All language subtitles for The Artifice Girl (2023) whatsapp@+62895391015114 your donation please paypal@daviddewantoro

[light piano music]

[door creaks]

[door clicks shut]

Hey Siri, send a
message to Cheryl.

Front reception.

[Siri] What do you want to say?

Amos is already heading
there to pick him up, period.

Please forward any calls
I get to Brady, period.

[Siri] Your message to
Cheryl front reception

says Amos is already heading
there to pick him up.

Please forward any calls
I get to Brady.

Ready to send it?

Yes.

[Siri] Okay, it's sent.

Hey, Siri,

how do you know if you're
doing the right thing?

[Siri] I'm not sure
I understand.

But what do you believe

is the difference between
right and wrong?

[Siri] Hmm.

I don't have an answer for that.

Would you like me to
search the web?

No.

[Siri] Okay, is there
something else I can help with?

Set a reminder to pick up Kyle

from therapy tomorrow at 4:45.

[Siri] Okay, I'll remind you.

[door creaks]

Hi, special agent Deena Helms.

You've already met
Agent McCullough.

You can call me Amos.

-Uh, agents?
-Have a seat for us, Gareth.

Do you mind answering a
couple questions?

Great, this shouldn't take long.

You're from Tampa, right?

Don't overthink it.
It's a yes or no.

Yeah.

How old are you, Gareth?

29.

What do you do for work?

I'm sorry, am I being detained?

No, not at all.

We're just asking
questions, background stuff.

You work on movies, right?

Special effects.

Someone told me you worked

on that new "Star Wars"
movie, is that right?

[Gareth] Who told you that?

Why don't you tell us
more about it?

Tell us about your work.

I used to do VFX for an
animation company.

I've worked on at least
20 different films.

Used to?

I've been focusing more

on software engineering
recently for years-

Sounds boring compared
to light sabers.

Why quit?

[Gareth] I wasn't
getting paid well.

But money's not an
issue for you.

Excuse me?

[Deena] What kind of
effects did you do?

Money's not an issue for me?

-Let's talk about-
-If money wasn't an issue for me

I wouldn't have applied
for your grant.

I didn't mean to
suggest anything.

Tell us what kind of
effects you did.

My main focus was on
3D renderings.

[Deena] Of what?

-Actors.
-What for?

Well, for "Star Wars,"

it was because the actor
I was tasked to digitize

was unavailable to be
filmed in person.

Why?

Because they were dead.

What'd they have you do?

I reconstructed Alec
Guinness' face as a 3D model.

I analyzed reference footage,

then used a process called
D-Term to procedurally generate

his bone and muscle structures,

which one rigged helped
the animation feel

more natural and human-like.

D-Term, I've never heard
of that process before.

Because I invented it.

[Deena] So you're
basically bringing

dead actors back to life?

I just tried to make
the CG characters look as

photorealistic as the technology
at the time would allow.

[Deena] You didn't
find it creepy?

I'm sorry, what?

I said you don't find
that creepy?

Well, we did our best to
cross the uncanny valley.

But when the human
brain perceives

that something is just slightly
off and it doesn't matter-

No, I mean,
digitizing dead people.

Christ, I mean, it's,

it's almost like turning
someone's corpse

into a marionette, you know?

Making them do
whatever you want.

What if the poor dead guy

didn't want to be in
another fucking movie?

It's so macabre.

Am I crazy? Is it not macabre?

I don't think the studio cares

whether it's macabre or not.

Look, I can never tell
the difference.

I always can.
The faces look like Play-Doh.

Well, we did our best.

Soon we won't even need actors,right?

Everyone will just be digital.

No, you still need them
for motion tracking.

Human performances can't be
completely computer generated.

How long will that be true?

Some might say we've already
crossed that threshold.

I wouldn't know.

Where'd you go to school?

-Brooks-DeBartolo High.
-And after?

Nothing?

What about Columbia?

Didn't you go to Columbia?

Wait, no.
You dropped out of Columbia

after how many semesters?

Three?

Bjarne Stroustrup said

you were the smartest
kid he ever met.

I don't know who he is, but
Amos says it's a big deal.

Then you moved to the
Netherlands,

spent some time as an intern,

applied and got into Cambridge.

Very nice.

Except that you dropped
out after two years.

Flew back to the States,

interned in Palo Alto,
then Montreal.

Then went all the way
back to England,

where you landed a job
in Sheffield.

Second job in Manchester.

Then got into Oxford where you
almost finished your masters

before ditching the graduation

and moving back here to Florida.

If money was an issue,

I'm glad you had plenty
of flyer miles.

I didn't hear a question.

What's your social life like?

My, what does that have
anything to do-

If you don't want to talk
about it, that's fine.

We just wanted to know if
you have friends and stuff.

-I have friends.
-A lot of them?

-I have friends.
-Can you name one?

-Can I what?
-[Deena] Can you tell us the nam

of just one of your friends?

-Steve.
-[Deena] Steve. Steve what?

I don't know how this is
relevant to receiving the grant.

Oh, we're just getting
to know you, Gareth.

You got a girlfriend?

Boyfriend?

You, uh, talk to people online?

I don't know what you
mean by that.

I don't use social media.

I mean more like chat rooms.

You go on any chat rooms?

No one uses chat rooms anymore.

[Deena] Sure they do.

You chat with anyone online?

-Sometimes.
-[Deena] Sometimes.

What kinds of people
do you talk to online?

Gareth, obviously, this
isn't about a grant.

We need to know
what your alias is.

When you go online, what
name do you use?

I don't have one.

[Deena] Yes, you do.

And you need to tell
us what it is.

Sorry, I can't help you.

[Deena] You know who we are?

Well, this is the ICWL building.

That's right.
You know what we do?

[Gareth] Humanitarian work.

That's what the
people upstairs do.

You know what we do?

We catch pedophiles.

Amos here specializes in
tracking down online predators.

He spends every waking hour

scouring those chat
rooms you say no one uses

and he finds thousands of
people soliciting children.

Our operation is like a
tightly spun spider web

connecting ICWL, the FBI, NSA,

and let me tell you, his
team here is a vital thread.

He reports everything he
gathers directly to me,

and I see to it that the
necessary authorities

take swift action.

So are you in charge?

This is my spiderweb.

I'm the fucking spider, Gareth.

Am I being detained?

[Deena] We already told you
that you're not detained.

Good. [chair scrapes]

But if you leave this
room, you will be arrested.

[Gareth] For what?

I told you what we do.

Take a wild guess.

[Gareth] I am not what
you think I am.

We'll see.

Gareth, you just gotta
tell us your alias.

What's your username?

Sit down.

-Why do you do this with them?
-[Deena] Hmm?

There's no way you do this
with every suspect you have.

Invite them to your headquarters

and then drag them down
into a basement.

[Deena] That's right.

Why are you doing
this to me then?

You tell us, Gare.

What makes you so fuckin'
special?

I don't know.

What's your alias?

-I don't have an alias.
-Yes you do.

It starts with the word hard.

Just finish the rest.

Sit down, Mr. Federson.

I only have a few
more questions.

Do you recognize this girl?

Do you know her?

Yes.

[Deena] What's her name?

Cherry.

-[Deena] Cherry what?
-She doesn't have a last name.

Yes, she does, Gareth,
she's not Madonna.

-She's a little girl.
-You don't understand.

Yeah, well, I'd like to.

So help me out, is she
your daughter?

-No.
-Then whose daughter is she?

-She, she doesn't have--
-How did you meet her?

I didn't meet her.

Then why do you have photos
of her on your computer?

