Questionable Content 11: It's Like Seeing a Unicorn

[eee]

I agree with Faye on this, robots fainting should not be a thing. Bubbles, don't just stand there being wise and solemn, go grab Roko from Hanners before she herniates herself.

[Vinyadan]

I think that, if it had been oolong tea, a different animal would have greeted her XD

[Shadow of the Sun]

So it appears that the longer an AI has been in their body, and if they've been in it since their earliest stages, the more they "identify" with it and think of it as part of who they are.

Not really surprising, but an interesting development and an interesting take. QC is always at its best when it's looking at the implications of the tech that Jeph has thrown into it.

If we're assuming that the AIs in the QC verse run on neural nets, it shouldn't be too hard to transfer a human consciousness across to a robot body... I'd expect that the biggest issue is having high enough resolution scanning, if it isn't just handwaved.

[Morquard]

So it appears that the longer an AI has been in their body, and if they've been in it since their earliest stages, the more they "identify" with it and think of it as part of who they are.

Well no, we have one AI where that is the case. We can't assume it's the case for all of them.

Pintsize has been in his body much longer, as back when the comic started there were no real humanoid AIs, much later Hanners got the uncanny valley robo boyfriend prototype, so if she's been in that body since her birth, she gotta be younger, and he doesn't bat an eye about getting dismantled or any of that.

Winslow likely too has been in his body much longer and easily enough jumped ship.

[Keltest]

Well no, we have one AI where that is the case. We can't assume it's the case for all of them.

Pintsize has been in his body much longer, as back when the comic started there were no real humanoid AIs, much later Hanners got the uncanny valley robo boyfriend prototype, so if she's been in that body since her birth, she gotta be younger, and he doesn't bat an eye about getting dismantled or any of that.

Winslow likely too has been in his body much longer and easily enough jumped ship.

Its worth pointing out Winslow and Momo were also both extremely uncomfortable with things occurring to their old chassis, and were specifically concerned about pintsize messing with them.

[The Glyphstone]

Its worth pointing out Winslow and Momo were also both extremely uncomfortable with things occurring to their old chassis, and were specifically concerned about pintsize messing with them.

I'd be concerned with Pintsize messing with anything I owned, whether or not I was currently using it.

[eee]

OK, I am dumbfounded on two points. One: Emily knows what a sexy unicorn man smells like? How??? And two: Assam smells like a sexy unicorn man? THAT'S what a sexy unicorn man smells like???

Sonya Hennie's tu-tu!!! O_O

[georgie_leech]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it smells like a sexy unicorn man in the same way that whatever Roko had at the shop smelled like a friendly giraffe maiden.

[Thialfi]

I wonder if the sexy unicorn man that Emily smelled had the same "Yay or Neigh" underwear that Roko's guy had?

[Ronnoc]

And now Emily has robot synesthesia, are we sure that she's not some sort of experimental AI that doesn't know she isn't human?

[Max_Killjoy]

And now Emily has robot synesthesia, are we sure that she's not some sort of experimental AI that doesn't know she isn't human?

Bladerunner style, but with less noir dystopia?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

And now Emily has robot synesthesia, are we sure that she's not some sort of experimental AI that doesn't know she isn't human?

According to the author's comment below the comic:
"Spoiler: Emily is not a cyborg yet"

GW

[Ronnoc]

She's not a cyborg if she's an android (or more properly an gynoid)!

[Qwertystop]

Has she ever actually said she's human? She might be an experimental AI that knows full well she's not human but has a passing-for-human chassis and doesn't feel like telling everyone unprompted.

EDIT: Actually, this might be the first page where anyone's said she's human in her presence - next page might be a polite correction.

[EternalMelon]

And now Emily has robot synesthesia, are we sure that she's not some sort of experimental AI that doesn't know she isn't human?

Are you sure You're not an AI whose never been told?

[Ibrinar]

So it appears that the longer an AI has been in their body, and if they've been in it since their earliest stages, the more they "identify" with it and think of it as part of who they are.

Not really surprising, but an interesting development and an interesting take. QC is always at its best when it's looking at the implications of the tech that Jeph has thrown into it.

