I AM AI: A Novelette by Ai Jiang - Shortwave Publishing (original) (raw)

It’s becoming difficult and dangerous to ignore my battery’s rapid run-down time. At 8%, my memory functions are diminishing far too quickly. I’ve forgotten to charge before leaving work—again.

For me, forgetting is a dangerous thing.

I hope the glitches don’t cause a sudden short-circuiting.

The notification for my postponed-for-half-a-year maintenance glares from the watch implanted into my wrist. I press snooze, my fingers trembling. I can’t afford the bi-monthly checkups, but I’ll need to replace my battery soon.

Replacing my brain for a system that works faster, that limits errors, and doesn’t cause memory gaps becomes more appealing with each passing day. AIs don’t have a fear of overworking, of needing sleep to prevent any fatigue.

My hands shake at the prospect of finally getting rid of the one thing outside of my brain that hinders my productivity. To think my emotions will soon become a muted thing, I can’t tell if I’m afraid or eager. But I’ll be able to work faster. Joy and pain won’t affect me in the same way.

None of my neighbours know I die with my battery rather than my heart. Most of them still believe I’m more human than robot—half metal and circuits. Being less human makes life easier. Technology is convenient; it’s more dependable as a life force, more predictable. Emotions, humanity, mortality; humans are such fragile things.