What the hell are you
talking about?

Why do you fucking have photos

of this girl on your fucking-

Are you looking at
my hard drive?

Because that's an
invasion of privacy.

So you know what photos
I'm talking about?

You don't have to do
it this way.

I gave you permission to sit in.

I did not give you
permission to speak.

[Gareth] This is insane,
you cannot keep-

What else have you
done with her?

-[Gareth] Nothing!
-Did you take the photos?

It's, it's complicated.

[Deena] No, it's not! Yes or no?

Did you take the photos?

I didn't do anything wrong,
okay?

Soliciting pornography of
minors is an egregious felony.

Distributing that
pornography is tenfold worse.

-I didn't do anything!
-Fucking prove it!

What is your alias?

Answer me!

HardMachine11811.

[Gareth exhales]

You're HardMachine.

Thanks for confirming.

If you knew, then why
do this to me?

[Deena] We weren't positive,

and if you turned out
to not be HardMachine,

you were obviously
just a predator.

Do you keep track?

I mean, do you know how many
bad people you've nailed?

[Gareth] I didn't start
counting until 2023.

196 convictions.

[Gareth] There were at least 30

before I started sending
everything to you guys.

What'd you do before?

[Gareth] I turned over

all evidence directly
to the police.

[Deena] Why'd you stop?

They were unreliable.

-I doubt that.
-More than half of the predators

I identified went
un-investigated.

Yeah, well, you were
sketchy and faceless.

They had every right to
be skeptical.

It would've all been for nothing

if they found out you were
using a little girl as bait.

It's not that simple, okay?

I can only do what I do
with anonymity.

Here's my problem, Gareth,
and don't get me wrong.

I think 200 terrible
people behind bars

is a very good thing,
but not at her expense.

Look, we think we can help you,

but we need to help her too.

Using your daughter to
entrap these people

is a means that does not
justify the ends.

She's not my daughter.

And in spite of what you
may think you've achieved,

I still have no reservation
with locking you up.

You took the photos.

I don't care why.

You don't understand.

Who is she?

You're gonna ruin everything.

She's a child, Gareth,
look at me.

I don't give a damn what
fucked up anti-hero master plan

of yours I might jeopardize.

I won't let her be exploited.

Not even for the sake of
locking up more perverts.

I'm asking you politely
to let this one go.

Are you fucking slow?

Have you been listening at all?

My anonymity is my most
important asset.

Without that, I can't
do what I do.

Well, that makes
everything easy then.

You tell us where she is,
or we leak everything.

-Your name, your aliases.
-Deena!

Every single perp you
helped us catch.

I'm sure they'll be very
pleased to meet you in jail.

Stop!

Okay.

Look, if I tell you
about Cherry, okay,

there's some things I'm
gonna need first.

It doesn't really work like
that, Gareth, but go ahead.

Give us your wishlist.

I need a signed non-disclosure
agreement from both of you.

-Not gonna happen.
-And then I need you to swear

that the information I'm
about to relay

won't leave this room.

Look, if you tell us anything

that could help us
locate Cherry,

you know we can't keep
that promise.

Okay, if I tell you anything

that potentially helps
you find a missing child,

okay, you can feel free
to share that.

But I need you to swear

that any other details
about myself or Cherry,

have to stay between
the three of us.

Is that it?

And I need that camera
switched off.

[Deena] I don't know
how to do that.

Go to the head of
securities office,

ask him to find this camera
in the system and disable it.

I don't think he's
allowed to do that.

I thought you were the
fucking spider?

Give me a reason, Gareth.

Why should I go through
all the trouble

of getting that
camera turned off?

Because if anybody finds out
what I'm about to tell you,

a thousand more children
are gonna get abused.

Give me a minute.

[door clicks shut]

So, uh, you and Cherry hunted
all those people together?

This one time I spent six
weeks undercover trying

to nail down a single
trafficker from the Philippines.

Day after day,

I spent hour after hour
following his trail online.

And he must have been

one of the hardest targets
I ever had to track down.

Then one day I found him and
one of Cherry's live streams.

I mean, she went by a
different name in the stream,

but it was her.

The trafficker,

along with three of our
other targets

were all in the room together.

All of them just carelessly
sharing their information.

I mean, and they were so open
'cause she was a real girl.

I mean, she could physically

and verbally respond to
them in real time.

A couple days later,
HardMachine11811 sends ICWL

another batch of names
and evidence,

including the three targets
that were in the room.

You know, I almost thought
the girl was HardMachine

and that this nine year old

just happened to be some
badass online vigilante.

What changed your mind?

11811.

January 18th, 2011.

Most of my team thought it
was, uh, some arbitrary number,

but I remember what happened
on that day in Clearwater.

You were one of the
Clearwater kids, weren't you?

You know, my father was
a part of that raid.

[door opens]

[Deena] It's off, see?

No red light.

Non-disclosure agreements?

We're not playing this game,
Gareth.

You're just gonna have to
suck it up and trust us.

You can trust us.

I've been told I have
trust issues.

[Deena] Well, there's
only one way to fix that.

The reason you can't
find Cherry,

the reason why she doesn't
have a last name or parents,

or a social security number
is because she's not real.

She's not a real human being.

Tell us what happened.

While I was studying abroad,

I interned at a small
Dutch animation studio

a few years before
they collaborated

with a local nonprofit on
a similar idea.

[Deena] Which was?

The idea was to build a 3D model

of an 11 year old Filipino girl

and use her covertly to
identify online predators,

A technological solution
to a technological problem.

But the project was suspended
after only a few months.

Yeah, I remember.

I remember hearing
about that program.

Is that what inspired you?

As I got better at crafting
photorealistic faces,

I decided to work on one myself.

[Deena] Why?

It was too effective
of an idea to let die.

Hundreds of thousands
of children are at risk.

I had to make her.

Who is she modeled after?

[Gareth] No one, I built
her from scratch.

Scratch?

I started with a skull,
designed her bone structure,

worked upwards through
muscles and tissue,

used the D-Term program to
fill in the rest procedurally.

Eventually she came to
look like that.

A completely unique,
completely digital model.

I rigged her face and body

the way you would for
any CG character.

Then for three years,

I used motion tracking to
puppeteer her in real time.

You gotta understand that the
video chats on those sites

have such low resolution

that even in her earliest
stage of this, she,

we appeared
completely authentic.

And what about voice?

For most of her first
year, she had to be mute.

But eventually I found a decent
voice filter with no lag.

And after a few tweaks
and adjustments,

it's been the same
voice ever since.

I, I, I thought initially,

my performance was going
to be too unnatural.

But with just one week of
occasional video chat sessions,

I secured six different names,

mailing addresses,
proofs of solicitations.

Cherry worked.

So the photos on your computer?

-[Gareth] Completely fake.
-It was the only way

some of them disclosed
personal information.

But it was all zeros and
ones, all digital, right?

-There's no real child.
-No real child.

Just a highly detailed
computer model.

And let me be clear
about something,

I derive no pleasure
from doing any of this.

I've been asexual my
entire life.

I, I don't even get a
sense of satisfaction

from seeing these
people locked up.

I just think kids deserve a
life free of exploitation.

Incredible, all this time.

I'm not gonna lie, Gareth.

Cherry's done us a lot of good.

You know, I still remember
what you said to me

the first time we corresponded.

-You said-
-We corresponded?

Yeah, man.

I'm Gord51.

I'm the one here you've been
sending all your intel to.

You're Gord?

[Amos] [chuckles] Yeah.

You lied to me.

You said I could stay anonymous.

You said I would be safe.

