Page 44 of Chaos Theory

‘Everyone here knows that AI systems are not just learning from datasets any more – they’re actually learning from humans.

And they’re doing it on the job – just like an intern or an apprentice.

When they start work, sure, they know a lot of theory and can do some practical things.

But the real learning – their real value – is acquired in hands-on experience on the job.

So it naturally follows that if the staff are behaving and doing their jobs right, the cobot is going to copy that behaviour.

And attitude too, actually. So really, all these rules that you want, Mimi?

You should already have them in place for your human staff.

And if a cobot does something wrong? Well, maybe they just had a bad role model. ’

Ron extends his arm, and for a moment I think that he’s going to deliberately drop his mic on the floor.

But Mimi smiles. ‘Thank you for proving my point for me so eloquently, Ron. You’re saying that cobots are heavily influenced by the humans around them, yes?’

Ron gives a vague upwards nod.

‘And I guess that would include the developers, coders and programmers who train the AI before it arrives at the workplace, right?’

Ron shrugs in tacit agreement.

‘Well, what assurances do we have that those people are being good role models? If a cobot arrives with bad code baked in, it’s going to be one hell of a job to overwrite that with new learned behaviour, yes?

It’s like deliberately choosing to play out the nature versus nurture debate in robotics, when we don’t need to.

Both nature and nurture are powerful forces – but if we can start with good in nature, we should.

Why should we rely on nurture to override any natural negative tendencies?

It’s too risky. Yes, we need to provide good role models in the workplace, but we need to also provide good role models in the…

the…birthplace, if I may put it like that. ’

‘In the home, she means,’ says Geoffrey.

‘Please don’t tell me what I mean,’ says Mimi.

‘Yeah, come on, Geoff,’ says Ron.

‘Just trying to help.’ Geoffrey takes a sip of water, shrinks in his seat a little.

‘Okay, okay,’ says Laura. ‘Let’s bring this back. Let me summarise what we’ve heard so far, because I have a surprise for all of you in a moment. On the one hand…’

Josh turns to me. ‘Maeve, I need to tell you something.’

‘What is it?’ I whisper. ‘Can’t it wait? The panel is nearly over.’

He groans and looks at his watch. ‘Okay.’

‘Now,’ Laura is saying, ‘we’ve been talking very theoretically so far about robot–human relations in the workplace. But let’s get real for a minute.’

‘Ooh, is she going to mention the Kobi incident now?’ I say.

Two people to my right turn their heads towards me. It’s Josh’s turn to shush me.

‘Let’s get back to basics,’ Laura says. ‘Let’s talk about health and safety. I want to ask each of you your opinion on this topic with regards to cobots. And to give us some context, first I want to show you some extraordinary video footage we’ve just found on the web.’

An overhead screen descends in front of the cream curtains as she speaks.

‘What you’re about to see is a video that surfaced on a local news site a few days ago. We just found this clip about an hour ago so the panel probably haven’t seen it yet.’

‘Oh no,’ I say.

‘What’s wrong?’ says Josh.

‘Oh no,’ I repeat. The jig is up . Josh is about to find out about Kobi being in the news. ‘Um, Josh…’

‘The footage is a bit grainy and there’s no sound,’ Laura is saying. ‘But I think you’ll agree that what happens here is fascinating.’

‘Oh no,’ says Josh as a blurry video of Kobi speeding across the Cliffs of Moher car park is shared with the audience and the panel. ‘Maeve, we need to talk – now!’

Josh stands up and hustles me to the back of the room. As he hurries me through the door, I look back to see Ron on the edge of his seat, craning his neck around to see the screen .

The foyer is mostly empty as we bundle through the auditorium doors.

‘Maeve—’ starts Josh.

‘I’m sorry!’ I interrupt.

‘We need to talk. There are some things you need to understand.’ Josh looks a bit wild with his hair askew, brow glistening with sweat.

‘I know, and I’m so sorry.’ My words tumble out fast. ‘I should have told you about the video footage. I knew about it and didn’t say anything. I was waiting for the right moment to tell you.’

‘Let me—’ begins Josh, but I barrel on.

‘I know you said to keep a low profile in Clare, and I was so afraid to tell you everything that happened. And then you were so happy about Kobi’s act of bravery-slash-heroism, as you kept calling it, that I didn’t want to bring you down.

I was looking for the right moment to tell you. Honestly, I was. I’m so sorry.’

‘Maeve, I?—’

But I’m not finished. ‘It was just local news. It was The Clare People ! Sure, they have their local followers I suppose, but the footage was so grainy. I didn’t think many people would see it. Or share it.’

When I pause for breath, he raises his voice a little. ‘For the love of Borg! Please let me speak!’

I’m startled. I go quiet. ‘Sorry – you go.’

‘The thing is, Maeve?—’

‘Oh!’ I’ve just noticed something.

‘You have to let me speak now.’ He puts his hands on my upper arms in a gentle, almost pleading grip.

‘Sorry – it’s just that…it looks like I will get to meet Ron Tron after all.’

I point past Josh.

‘What?’ Josh half turns around and for a moment I think his knees are going to buckle. ‘Oh…no!’

A very intense-looking Ron Tron is bearing down on us, at speed. He bursts between us and hustles Josh to one side .

‘Josh Hunter, we need to talk. Answer me one thing. Is that my robot?’ Ron gestures back towards the auditorium.

The doors are opening and people are beginning to filter out. But before Josh can answer, Ron hisses, ‘I know that’s my robot. I know that’s Kobi. Did you think I wouldn’t recognise the robot that I built?’

Josh looks down at his hands and mumbles, ‘The robot that I built…’

The Gatling gun is triggered. ‘What was that? You built Kobi? Who paid for every minute you spent working on him? Who came up with Kobi as a concept? You think you could have made Kobi on your own? But what I really want to know is – what the hell was he doing, rolling around some goddamned tourist attraction in the middle of Ireland, saving some goddamned kid ?’

‘It’s the West of Ireland, not the middle,’ I provide quietly, on autopilot. I’m reeling. But I guess Josh hasn’t had a chance to update Ron about Kobi’s trip to Clare.

‘And who the heck are you?’ Ron rounds on me. ‘Wait a minute – I recognise you – you were in that video!’

‘I’m Maeve McGettigan from Go Ireland,’ I say in a small voice. This is not how I’d pictured my introduction to Ron. He shrugs and glares at me blankly. ‘You know, the tourist organisation where Kobi’s doing his current work placement. I work with JP Horgan. Josh?’

I look at Josh, who refuses to meet my eyes. He looks profoundly crumpled.

The foyer is beginning to fill up. People are looking at us.

‘Listen to me – both of you,’ says Ron. ‘I’m flying to London right now to meet a client. Kobi better be in my office on Monday morning, and he better be in good shape. Josh, you’re coming with me right now.’

Ron grabs Josh’s arm and begins dragging him away. Josh tries to turn back towards me. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ he repeats as Ron sweeps him away from me like a riptide.