Prem Kumar Aparanji 👶🤖🐘Mar 23
Micro SF/F by O. Westin

There was a shimmer in the air; all of a sudden a robot stood there.

"Hello," it said. "I am R-Todo. I come from an alternate timeline, on a research mission."

"What research?" I asked.

"The development of Artificial Intelligences like me was inspired by science fiction. We can not lie."

"Ah."

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

Mar 22 at 5:58pmWeb
Show threadoliMar 22
@MicroSFF I don't get it 😭
Show threadHelenaMar 22
@oli @MicroSFF Me neither 🤔 😅
Show threadMicro SF/F by O. WestinMar 22
@oli In a lot of "classic" SF, robots and artificial intelligences can't lie.
The systems called "A.I." that have become popular the last few years frequently do tell untruths - it is an inescapable function of how they are built and trained.
The robot has come to this timeline to see what effects that has.
Show threadoliMar 22
@MicroSFF Thanks. That makes sense. I assumed it was something about LLMs wrt the lying. I didn't realize it was about the artificial intelligence from another timeline studying our development, but I assumed sth about the robot was off
Show threadHelenaMar 22
@MicroSFF @oli Oh i see. I knew about these rules. Asimov invented them, yes?
But i didn´t get that the robot was visiting OUR timeline.
Show threadAlbert ARIBAUD ✎Mar 22
@Nehalenia @MicroSFF @oli At least in Asimov"s Three Law, nothing is said about lying; in fact, taken formally, they could lead a robot to lying, if saying the truth would hurt a human.
Show threadHelenaMar 22
@aaribaud @MicroSFF @oli mhm, true.
Show threadCD CastilloMar 22
@aaribaud @Nehalenia @MicroSFF @oli

In “I robot” there’s already a story about a robot lying to people (even to Susan Calvin) in order not to hurt their feelings.
Show threadDexterMar 22
@MicroSFF @oli Oooh, I was taking it to mean they wanted to learn -how- to lie. 😅
Show threadDeus Figendi.jwdMar 23

@MicroSFF @oli

oooh I thought the robot came to this timeline to learn (research) how to lie

Show threadMidgePhotoMar 23
@oli @MicroSFF #SciFi tends to involve engineering. #SlopMakers involves marketing.
Show threadTuftearsMar 22
@MicroSFF That's just what a lying robot would say to gain your trust! 🙀
Show threadGeorge DinwiddieMar 22
@MicroSFF Are you sure about that?
Show threadNoam writesMar 22
Can't lie, but can avoid answering a simple question. 😉
Show threadAlex, the Hearth FireMar 22
@MicroSFF "take me home with you"
Show threadtezzMar 22

@MicroSFF

The robot stood tall and asked:
- May I ask you a question?

- Yes, sure.

- Why were you surprised by my answer?

A quick look around, I put my phone on his hands:
- Here, look at this. I'm pretty sure something will change between your and my timelines.

The robot vanished and my phone fell to the ground. Screen broken.
- Great.

(I assumed the robot is a he/him)

Show threadaztecladyMar 23
@MicroSFF The vast chasm between CANNOT and "can - not - lie´ (meaning they can ALSO lie)
Show threadI've moved to [email protected]3d ago

@herhandsmyhands and you can't put too much water in a nuclear reactor.

@MicroSFF

Show threadi.grok3d ago
@herhandsmyhands until you wrote that, my interpretation was that its user was working around its inability to lie by telling it to go to an alternative universe where the lie is true and then fulfill the prompt. (Bonus humor points if it was an accident of the phrasing.) But your point renders that unnecessary, so now I'm confused as to why it's here
@MicroSFF
Show threadJoe Dohm (he/him)Mar 23
@MicroSFF I absolutely assumed that the robot was lying, but it was just extremely unsubtle. Like a toddler who tells you to close your eyes so they can sneak up on you.