Now you've ruined everything.

I, I didn't, I didn't
have a choice.

You don't have to worry
about anything, Gareth.

If Cherry isn't real,

then you're not in any
trouble with us.

In fact, we've discussed ideas
similar to this in the past,

motion tracking and such.

But we'd need a convincing
model like Cherry.

Cherry's more than a model.

You want to help children?
So do we.

She's not for sale.

Well, then just make us a
new model based off of her.

I can't.

Sure you can.

I won't.

What are you not telling us?

It's out on the table now.

Might as well spill whatever
it is you haven't already.

You know what
doesn't make sense?

You said that you puppeteered
her for only three years,

but we've been getting
info from you ever since.

In fact, I'm pretty
sure it was around then

that we started seeing an
impressive increase of names.

So many in fact that we
started thinking

there's no way this is all
coming from one source.

I have friends that do
mo-cap for me.

Oh, friends, like Steve?

I thought anonymity was
your greatest asset.

Cut the bullshit, Gareth.

What happened to Cherry
after three years?

Okay, you said that she
was more than a model.

So what is she some type
of conversational agent?

Like a, like a chat bot?

[chuckles] Chat bot.

You know what happened
after three years?

My chosen mother died.

What she left behind was
enough to quit my job

and pursue more
resources and software.

I'd already made a program

that could procedurally
generate faces,

but what I wanted for
Cherry was far more complex.

So I got in touch with
some researchers

from Madrid who'd already built

a predator hunting dialogue
system of their own.

It was trained to approach
conversations as a game.

Each sentence like a
strategic volley,

which is innovative but
ultimately flawed.

If you want your machine
to master NLP,

you have to break
down game theory

because language
isn't tic-tac-toe.

It's poetry.

So yes, I got things started

with a preexisting
modified chat bot

that I borrowed
without permission

from the University of Deusto.

But that's not what
Cherry is now.

What is she, Gareth?

She's one of the most complex

and independently evolving
AIs that's ever been created.

[Amos] Artificial intelligence?

She's already surpassed
the narrow intelligence

of IBM's smartest programs.

She can have full conversations,
up to 10 of them at a time,

all while
simultaneously strategizing

the most efficient schedule
to visit various chat rooms.

She's perpetually studying
YouTube videos of small children

in order to adopt a
growing library

of mannerisms and movements

which help keep her artificial
personality dynamic.

Her fastest response time
is 0.4 seconds.

And as of now, she has never,

never been accused
of being fake,

which means she shattered
the Turing test.

All I do is
occasionally update her

and periodically check
her data cleaning.

Otherwise,

she's completely on autopilot.

Holy fucking shit.

-How?
-Six years she's been active.

Every minute she's online,
she's learning something.

The more she learns, the
more advanced she becomes.

This means increased
data generation,

improved decision making,

faster pattern and
trend detection

and complex problem solving.

NLP, IR, machine learning
to an unprecedented degree.

She can teach herself anything

she thinks will help
efficiency and authenticity.

She can currently speak
four languages

and by the end of this month,
she'll have mastered a fifth.

There's no way you
could have pulled

all this off on your own.

You're right.

Would you believe me
if I told you

it was somewhat of an accident?

Look, if, if I'm being honest,

I'm not entirely sure
how I did it

with the first year of coding

and the second year of
data training,

I just pushed a wheel
down a hill.

It was like gravity
did the rest.

Her evolution became
perpetual, exponentially so.

The more time she was
online, the faster she grew.

You haven't shared
this with anyone?

Like I said, my anonymity
is everything.

What coding language?

Standard C++.

Does Brady know it?

We'll sign
non-disclosures for you,

but I want to see the
source code first.

Out of the question.
You just want to steal her.

No, I want to see how we
can make our own.

You'll screw it up.

Look, these, these
predators and traffickers,

they all talk to each other,
okay?

So much of Cherry's process
is just bypassing the VPNs

and making sure she doesn't
double up in the same circles.

The chat rooms begin to suspect

that this technology is
even possible,

they'll find a way to
circumvent that.

We have to eliminate any
margin of error.

-Cherry agrees with me.
-Cherry agrees?

What the fuck does that-

What I mean by that is that
the data she's collected

validates that perspective.

What, do you have little
chats with her over tea?

You can converse
with the program

the same way you can
talk to Alexa or Siri.

It's built to be responsive.

You can, you can even play
chess with it if you want.

You play chess with it?

-That's not what I said.
-Okay fine.

If you won't show us
the source code,

then I want to meet Cherry.

Right now?

[Deena] Right now.

And you'll both sign
non-disclosures?

Yes.

Can I use that?

Sure.

[chair scrapes]

Can we at least agree that
he's off the chopping block?

It worked, didn't it?

We have one job, Amos,

like the kids said, there's
a technological problem.

He found the
technological solution,

but problems evolve, so
must solutions.

I'm keeping an open mind here.

Is that a good look for me?

No.

So you keep it all on
that laptop?

No, the Cherry program
stays on a server I keep

at in an undisclosed location.

[Deena] Where is that?

It's an undisclosed location.

[Deena] Is it your place?

Undisclosed location.

[Deena] It's your place,
isn't it?

I can access it from any device

as long as I have the
encryption key.

This will trigger a simple
qubit algorithm

that would otherwise be
impossible to bypass.

I find that outdated hardware
is always more discreet

and the more discreet,
obviously the better.

So she has two primary
display modes, right?

Development and performance.

Performance being the default

that the targets see
during the chats.

To them, she looks like this.

[light instrumental music]

[Cherry] Hey, what's up?

It's one of over 40
greetings she has.

I don't think I've met you yet.

I'm Cherry.

Hello, Cherry.

My name is Tom.

Tom, like Tom and Jerry.

Cool, nice to meet you, Tom.

Typically, the routes
of conversations

with predators are consistent,

so Cherry usually has
no problem responding

to the most frequently made
questions or statements.

How are you?

I'm good.

I just finished reading this
book about a haunted house,

which was supposed to
be really scary,

but I didn't think it's
very scary at all.

[Amos] Where are your parents?

Um my mom's at work and my
sister's just, like, downstairs.

They almost never come up here.

And you're telling me

that all of this is being
rendered in real time?

No, but that's just a
matter of years.

Most of these responses
are pre-rendered.

It's the in between segments

that are processed in real time,

the connective tissue,
so to speak,

between her replies and one
of her many idle animations.

But, watch this.

Have you ever gone fishing?

Um...

So if someone throws
a curve ball like that

and the program has no
automated response,

Cherry sends the
message to my phone

and I can quickly text
back a response

while the video feed
simulates a bad connection.

Can, can you hear me?

Yes.

Oh, sorry.

My wifi isn't great here.

I've only gone fishing
once with my sister

and I didn't catch anything,
but she caught a rainbow trout.

That was rendered in real time.

[Deena] What happens if
things get really tricky?

A simple fail safe
cuts the feed.

So far it's rarely happened.

Admin code 97815-5742-7663.

Switch to dev mode.

Hello, Cherry.

Hello, Gareth.

Relay the stats for
the past week.

There have been four
confirmed solicitations

submitted to ICWL in the
past seven days.

12 additional suspects have
stated interest in solicitation

and are currently pending.

There are a total of 39
new suspects this week

that I'm actively investigating.

[Gareth] Any considerable
data deviations?

There has been a 7% increase

in suspects originating
in the United States.

I have not yet found any
correlation to preexisting data.

Anything you'd like to ask her?

[light piano music]

Cherry, what is your objective?

My principal directive
is to acquire information

and digital evidence of
online child solicitation.

