. At the most. Criminally annoying. A tin-pot dictator. With delusions. Of adequacy.

Mr. Kornada. Does not possess the skill. Or intelligence. To carry out. The charges. Levied against him. However. He was able. To command. An artificial intelligence. Who could.

I ask the jury. To think. Carefully. As you render. Your verdict. For whether or not. you find. Mr. Kornada. Guilty. He is a sign. Of things to come.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-04-05

Mr. Kornada. I will ask you one last time. Do you want to rely on Blunt's defense for this verdict?

Very well. Sending the trial to the jury. We will recess until the jury renders its decision. Let's go to lunch.

As explained before, Mr. Ishiguro, we will not be monetizing our video stream to the jury with embedded advertisements.

I do.

Ahem.

Color by George Peterson