If we're assuming that the AIs in the QC verse run on neural nets, it shouldn't be too hard to transfer a human consciousness across to a robot body... I'd expect that the biggest issue is having high enough resolution scanning, if it isn't just handwaved.

What we currently use the term neural network in IT for has little similarity with a human brain (despite being inspired by it). Or do you mean them actually running on a network of neuron imitations or something?

[eee]

Gary the spider bot keeps showing up at counseling and support sessions. I can't tell if he's got problems or is very well adjusted and just likes the company.

The volunteer manager MAY be a bit stressed...

[Kato]

HEY GUYS, LOOK WHO IS BACK! IT'S GARY! GARY IS BACK!
What, I like the guy?
My assumption is he has the obvious problem someone like him would have : prejudice against spiders. And the other bots look like they might also intimidate people without ill intent. So my guess that is the problem there..

Winslow might have made a poor choice on his place for volunteering.. We'll see.

[Morquard]

On the other hand, he practically has been a therapist for Hanners for years already. Never officially but I'd not be surprised if he knows a lot about how to deal with insecurities... just not his own :)

Of course "You're an AI, that means you're more qualified" sounds a lot like "I have a black person sitting in there. You're black, so you understand her problem better, talk to her!"

[John Cribati]

Of course "You're an AI, that means you're more qualified" sounds a lot like "I have a black person sitting in there. You're black, so you understand her problem better, talk to her!"

Pretty sure if I was going to a meeting of other black people here to discuss all sorts of societal problems we face together as black people, I wouldn't want a white guy in the room unless his mission was to sit in the corner and listen. Same principle here.

[Max_Killjoy]

I'd think "you're X so you're more qualified to talk to your fellow X than I am no matter what" would come across as kinda insulting, presumptive, and maybe even a bit _____ist.

[Keltest]

I'd think "you're X so you're more qualified to talk to your fellow X than I am no matter what" would come across as kinda insulting, presumptive, and maybe even a bit _____ist.

On the other hand, he probably isn't wrong either. The poor guy is just a desk worker. What does he know about AI problems?

Also, is that punchbot?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Of course "You're an AI, that means you're more qualified" sounds a lot like "I have a black person sitting in there. You're black, so you understand her problem better, talk to her!"

Which, unless the non-black is an expert, or the black person a non-local, it is very likely to be true. The seminal example for black US citizens is "The Talk". It is hard to grok for any non-US black what The Talk is. And that is the one I know about. I am sure there are other shared contexts that I haven't even heard of that would also be needed to be fully understood and internalised to even have a chance of helping.

Leaving the dangerous waters of modern US racial issues, Freefall has a similar group for AIs led by a non-AI who has a phD in a relevant field, and has been doing a lot of work on the issue. And even he struggles occasionally to understand concepts that come naturally to an AI on her first meeting. This is similar: lacking the regular therapist, the human is at least aware of his limitations enough to know that any AI will do a better job than he can.

Which is not to say that it's not a crappy situation all around. That said, given the general tone of the comic, I'd imagine that other than providing for a few punchlines, I'd expect the group to embrace Winston in short order. I.e. the vibe I'm getting is similar to the Ugly Duckling bar from Tangled. Bad guys, yes, but with Dreams.

Grey Wolf

[Mith]

Maybe I am confused, but I thought the spider's name was Gordan.

[Kato]

Maybe I am confused, but I thought the spider's name was Gordan.

You almost got me there. There's both Gary and Gordon. Unless Jeph is lying to us, this is the former. (Who is the second to appear, though)

[eee]

On the other hand, he probably isn't wrong either. The poor guy is just a desk worker. What does he know about AI problems?

Also, is that punchbot?

Looks like him. But that might just be the body model...

[Mith]

You almost got me there. There's both Gary and Gordon. Unless Jeph is lying to us, this is the former. (Who is the second to appear, though)

Looking into it a bit more, I see my error.

[georgie_leech]

He's got a knack for this. And is way, way out of his league with Droid 06.

[eee]

DAAANG, he's good at this. He may have inadvertently found his niche.

I don't think that's Punchbot. The body is similar, but the attitude is wrong.

Why would you punch a fire engine???

[Cikomyr]

Why would you punch a fire engine???

Why wouldn't you?!?!