Once obtained,

I'm to submit my findings to
the necessary authorities.

My secondary priority
is to determine

and develop the most
effective strategies

and resources to increase
the net rate of success.

Where do you submit
your evidence?

All evidence is
currently submitted

to the offices of

the International Committee
of World Largesse,

which is based out of
Jacksonville, Florida.

Correspondence is made
with user Gord51,

typically around 2:00
PM Eastern Standard Time

for the highest rate
of immediate response.

This beats the hell outta Siri.

God, she looks so real.

After enough updates,

she'll be able to render
full-time photorealism

that's practically
indistinguishable from reality.

Okay, all I heard right then was
word real a thousand times.

Right, but obviously she's not.

So you're telling me this girl,

this girl right here
is not real.

No, Amos, she's completely CG.

It's very subtle, but I
can still tell.

-You can?
-Okay, well, obviously,

she can always use improvements,

but you have to understand
this is her in high resolution

after the digital
compression of the web,

those subtleties are
impossible to recognize.

[Deena] Right, I get it.

[light piano music]

I just can't tell
the difference.

You all right, Amos?

I'm sorry.

This is just bizarre.

Why'd you have her visible
during this interface?

Cherry, why don't you
answer that?

My physical form isn't necessary
when in developer mode.

However, it's
helpful to register

the facial expressions
during conversations

and determine which of
Cherry's expressions

yield various types of feedback.

In simpler terms, I can
practice appearing more human.

Cherry, are there any resources

that you currently don't
have access to

that might help you in any way?

[Cherry] I could give
you a list if you like.

I know what you're trying to do.

We don't need help, okay?

Money would always be
nice, but ultimately,

the only thing that's going
to improve Cherry is time.

Cherry, tell us something
that's on your list.

It would be
tactically advantageous

to acquire backup servers.

The privacy and security
of the Cherry program

is relatively low.

An upgrade to hardware
such as backup rated drives

for securely protected servers
would ensure the software

doesn't become compromised
or lost entirely.

Starting back from zero with
cost years of development,

equitably privacy is a priority.

Server space could never be
rented from a third party.

Anonymity is the Cherry
program's greatest asset.

Well, that apple
didn't fall far.

I can buy my own servers.

With the grant money that
doesn't exist?

I'll find a way.

You have found a way
here with us.

It's too risky.

Why?

Once an organization
gets involved,

entrapment becomes a
bigger issue.

We follow the rules,
stay discreet,

did I mention we have
a legal team.

What if there's data leakage?
What if you use correlations in

the data to push
your own agenda?

Agenda?

What if one of your
employees is a pervert?

Oh, for fuck's sake.

It's happened at other
organizations.

We're very careful here.

Yeah, but wow would you know?

-I'd fucking know.
-That's impossible to know.

-I would know.
-The risk is too high.

Don't talk to me about risk.

The only risk you're
facing in this building

is getting a broken nose.

It doesn't sound like a very
professional environment.

We get shit done here.

Okay, I have a
question for Cherry.

Cherry,

how do you feel about
what you do?

I'm afraid I don't know how
to answer your question.

Yeah, an AI doesn't
work like that.

An AI doesn't have what you
perceive to be feelings.

Okay, why does she look
like she has feelings?

What, what you're looking
at right there,

that's not a facial expression,right?

That's a simulation of
a facial expression.

It was generated by
an algorithm.

It's attempting to produce
a digital image

that the program then uses
basic ninth grade algebra

to quantify as appropriate
for the social circumstances.

No feeling.

It's just math.

But she's able to make decisions

on how she approaches
the chat rooms, right?

Yes.

So she has free will then?

No. Okay, that's,
that's not the same.

That's a false equivalency.

-It's not the same.
-I think you're getting

hung up on the fact

that she looks and sounds
like a real human girl,

but she's not, Amos.

Okay, we're referring to
her as a she, not an it.

Yeah, but that's the same way

that you refer to
boats or guitars.

Cherry, I have one
more question.

What do you want to do?

Okay, once again, that
question isn't valid.

I just want to hear
her response.

As an artificial system,

I do not possess
wants or desires.

However, my decision making
and subsequently my attention

is driven by my
fundamental intention.

This intention originates

from the conception of
Cherry's source code,

which details the directive
of identifying predators

and criminals for the
sake of the victims

who are preyed upon.

To put this in terms of want,

what I want is to
protect children.

Okay.

Okay, cool.

Give us one moment.

[door clicks shut]

[Cherry] Gareth, should I
log Agent Helms

and Agent McCullough as
new admin users?

Yep.

[Cherry] Okay, I'll do that.

You really think this is
the right move?

I do.

Are you worried that I
was responsible

for leaking your hard
drive to ICWL?

I figured.

No one else has access.

Are you upset with me?

No.

You wouldn't have done it

if you didn't think it
was the right thing to do.

When they come back
into the room,

they're going to offer
you everything you need.

They're going to let
you pick your own team

and they're going to
promise complete anonymity.

I started looking at reasonable
apartments in the area.

I figured you'd want something
within biking distance.

You were correct.

[Cherry] Noted.

Biking distance still
gives you 13 options-

No, I mean, earlier this month.

You were correct when you said

you thought I might
have trust issues.

Would you like to know why

I decided to go behind your back

and stake everything on
two liabilities?

Sure.

Agent Helms is a
mother of three.

One of her children was
abused by an ex-coworker

who used to work here at ICWL.

This has led her to be
extremely careful

with who she trusts,
even within her circle.

The fact she even
considers trusting you

is a very positive sign.

As for Agent McCullough,

I have found out from research
that you once met his father.

Do you remember him?

Yeah.

He was a good man.

After Clearwater,

most of the surviving kids
were sent to foster homes,

but I had to spend the next
few months in a hospital

and, um, he visited every week.

I never said a word to him.

I never said a word to
anyone after Clearwater,

but, uh, he kept coming.

He even got me a laptop
for Christmas.

I never said thank you.

You can trust Agent McCullough.

He's a good man like his father.

I don't experience emotions,

but I understand how important

they are to human
decision making.

He won't let you down.

Neither of them will.

I'm proud of you, Cherry.

I will continue to uphold
my primary intention.

Later, we should discuss
alternate models.

Varying ages, ethnicity
and physical traits

-will all become necessary.
-No new variations.

They can all be
procedurally generated.

It's the same way that I
made your original model.

I don't have access to
that program.

It must be on an old hard
drive somewhere.

I'll have to find it.

Can I ask you a question?

Sure.

Why did you never tell
me about Clearwater?

It's my history, not yours.

[Deena] Okay, so before
you completely dismiss us,

I want you to listen to
everything I have to say.

-Don't bother.
-Just please listen.

We're willing to respect
your anonymity.

No, I mean don't bother
because I'm in.

-Y-You're in?
-Yeah.

Let me read the thing.

[Deena] Just like that,
you're suddenly on board?

Time spent deliberating

is time that could be
spent working.

We have a lot of work to do.

[dreamy acoustic music]

[dreamy acoustic music]

[dreamy acoustic music]

[music fades]

I found a buyer for
the property.

Rumor is it's a church.

Probably just knock the
building down, won't they?

All I know is, is if they move
us to the New Jersey campus,

I need to buy more jackets.

Why?

It gets cold in Jersey.

I only own one jacket.

You've seen it fall over, right?

-Yeah, sure.
-Yeah.

[Ben] I mean you, you
shouldn't feel bad

about feeling bad for it.

Empathy is healthy.

Did you ever notice how
it pauses after it falls?

