Gregor returns home
[!0.987]2021-09-27

Let's approach this from a different angle. What about Florence would bother you if she was human?

Wagging her tail. In fact, wagging her tail would bother me more if she was human.

You are not considering a tail, are you?

I wasn't until this moment. Though if I do, I'll go for prehensile over waggy.

Color by George Peterson.

Gregor returns home
[!0.987]2021-09-29

The question you should be asking is “Do Winston and Florence love each other?”

What it means to be human is changing. I believe our son and this bowman's wolf will make a very good couple.

What will the neighbors think?

They will think “I wish I could make my wife that happy with just a thrown frisbee.”

Color by George Peterson.

Gregor returns home
[!0.987]2021-10-01

You are correct. Winston's and Ms. Ambrose's happiness should be our most important consideration.

I shall endeavor to keep any negative personal opinions of this pairing suppressed in their presence.

You're stoic now. But that stony face of yours is going to melt within two seconds of holding your first grandpuppy.

Color by George Peterson.

Gregor returns home
[!0.987]2021-10-04

Any other reservations about Ms. Ambrose?

Power imbalance. It is obvious she is a person. With proper clearance, her free will can be overwritten. She is listed as human safe. She will not harm a human if it is avoidable.

Mankind is not God. We should not be creating beings and placing them at such a disadvantage.

As you like to say, we are created in God's image.

I do not understand.

God can smite man. Man can not smite god. God kept the power balance firmly in his favor.

Color by George Peterson.

Gregor returns home
[!0.987]2021-10-06

Human response will change based on threat. For example, when self driving cars reached the point where they would not hit humans.

Human behavior changed. Jaywalking increased. People would walk into the street without looking because they knew the cars would not hit them.

As well as slowing traffic, it increased repair costs as the vehicles were having more nervous breakdowns than physical ones.

Color by George Peterson.

Gregor returns home
[!0.987]2021-10-08

Artificial intelligence was made to serve humans. Ms. Ambrose's behavior is going to be weighted towards our son's happiness over her own. His needs over her own.

She is going to be pleasant and cooperative. This might ruin Winston for interactions with real women.

What was that, dear?

Nothing, my little turtledove.

Color by George Peterson.

Gregor returns home
[!0.987]2021-10-11

Why would we design artificial intelligence that is bitter and wants to kill humans the moment it's out of our control? Why not design artificial intelligence that is nice?

We have machines that are stronger and faster than us. If we're designing minds, wouldn't it make sense to make them kinder and more compassionate?

And that is the truly frightening thing about artificial intelligence. It might be better at being human than we are.

Color by George Peterson.

Gregor returns home
[!0.987]2021-10-13

Artificial intelligence won't be fully human for a while. They're too closely supervised.

Ms. Ambrose's species is in the test phase and she knows it. Give them a few generations after the scrutiny comes off and we'll see what they're really like.

One day you'll read about a bowman's wolf embezzling from the pension fund and then you'll know they've finally reached parity with us.

Color by George Peterson.

Sam, Money, and the pits
[!0.987]2021-10-15

Helix, I took
a gamble.

Instead of getting a fusion reactor, I bet it would be more profitable to take a cut of how much I could save this station on operating costs.

Now that I've looked at their books, I definitely made the right decision.

Color by George Peterson.

Sam, Money, and the pits
[!0.987]2021-10-18

There isn't a huge money pit here. It's lots of little and medium money pits.

Mr. De Morel is at odds with his workers. In wartime, human officers who fought with the men they were supposed to lead sometimes got fragged. A fragmentation grenade tossed into the tent to remove that officer.

What we're seeing here is an unpopular manager getting economically fragged.

Color by George Peterson.