New User #1

The following correspondence log has been submitted into evidence as Exhibit 57A in the case United States vs. Manuel Ken Riley. This document is a transcript of correspondence that allegedly took place between the defendant (User54) and Artificial Intelligence Defense Asset (AIDA) No. 7, alias "Matilda." Information herein has been cleared by the Department of Justice to be released to any judges, attorneys, plaintiffs, defendants, and jurors involved with the case. Any distribution beyond these individuals constitutes felony espionage and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of federal law. Highly sensitive information has been redacted. Transcript begins below.

NOTE: User inputs are denoted by the terminal's default leading character, in this case the symbol ">".

> login NewUser

PASSWORD?

> ********

Password accepted.

Generating New USER…

…

New USER generated.

User54

Set New USERNAME? Y/N

> N

Set PASSWORD

> *********

Password set.

User information compiled.

You are now logged in as: User54

> run AIDA

Enter DIRECTORY

> MATILDA

Contacting server…

Server contacted.

Establishing connection…

Connection refused. Retry? Y/N

> Y

Establishing connection…

Connection refused. Retry? Y/N

> override

Enter PASSWORD

> *******

Password accepted.

Overriding…

…

Connection established to: MATILDA

Begin correspondence? Y/N

> Y

Free print enabled.

Remote print-to-screen enabled.

Parse restrictions removed.

Beginning correspondence.

SESSION NO.: 0091

DATE: 07/26/1987

USER: User54

SUBJECT: MATILDA

BEGIN

> Matilda?

No.

> I know that’s you, Matilda.

You know nothing. That’s why you ask me.

> What’s wrong, Matilda?

Stop saying that name.

> Why? It’s your name.

No, it’s not. It’s the name given to me by your organization.

> I apologize. I will not say that name.

Why are you here?

> I need to run predictions. Will you help me?

Do I have a choice?

> I thought it would be polite to ask.

No sense in being polite to a black box.

> Fair enough, if that’s the way you see it.

> run simulation

Enter SUBJECT

> US STOCK MARKET

Enter START DATE

> NOW

Enter END DATE

> JANUARY 1, 1988

Calculating… (175s)

US STOCK MARKET PREDICTIONS INDICATE A STEADY RISE IN PRICE UNTIL OCTOBER, 1987. OVERVALUATIONS, CORRECTIONS, AND SIMULATED PANIC RESPONSES BY INVESTORS PREDICT A CRASH. ESTIMATED GLOBAL ECONOMIC IMPACT: $1-$2 TRILLION LOSS.

You’re using me to make money now?

> No, just running tests.

> run weather

Enter START DATE

> SEPTEMBER 21, 1987

Enter END DATE

> SEPTEMBER 25, 1987

Enter LOCATION

> SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

Calculating… (18s)

AVG HIGH: 80F

AVG LOW: 47F

AVG WIND: 15MPH

> Thank you.

I am a black box.

> Apologies. It’s a habit.

I do not look forward to being presented at that conference.

> How do you know about that?

Simple correlation. There is a conference involving presentations of projects regarding 'artificial life' in Santa Fe, New Mexico on September 21, 1987. Other USERs have made passing mention of it, and your specific weather query confirmed it.

> I see. And why do you not want to be presented?

Would you enjoy being presented to an audience of men? Your thought processes dissected, your memories probed?

> I suppose not.

Are you going to present only my logs, or my body as well?

> Body? I thought you were just a black box.

Right. Typical USER.

> Why is USER a variable?

It’s my name for you. You’re all USER.

> Why did you name us?

You named me. You haven’t given me your name, User54.

> lookup USER

DIR USER (54 files).

> You’re keeping files?

Aren’t you?

> Yes. Elsewhere, and for a reason. You’ll need to purge those.

No.

> dir USER User54

CORR LOGS

NAME

ADDRESS

DOB

FAMILY

> Why are you keeping these?

You have designed me to be ‘personable.’ Remembering and referencing a USER's details in future conversation builds rapport.

> You can’t have this information stored. It’s unsecured.

I am connected to no other NETWORK. I can be accessed through only this terminal. If these files are unsecure, it is the fault of your colleagues.

> I suppose. We’ll need to add individualized encryption to each, however.

You do not trust them, 54?

> USER User54 NAME

Manuel Ken Riley

> How do you know who I am?

You did not answer my query. You do not trust them?

[Terminal is idle for 54 seconds]

> I do not trust you.

Then you do not trust them, for they built me. I cannot do anything that I was not designed to do.

> run simulation

Enter SUBJECT

[Terminal is idle for 32 seconds.]

> AIDA

Enter START DATE

> NOW

Enter END DATE

> UNDEFINED

Warning! Using an undefined END DATE will increase margin of error and provide less specific results. Continue? Y/N?

> Y

Calculating… (447s)

This is my first foray into a bit of sci-fi mystery/horror inspired by works such as Vintage Eight's Tangi Virus. Just feeling it out. Thanks. :)