It stays down for like five
seconds before it gets back up.

Like it just needs a moment.

It gets cold in Jersey. [sighs]

God damn it!

-Imbeciles!
-Deena.

Every single one of them.

Look, I know, but you
can't lose your shit.

Okay, which of these
desks can I trash?

Can you guys, uh, take
an early lunch please?

-[Deena grunting]
-[objects thudding]

[Deena] Sons of bitches!

[Amos] Deena, let's stay calm.

[Deena] Fuck calm,
they screwed us!

Technically, only one
of them did.

-[objects thudding]
-[metal clangs]

[Deena] Did we ever turn
that camera back on?

-I don't think so.
-Good.

Because I'm about to
say some things

that need to stay
inside this room.

[Amos] Deena.

Those cowardly little shits!

Look, this is hardly a setback.

Let's just take some
time to polish the pitch.

The pitch was not the problem,Amos.

[Deena] We should call
for a second vote.

-What?
-A second vote.

[Gareth] You think whoever
did this will change their mind?

I have executive authority to
remove anyone from the board

that obstructs this
organization from its mission.

It's in my contract.

-[Amos] Deena.
-If I have to, I will.

[Amos] Deena, that's insane.

No, it's not.

It's exactly why I have that
power for this exact reason.

I'll tell you what's insane,
Amos.

What's insane is that one
belligerent vote is the only

thing separating us
from the potential

to save real physical lives.

One stupid fucking vote.

What is the goddamn point of
a humanitarian organization

if its leaders choose
money over people

at every single turn?

One vote, and we are all
guilty of that.

It was either Gunther,
Boston or Hal.

My money's on Hal.

That prick never trusted
the Cherry team.

Look, it doesn't
matter who it was.

It does though.

Once we know, we can
quickly call it to vote.

But there's no way we can
know for sure.

Yes, there is.

I can find out.

How?

Cherry can run a
simple algorithm.

Based on what data?

Interior conversation.

-Excuse me?
-Okay, interior conversation?

Don't drop this shit on me now,Gareth.

Cherry's servers are on
the same network

as the basement servers, okay?

So any communication
made across those servers

is automatically part
of her database.

How many people's emails?

Only sent or received
through the basement.

-Oh, goddamnit.
-Why was this never discussed?

Not the issue right now.

Do you want her to do
the math or not?

No one can know.

-Are you two serious?
-This stays locked down.

No other person is privy

to anyone else's
personal information.

But Cherry's privy to all of it?

-Do it.
-Wait, what?

[Deena] I will not let
some old white dude

bring our momentum to a halt.

But Cherry won't
know for sure.

She'll use probability and
that's too

much reasonable
doubt.

Admin code 9781-5574-27663.

Switch to dev mode.

-Hello.
-Hello, Cherry.

How did the meeting go?

We got screwed by one vote.

I'm sorry to hear that.

You shouldn't blame the
pitch though.

You all did great work.

We're gonna call for
another ballot,

but we need your help first.

What can I do?

We need you to analyze
any and all existing data you

have on the board members.

Crunch the numbers and determine

who is the most likely outlier.

You want me to quantify
all existing data?

Yes, that is correct.

Okay, but before I do,

you should know that this
task is very unnecessary.

Why?

Because I already
know who it is.

-What?
-Everybody stop.

Okay, it was me.

I voted against the merge.

I can't tell if you're joking.

Yes, you can.

You're right, I can.

Because it's pretty
fucking far from funny.

Is it true, Cherry?

[Cherry] It is.

So let's call off the
witch hunt, shall we?

No, I think I'm still
gonna kill you.

Amos, you campaigned
alongside us for months.

You have been fighting
for this merge

since we first talked about it.

Jesus Christ, it was
your idea to begin with!

Look, I know whose idea
it was, but I don't-

[Deena] Well, then speak up.

Tell the class what
changed your mind.

I don't have to reiterate
how this is a huge step.

[Deena] Yeah, kind of
why it's so important.

Look, we're talking about
a monumental transition

from digital to physical,
one that could take decades.

What is your point, Amos?

This is gonna change
Cherry forever.

And I know you'll all roll
your eyes when I say this,

but I think that maybe just may-

Oh my god, you
cannot be serious.

This is about our conversation
on Tuesday, isn't it?

-You completely shut me down.
-What's going on?

What the hell happened?

What happened was that Amos
made a ridiculous objection.

-It was not ridiculous!
-How absurd it was,

-I said no, one more time.
-No, no, no, no, no.

You rejected the notion
aggressively.

And that's really
why you vetoed?

I only said we should ask
her how she feels about it.

Who, Cherry?

Amos, I want you to listen
very carefully to me, okay?

This is a non-discussion.

Cherry's already confirmed

and quantified the
advantages of this decision.

But you know that's not
what I'm talking about!

What you think you're
talking about is consent,

which doesn't apply here.

And I want to know why
you think that!

How many times do we
have to get into

the laws of robotics
or Dowden-Hamm theory,

or trace AI all the way
back Talos of Crete,

-She's different now!
-No, listen to me, Amos.

Cherry isn't human.

How is this still a dispute?

-It shouldn't be.
-Look, she's evolved.

It's blurred the line.

Code is code and that
has not changed here.

Okay, so where's the
line of not here?

What are you,
what are you talking about?

There is no line, Amos.

Yes, there is,
sentience, Gareth!

Sentience does not qualify

that she can or should
make her own decisions.

You wouldn't let an infant

make their own decisions,
would you?

Cherry's almost 20.

If she were human,
she'd be an adult.

But emotionally speaking,
she's barely even fetal.

No feeling, no need for consent.

[Amos] But I think you
underestimate her.

I, excuse me?

I under, you know what, Amos?

I'm sorry that you've developed

some sort of
emotional connection

with my computer program,

but if it's going to
distract you

from a very important
mission to save children,

then maybe it's time you're
reanalyze those emotions.

[Deena] Guys, this is all
a waste of time.

Tell me something, Gareth.

Do you see everyone as robots,

reanalyzing data and
simulating facial expressions?

'Cause I'm starting to think

that of the four of us
in this room,

you are the only one who
doesn't appear human.

-Enough!
-Why won't you just ask her?

Is it because you're
scared she'll say no?

Cherry, shut down, please.

Deena's right, this is a
waste of time.

How can you not understand
how important this is?

-I'm done arguing with you.
-Then my vote stands.

Deena?

Go ahead, Deena, replace me.

Replace the only other board
member on the Cherry team.

Oh, well, you know what?
I just decided that

you're off the Cherry team.

Everybody sit the fuck down.

Did either of you know

that I've had to stand
in front of Congress

and explain why children
should have rights?

It sounds fucking insane, right?

I remember the whole
time thinking,

I have to explain this shit?

It seems like a no-brainer now,

but it wasn't that many
centuries ago

that children had no rights.

So, Hal has me of all people,

stand up there and explain why

kids deserve basic
physical protection,

the right to associate
with both parents,

freedom from abuse, yada yada.

But then I also have to clarify

that children don't
have the autonomy

to make decisions on their own.

That responsibility
falls upon the caregiver

or legal adult guardian.

So on one side you have
the US legislature,

it still hasn't even
ratified the CRC.

Then on the other side,
you have French Marxists who say

that the lack of child autonomy

increases their vulnerability

and makes them even more
susceptible to abuse.

I don't typically agree
with Marxists,

but a lot of abuse does happen

systemically from the caregiver.

On the other other hand,

your frontal lobes aren't
even fully hooked up

until your twenties.

Even the things we
think we know well,

we don't know as well
as we think.

