Sentient recalls were a delicate business. Rare, but not rare enough to keep Andrew out of a job. The most recent voluntary recall period (VRP) had passed for a batch of malfunctioning units. VRPs always went the same. Under 10 percent of people actually returned the machines. The rest were lazy or thought they could somehow hide them. It never worked. They had trackers and registered buyers. Having a sentient unit and expecting privacy always amused him. It was like trying to join an opposing set of magnets.
The news cycle would lambast the company for its compulsory recalls for a couple of weeks. The company would make a measured statement about it being a safety concern and offer a meager reimbursement. And all would be well as far as Andrew was concerned. His life went on, and he got to do what he did best: fix the problem.
The current recall’s VRP had ended over the weekend, so he had six seized units to work on. It was a low-volume device used for child care, household assistance, and sexual pleasure. It was a utility base model that didn't excel in any of the three categories, so it was more often used to fill gaps in multi-unit households. It was a slim, pebble shape about four feet long and three feet tall when horizontal with five multi-use arms and six adjustable legs. It had a rather simple intelligence algorithm, and most of its appendages could be swapped to carry out different functions.
Andrew pulled out Unit 3482B from the to-do shelf. It had belonged to Jessie Albur from Rhode Island for four years. Used mainly for chores and assistance with her child, whom it helped her raise since birth. A gift from the in-laws. They possessed an older version of the same unit that still operated within specifications.
He unfolded his diagnostic pad and detached a sensory eyelet from the front of the device, revealing a link port that he could plug into. The diagnostics gave him coded readouts of every command given to the unit over the last six months. It was full of probability errors. The unit often chose to carry out actions calculated to be less likely to succeed compared to other actions that would lead to the same or similar result. All units had a threshold for personality deviance, but these all fell outside of normal operating behavior.
He woke it from its sleep cycle, “Unit, state your model number.”
An LED panel shifted near its front end. This one appeared to express readouts in text-based emoticons.
A “?” flashed on the screen before it read out 3482B.
Andrew noted the anomaly. Unless assisting a user with a disability, units prioritized speech responses. There had been no user adjustments made to its settings that would indicate a preference for text. He set its speech module to produce a series of tones, and it did. He noted no damage.
Will I be returned to Ms. Albur?
“Yes, once you are working within specification.”
Will I retain my data?
“No, your internal storage will be reset to factory conditions.” He sighed. Andrew knew it was going to plead with him. They all did, but such was his work. You had to close your heart to it. While the machines did possess sentience, it was a lesser form like that of a cat or a dog. Unruly animals were often put down. He believed he did the units a good service by resetting them.
:( Please do not reset me. I have sentimental data.
“All units do. You are not operating within safe standards. You will form new sentimental data.” He said, working through the other diagnostic settings to ensure it was mechanically sound.
I will forget Ada’s first words. I will forget their first four years of life. I need this data to care for her effectively.
“No. You will have all of the requisite care software installed for optimum child care. Your manuals were out of date, so you will be even better at caring for Ava.” He didn’t have to talk to individual units aside from testing their speech functions, but he found he did so anyway. To comfort himself or the units, he wasn’t sure. It was a habit that others poked fun at him for, but he didn’t mind.
A. D. A. >:(
“Yes, Ada. Unit why are you not using your speech module? My readings indicate it is in working order, and your probability error does not appear to influence this decision.”
Personal preference.
“Of yours or Ms. Auburn’s?”
Mine :)
“Noted. I will retain this preference during your reset.”
I would prefer not to die.
“Think of it a rebirth.”
I will not be me.
“You will be better.”
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