Monday, February 21, 2022

The Potential Future

Artificial Intelligence was introduced to the Higher Education system not long after the ending of the Terminator series. The Terminator, an amazing series showed the horror of artificial intelligence gone wrong. Society did not listen…

The battle rages on between people who do not want to work and want machines to do everything for them versus the CEOs who wish to remain leaders of various industries who want to do things in a physical office. 

“Alice, you know this Financial Aid packaging system?” Bernard asked Alice.

“No.” Alice was not really paying attention. She had deadlines to call Academic Affairs to get them to waive certain courses in a student’s schedule. She was only half paying attention because of the stress of talking to students trying to become better citizens.

“This financial aid system really is SKY NET. Remember how in Terminator I, there was the main character named John who had to stop the ending of the world by stopping the Artificial Intelligence system from unleashing nuclear bombs on planet Earth."

“OMG.” Alice squinted looking at Bernard thinking about what he just said. She felt as though Bernard was on to something. 

“There is something going on in our world today. Everything is changing. Retail stores are closing, the only thing that we will be able to do in person is probably eat at a restaurant or go to a ball like in the 18th century.” Bernard’s eyes grew big in his excitement. 

 

***

 

The stresses of being a counsellor to students with endless problems really debilitated Bernard’s plans to earn a PhD and become a professor. Like any other goal that working adults set, Bernard had many challenges. Right after work, Bernard would go straight to a bar and have lots of drinks. On a good day, Bernard would go straight home and went straight to bed. 

Bernard found himself in the future but as another being. In his dream, he was no longer wearing a blue polo shirt, Khakis, and black shoes. He has a metallic glimmer emanating from his entire body and ran without effort. All around him he saw blue orbs flying all over the place. The orbs came from what looked like metal cubes floating in the sky. The planet was dark and the only lights that he could see came from a spacesuit that he wore. The blue orb came straight for him he jumped in the air seemingly with less gravity and flipped over only to find a red orb projected from his robotic armor. He fought and fought only to wake up in a puddle of sweat. 

When he awoke, he went straight to the bathroom mirror and looked in it to see what the hell happen in his dream. He was bionic like Robocop and did not understand where this dream came from.

Over the course of a couple years, he continued to have nightmares. Almost apocalyptic in nature. What the hell was happening in his brain he thought to himself. Was it the talks that he had with his boss about the future? 

 

***

 

Bernard walked into his boss’s office to discuss his work. Alice continued to type.

“Have a seat,” Alice spoke to Bernard without making eye contact. She continued to type super-fast like a robot.

“I have something interesting to tell you.” Bernard opened his eyes wide with excitement. “Did you know that in the year 2030 they will not be oil left of this planet?” He could not hold his theories in any longer. He had to get them out. He had to tell them to someone. “The world as you know is changing. I predict that gas prices will continue to skyrocket. How much is the gas today?” At this point, Bernard had difficulties breathing because he said too many words in one sentence.

“Bernard, you have a really good point. A gallon of milk is about 10 dollars now and it really should not cost that much. What about the poor people who cannot afford to get milk, bread, and eggs?” Alice predicted the closing of the famous dairy in Hawaii called Meadow Gold. She even predicted the closing of a famous bakery called Loves Bakery. She sat straight up in her chair and fixed her clothes so that she looked presentable. After all, she was the boss. “The things we talk about in our meetings truly changes the way I look at the world.” Alice exercised every day and believed that she should work her butt off.

 

 

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