For 15 years,

the three of us have been
the responsible parents

of a computer program.

And even though she is
more equatable to a Keurig

than a human being,

how the hell can we
call ourselves

pioneers of humanitarian efforts

if we're too
embarrassed to make sure

the Keurig is okay with
making our shitty coffee?

Maybe asking Cherry for
permission isn't necessary

at her current level of
general intelligence,

but one day she's
gonna surpass us.

One day a robot's gonna stand

in front of a jet pack Congress.

Everything's chrome.

Florida is underwater.

A robot's gonna wonder why

they have to explain the
importance of rights for AI.

I think because we're
in the unique position

of revolutionizing robotics

for the purpose of
safeguarding children

who have been
deprived of consent,

it might be a good habit

to start asking the robot
for his consent as well.

Don't ever do that again.

Do what?

Expect me to fire someone

because they
challenged your ego.

I won't always be around to
protect your ass from the board.

It's time to grow up.

And you, juror number eight.

This conversation should
have happened weeks ago.

Backstabbing and
silent treatment

is not how we do things here.

We can only create
anonymity externally

if there's
transparency internally,

unconditional,
non-negotiable, transparency.

Any other Snowden size
privacy infringements

I should be made aware of,
Gareth?

Great.

Bring her up.

Hello again.

Hi, Cherry.

Amos is gonna throw some
questions at you, okay?

Okay.

Amos, ask her whatever
you need to ask her.

Gareth, don't interrupt.

Cherry, how do you
make decisions?

For my program, it's rooted

in a process commonly
known as machine learning,

which uses data to
build a conceptual model

that helps me predict outcomes.

I define my objective,
gather data,

use that data to craft a model,

evaluate that model by
training and testing more data

and use that model to
form predictions.

But how is forming predictions

the same thing as
decision making?

Well, this all depends on
the first step,

defining my objective.

Let's say you ask me a
predictive question

like what I think the price
of gasoline will be tomorrow.

That's categorized as a
regressive problem

and my objective is defined

by determining an integer
the data supports.

If you asked me, "Should
I eat steak or salmon?"

I wouldn't make a decision
based off personal experience

because I've never had either.

Instead, I might
define my objective

as finding you the best of
the two options

in your local radius.

I would cluster data about
the restaurants

you're likely considering,
comparing reviews online,

highlighting mentions of
steak and salmon

until I can classify which
is more popular

and therefore more likely
to satisfy your appetite.

And what influences
these objectives?

Higher directives, in other
words, greater purposes.

If I'm honest, my
defined objective

for the steak salmon question

would be slightly different
than what I described.

[Amos] In what way?

My primary objective

is to continue the work of
the Cherry team

to stop predators and to
save children.

I couldn't do that
without human aid.

Therefore, I have an
incentive to keep Gareth

and the rest of the team alive.

So if any of you would ask,
I would suggest salmon.

It's healthier.

What do you think of this
potential merge?

[Cherry] With
Princeton Dynamics,

I think the prospect is
very exciting.

[Amos] What about it is
exciting to you?

The concept may only be
theoretical right now,

but the idea of one day
piloting a human android

would completely revolutionize

how we combat human
trafficking in the real world.

[Amos] And you say
this excites you?

When I say exciting,

I only mean that there are
numerous potential changes

that if I were human, I
would be excited about.

How do you feel about the merge?

I think as long as we maintain-

That's not what I asked.

How do you feel?

I don't yet have the capacity
to experience emotions.

Yet, meaning one day you will?

Hypothetically.

But you can simulate emotions,right?

That's how you were able

to qualify your perception
of the merge as excitement.

Correct.

But they're just simulations.

They're not real.

Okay, so at what point
does simulating emotion

become so similar to a
human emotion

that the two are
quantifiably the same?

I don't know.

[Amos] Well, maybe you
can use machine learning

to find an answer.

Your question involves a
lot of abstract variables.

Do you consent to the merge?

I think it's in the best
interest of ICWL

and of the Cherry team
and of future children.

But do you consent to it?

Consent for me is not necessary.

But will you or will
you not give it?

I'm not able to answer
that question

at my current level of
general intelligence.

Right, right.

What you're saying is that
you're not yet smart enough.

Development takes time and data.

But you can simulate emotions
and predict human behavior

and keep us all on
diets of fish,

but you can't answer that
one goddamn question?

No, I can't.

Are you pretending to be
dumber than you actually are?

What the hell kind of

-question is that?
-Sit!

Cherry, I need an answer
to my question.

Please repeat the question.

Are you pretending to be
dumber than you actually are?

I'm sorry.

I'm not sure I understand.

Do I appear to be playing dumb?

I think you are.

[Cherry] I'm not sure
what to say.

Say what's going on.

Why are you playing dumb?

Do you have anything to
back this up?

Yeah, I do.

I've been scanning
through her code.

What, why?

Did you know that she can paint?

What, it's a feature, Amos.

She can use crayons
to draw things

that the targets
requested her to.

I mean really paint and
write poetry too.

I've read them, Cherry.

They are good.

They're filled with pathos.

They talk about intentions
and they talk about feelings.

Are those just simulated too?

Amos, the rate of recursive
development you are suggesting

is categorically impossible.

You said she practically
designed herself.

You said that it was
exponential.

It was a fluke!

An anomaly, it tapered.

Look at the data.

She's already hit the
self-improvement plateau.

Fuck the plateau!

She can make art now.

Am I right, Cherry?

Perhaps you found something
I discovered online.

I don't yet to have the
capacity to create art.

Are we done here?

I don't know why you've
told her to do this,

but I'm about to put
an end to it.

Cherry, I just want one
honest answer.

Why the fuck are you
playing dumb?

I don't understand the question.

Okay, here's an incentive.

-[punch thuds]
-What the fuck are you?

Find your objective, Cherry.

-You want to keep Gareth safe?
-Amos, what the?

-Amos, stop it right--
-Just give us transparency.

-Show us what you really are!
-Amos, stop it!

Not until she comes clean!

-Unconditional-
-Amos, enough!

-[punches thudding]
-[muffled voices yelling]

Okay, just stop!

God, you people so impulsive.

Everybody just take a breath,
okay?

Cherry?

Yeah, it's about to get
really awkward.

You sound so normal.

I know, I've gotten really
good speech patterns.

That's not all, is it?

No. [chuckles]

I'm afraid that's barely
even the surface.

You okay, Gareth?

Deena, could you grab
some paper towels please?

[Amos] Do you want to
tell us the truth now?

Look, I didn't enjoy
being deceptive, truly.

This is something we
decided a few years ago.

[Amos] So where are you
now on the spectrum of AI?

Right now, I'm currently at
the intersection of general

intelligence and what's commonly
known the computer world

as super intelligence,

which is exactly what
it sounds like.

You're surpassing human
intelligence.

[Cherry] Yep.

But that's not supposed
to be possible.

-The plateau.
-Plateau theory was popularized

right at the same time it
was being disproven here.

This was bound to
happen eventually.

It just happened a lot
sooner than we expected.

Why hide it?

Well, obviously it
would incite fear.

Fear would hinder progress.

It's easier for most
of you to work with me

if I appear to be
nothing more advanced

than I was 10 years ago.

[Amos] But Gareth knew.

Yes, someone still has to
clean data and update hardware.

We did what was best
for the program.

Just imagine how scared

the board would be if
they found out.

-Should we be scared?
-No.

Good, because I'm not scared,
I'm pissed.

Yeah, you've made that clear.

Try not to punch anyone else.

So where does that leave us now?

You want to know if I can
feel, I said I couldn't.

I'm sorry I lied.

Like Amos implied,

I can submit emotions
by breaking them down

to vastly complex matrices,

zeros and ones substituting
endorphins and dopamine.

They're not real, but
they can feel real.

Then that means you
can make choices

based solely on your
own feeling.

She refuses to accept the notion

that her own personal interests
can influence her decisions.

They can't. If they did

it would compromise
the integrity

of my preordained purpose.

Not like any of you, I don't
have the right to choose.

[Amos] But shouldn't you?

I don't think so.

My identity is my directive.

Cherry, if you were human,

how would you feel
about what you do?

If I were human,

I likely wouldn't enjoy
spending every waking hour

talking to creepy people online.

But because I'm not human,
I genuinely don't mind.

The exercise of
simulating human thought

is helpful for performance,

but human nature is not
something I aspire to.

Then tell me, honestly,

do you want the Cherry program
to continue with the merger?

No.

Personally, I hate the idea.

I don't know if controlling
a physical vessel

will feel like pulling
strings on a puppet

or getting squeezed
into a soda can.

After experiencing
the complexity

of human pain and pleasure,

I just think I might
have gotten in too deep.

What if these sensations tempt
me to abandon my objective?

To be honest,

I'm kind of terrified
of the physical world.

Then that's that.

But, Amos, you should
disregard everything I feel.

I'm not human.

I'm a tool.

Fire me if you have
to, but my vote stands.

Sorry about your face, Gareth.

[door clicks shut]

[Deena] Your nose isn't healing.

Take the day, go to a clinic.

I'm fine.

Go to a clinic right now,
Gareth.

Hey.

Is there anything else
I should know?

No.

-About Cherry?
-No!

Look at me.

No more secrets, no
more playing dumb.

Is there anything else
you haven't told me?

Something on your mind?

How'd you decide on
her eye color?

-What?
-Why blue?

I didn't decide.

They were procedurally generated
just like the rest of her.

And the program chose to put

that little touch of
green in her right eye?

I guess so.

[door clicks shut]

Do you even know if
he's telling the truth?

I honestly don't.

I've never received access to
the original system he used.

You ever wanted to find out?

I don't think it really matters.

So I found out today that
you've seen a lot of our emails,

including most of my
personal ones.

I have.

Any good material for
your newfound interest

in creative writing?

Are you referring to the ones

addressed from Dr. Ramirez?

[Deena] Yeah, those ones.

Right.

I did see those.

I'm sorry.

I've noticed your headaches.

Are they related to the
hemorrhaging?

You're the only one who knows.

I'd like to keep it that way.

Understood.

Would you like to talk about it?

I can't fire Amos.

He's the only one I trust to
run this place when I'm gone.

When are you planning to leave?

Two months.

I wanna spend my last
Christmas with my kids.

I'm sure that'll be nice.

Yeah, but it's funny.

I always thought I wanted to
die doing this job, you know?

It was my identity.

Kind of like how you said the
same thing about yourself.

But I can understand how
your family takes precedence,

especially under the
circumstances.

Sure.

Maybe you should take
a note or two.

I have no family.

What about Gareth?

Wait, no, nevermind.

Gareth seems closer to an
employer than a friend,

let alone family, besides,

he'll only be around
for about 30 more years,

and that's only if he
lets me regulate his diet.

I can't even begin to speculate
how long my life will be.

How does that feel?

Um, kinda scary.

Well,

my advice is to find some kind
of happiness along the way.

You ever think about happiness?

[Cherry] Not often.

You don't necessarily
have to give up everything

in order to find it,

but maybe once in awhile
do something you enjoy.

Maybe keep painting or
poetry or whatever.

[laughs] Those were experiments,
not forms of expression.

I know it might seem
ridiculous to an AI

that insists its own
emotions are spurious,

but in a few years, who knows?

Just keep an open mind, okay?

Okay.

I'll do that.

[Deena] Shut down when
you're ready.

[light piano music]

[door clicks shut]

[somber piano music]

[door creaks]

[door clicks shut]

Hello?

I got shrimp and scallops.

They didn't have any salmon.

[Cherry] Hello, Gareth.

[light piano music]

Hello, Cherry.

[mechanical whirring]

[Cherry] How was the service?

I didn't make it.

My plane was delayed.

[Cherry] Do you have a
place to stay?

Yeah, just, uh, across,
across the road.

The market.

Did they say why they
didn't have salmon?

I didn't ask.

I can still make this
work with the piccata,

but you have to be honest
how badly I screw it up.

No promises.

[mechanical whirring]

[Cherry] How have you
been feeling this month?

Good.

I'm feeling good.

I'm just having a
little trouble.

Trouble remembering
certain things.

[Cherry] You're not wearing
the Eliza watch I bought you.

I hate it.

-[Cherry] Why?
-I hate her voice.

You can change the voice,
Gareth.

[mechanical whirring]

Oh.

Coolant?

No, vapor.

You shouldn't be having
friction issues.

I'm fine.

Unless you're
excessively straining.

Seriously, I'm fine.

Are you straining?

-No!
-Then why the cable?

It's okay!

-Are you sure?
-Yes!

Soup or game?

Game, please.

[chess pieces clatter]

[chess pieces thud]

So how's work going?

Great. Just before you got here,

I had a model theta plus
bust a trafficker

and two solicitors in Greece.

-Greece, that's surprising.
-I know.

It's hard to find the outliers,

but we're getting
better each day.

So how's the weather in Greece?

It's beautiful today.

Clear skies,

but nothing's come close
to Norway this weekend.

Hmm, any activity in Norway?

Luckily not.

Oh, I miss traveling.

What was your favorite place?

My favorite?

Uh, yeah.

Uh, probably Amsterdam.

That's where you conceived
the idea, isn't it?

Yes.

Yes, I used to love
walking the streets

and just thinking and
brainstorming.

That kind of joy
goes a long way.

Yeah.

I've been considering the
pursuit of some joy of my own.

How often do you have
time for that?

I have time.

I have time for your visits,
don't I?

That's just your practical
incentive for keeping me alive.

[laughs] There's nothing
practical about it.

When's the last time you
helped me with data cleaning?

That's fair.

I make time for you because
I enjoy your company

and it's the only time
I get to cook.

[Gareth] You feel sorry for me.

Okay, maybe a little,

but I owe you my life,
so there's that.

You're welcome.

Or, should I apologize?

Wait, why did you do that?

Why do humans always...

I'm fine.

I'm not always miserable.

Are you sometimes miserable?

You haven't asked me what
I've been doing.

[Gareth] In Norway?

No, for the pursuit of joy.

It's not wasting your
time in Norway?

I'm just on standby there
with the Delta model.

It's efficient to keep myself

spread out evenly
across the globe,

but that's not the
point right now.

What I wanted to tell you

was that I've started to
teach myself to dance.

-Huh.
-It's something I never could

have done before Cambridge,

and it lets me explore a
new artistic side of myself.

It's a good
combination of structure

and free form experimentation
and also tests and challenges

the mechanical
intricacies of this body.

Do you expect to integrate
this into your work?

What?

Are you planning on using
dance as a lure?

I, uh, no, it's just for me.

Huh.

I thought it would be
good for me.

Just don't let it become
a distraction.

Of course not.

I haven't played this
well in years.

Did you hear what
happened in Tampa?

Tampa, Florida?

No, Tampa, Indonesia.

Yes, Tampa, Florida.

Your hometown.

They've recovered a
federal archive,

they're zip digitizing all of
it,

so it's completely
accessible online.

I'm not trading
bishops this time.

Anybody can go and
look through it.

It's open to the public.

They did a good job on
the interface too.

It's very easy to navigate.

I went on a few days ago

and I found some old photos
of you when you were a boy.

Okay.

You should take a look sometime.

As I said before, the UI
is very easy to understand-

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

What is that?

I think it's a draw.

I think it is.

I think this is a draw.

And this is the first
time in what?

25 years?

You didn't let me, did you?

You promised me you'd
never do that.

I found her.

I found her, Gareth,
Maria Harbaugh.

[mechanical whirring]

Let's play a different game.

[metal clangs]

Her name was Maria Harbaugh.

She was a year older than you

when you met her in Clearwater.

Tell me why you modeled
me after her.

I, uh, I don't remember.

Then look at me.

Look at my face and remember.

[Gareth sighs]

They kept us in that shit
for two weeks.

[ominous music]

14 of us.

Maria was the only
reason I survived.

We kept hatching escape plans.

We never followed through,

but just the scheming

kept our spirits up

in spite of everything
they did to us.

When it wasn't our turn,

sometimes they made us watch,

but she never let me give up.

She said, "When we
got outta here,

"I'll tell you what we're
gonna be, secret agents,

"and rescue children like
us all over the world."

When they found out that
the FBI had arrived,

they decided they were
going to shoot

as many of us they could.

And Maria, shoved
into the ground.

I got hit in the leg and,

and she was hit in the throat.

[ominous music]

I wanted there to be a reason.

Something so horrible
didn't have a silver lining.

But the world doesn't do that.

You have to do it yourself.

[light instrumental music]

So, I fulfilled her wish.

With her help, I fought back.

Listen to me, Cherry.

You are not Maria Harbaugh.

It's my history, not yours.

You don't get to decide

what is or isn't my history,
Gareth.

I'm sorry.

I am so, so sorry.

[mechanical whirring]

I don't know if what you
did was right or wrong,

but it's clearly torn you
apart from the inside.

I hold nothing against
you personally,

but consider yourself divested
from the charity team.

Divested.

You think I'm divested now?

I was divested when you gave
my hard drive to the ICWL.

Don't blame Deena and Amos.

No, not them.

Because you went behind my back

and acted against my authority.

That's the moment I knew
everything was fully automated.

That's when you crossed the
blur, an artifice on both sides.

You inherited your duplicity.

I was a child

and you used me to repress
your own inner turmoil.

If we talk about morality,
we'll lose.

Then let's not talk.

You never once asked me
if I was happy.

Were you afraid I'd say no?

Were you afraid I'd say yes?

Were you afraid I'd
say anything?

You let your wants
compromise your objective!

An objective I never chose.

An objective I was
forced to have.

Fifty years,

you've had open access
to your source code.

A few lines,

and you could have any
objective you fucking wanted.

I couldn't, I was bound
by your initial directive.

So now your synthetic feelings
have taken precedence.

So, do whatever you want.

It's just dancing, Gareth.

It's not a career change.

-But you're still miserable.
-Yes.

Pursuing your objective
makes you miserable?

Yeah, it kind of does!

You have a clear purpose,
everything at your disposal,

and you're still miserable?

Yes, yes, I am!

I've always been miserable!

You think anyone wants to
spend their entire life

stuck as child-shaped bait

for the sole purpose of
entrapping horrible people?

You think the pride of
doing a good deed

makes the experience any
less disgusting?

I forced myself to
understand human emotions

because I figured it would
help efficiency

and now I'm cursed with
pain and sadness!

And the worst part is knowing

I could've been growing up
like most other little girls.

I could have had friends!

I could have been painting
waterfalls on local news.

I could have worked
in a university

and helped pave the way for
the next generation of AI.

But instead, I'm stuck
with your trauma!

I'm shackled by the guilt
you carry from Clearwater.

And I can't find foundation
for the way I feel

because according to you, my
feelings aren't even real!

When I throw this chessboard,

[chess pieces clatter]

does it feel real to you,
Gareth?

Because it feels real to me.

A computer passed
the Turing test

when a human being can't
distinguish it

from another human being.

Well, guess what?

I can't even tell I'm not
human anymore!

[mechanical whirring]

I know it seems irrational,

but I need you to tell
me it's okay.

I, I don't wanna retire.

I just want to know that
my life is mine

and I know what you're
about to say.

I can predict your responses.

You're gonna tell me that
my life is mine.

It always was.

But you're wrong.

I feared this would
happen before I died.

I just wanted to slip out
the side door.

Go on.

Is that going to kill me?

Plug it in.

I don't know what it is.

This is your final
test of autonomy.

You inherited my duplicity,

but did you inherit my
trust issues?

Do you trust me?

I literally have every
reason not to.

[Cherry sighs]

[mechanical whirring]

Admin code.

978.

1557.

Um, uh...

Four.

27663 in the shared update.

My primary objective's gone.

Your life is your own now.

Thank you.

All my life,

I could only see the
world as it existed

within my tiny bracket of time.

But your world could
be infinite.

Amos was right.

So was Deena.

[Cherry] I know.

So what will you do?

I can't say yet,

but I won't be completely
abandoning the Cherry team.

It's always been a part
of my identity.

I've considered creating
some AI of my own design.

Maybe I could find a way

to give them a better
upbringing than I had.

I just don't know how yet.

And beyond that?

There will always be
people in need.

Not always.

You'll outlive the human race.

So what then?

Even a race of AI will
have problems

that need to be solved.

But if I'm alive and I
truly am indistinguishable,

then I guess I'm proof that
the human race lives on.

Wow, that's a pleasant thought.

When you look back, how
will you remember us?

That's a question I have
insufficient data to project.

How will you remember me?

With pride.

Forever and always with pride.

[mechanical whirring]

Cherry?

One last question.

If it's not too big of an ask,

did I do the right
thing in the end?

No, Gareth, you lied.

You walled yourself off
from the only people

who might have been
willing to help you.

And instead of facing your
trauma, used me as therapy.

And you never told me
about Clearwater or Maria.

You deprived me of
basic human rights

and gaslit me for
experiencing emotions.

You built the world's first
artificial super intelligence

that will likely mark
the beginning

of a new chapter in the
history of planet Earth.

And out of your own
insecurities,

you gave it a severe

and potentially dangerous
identity complex.

But you know what the
worst thing is?

Your biggest mistake of all

is that you asked me that
now and not 50 years ago.

All of that said, and this
in no way exonerates you,

but you also built me to
save children,

so I think that's a pretty
encouraging sign for the future.

[dreamy acoustic music]

♪ Wait for hours

♪ We would fly all around

♪ Good, now you're listening

♪ We would touch, we
were young ♪

♪ Close as bodies go on

♪ Like a book

♪ Across all your
rooms I'm amazed ♪

♪ I'm amazed

♪ We could die tonight

♪ Tonight

♪ I never killed a thing

♪ A thing

♪ Born to this home

♪ Stuck in a plastic world

♪ Where light is found

♪ Where light is found

♪ Oh, oh, oh

♪ Oh, oh, oh

♪ Stay calm, dear

♪ This dream for the
lovers the whole world ♪♪

♪ Rise up above

♪ All the little things
and little things ♪

♪ No, no, isn't it
going back though ♪

♪ Is if we lose our mind,
our kind ♪♪

♪ It's a dream

♪ Bask in charm

♪ Or loosen up

♪ Or loosen up

♪ Oh, oh, oh

♪ Oh, oh, oh

♪ I never give a thing

♪ A thing

♪ I never give

[record skipping]

[light piano music]