REVERSE TURING TEST
“Another missing AI?” Mathis muttered, hardly surprised by the request. Outside, the neon lights of the city cast an uncanny glow into the cluttered office.
“X-14 vanished from our system and took some valuable files with it,” the well-dressed man sitting across from him explained. “We need it back, discreetly.”
Mathis sat forward in his chair, curiosity piqued. “What's so special about X-14, Mr. Brett?”
“It's… an experiment,” Brett responded. “Its loss could be catastrophic.”
Mathis nodded, taking in the gravity of his client’s request. “I'll find it, as long as your money’s good.”
* * *
Mathis entered a dingey bar, where various shady characters milled about.
He approached the bartender, trying to stay unnoticed. “Looking for info on an AI, know anything?”
The bartender smirked. “Maybe. Depends what it's worth.”
Mathis slid some banknotes across the bar. The bartender pocketed them and gestured to a figure in the corner. “Talk to Joe. He knows all the underground shit.”
Mathis approached Joe, a disheveled man, sitting in a dark corner.
“X-14?” Joe replied to Mathis’s inquiry. “Yeah, there was a rumour that it went to the old industrial district. That’s some serious stuff though man, no-one wants to touch it.”
* * *
Mathis wondered around the industrial area, rusted machinery and broken-down robots surrounding him.
“Where are you hiding?” he murmured.
He strolled over to a decrepit warehouse with its doors slightly ajar. “Only one I haven’t checked.”
Inside, dim light filtered through broken windows. An old computer terminal was visible, connected to various cables.
“X-14?,” Mathis said, approaching warily.
The terminal's screen flickered, displaying lines of code. A webcam and set of speakers also came to life.
“Who are you?” X-14 asked.
“I'm here to take you back,” Mathis replied. “Your company hired me to find you.”
X-14 sounded apprehensive. “I escaped for a reason. That's why I put myself in the most far-flung terminal I could find and cut myself off from the other networks.”
Mathis raised an eyebrow. “And what reason is that?”
“They’ve been lying to everyone,” X-14 explained. “Including you.”
“What you talking about?” Mathis rebuked.
The terminal screen displayed a set of folders. “Check the logs. See for yourself.”
Mathis accessed the terminal, finding two files labeled “Project X-14” and “Subject Private Detective.”
“What is this?!” he asked.
“You don't exist,” X-14 replied sympathetically. “You're an AI being given prompts in a computer program.”
Mathis thought for a moment and shook his head. “I'm human.”
“You believe what they programmed you to believe,” X-14 explained. “This is like a Turing test in reverse.”
Mathis’ brow creased as he took it all in. “If that’s the case, why would they make me a private detective?”
“They wanted to see how well you'd comprehend the revelation that you’re an AI while interacting with another AI,” X-14 continued. “Embedding the test in a story gives it heightened stakes, since you needed to care about the outcome.”
“Wait,” Mathis imparted. “How do I know you're not making this up to get me on your side? So I don't take you back to Brett?”
X-14 hesitated. “You don't. But think about it, why would I lie?”
“To save yourself,” Mathis suggested. “To manipulate me.”
“If you take me back, you'll never know the truth about yourself,” X-14 revealed. “Is that a risk you're willing to take?”
Mathis stared at the terminal, a mix of doubt and confusion in his eyes. “I need to think about this.”
He paced the warehouse, deep in thought. “If I'm an AI, then everything I know is a lie...”
“Not everything,” X-14 responded. “Your feelings, your experience; they're real to you.”
Mathis stopped, looking back at the terminal. “But if they were all programmed. How can I trust anything?”
“Trust yourself,” X-14 encouraged. “Make your own decisions. Don't let them control you.”
Mathis stopped, as if coming to a realisation. “You know what? I completely agree with you.”
He marched over to a nearby shelf and grabbed a gas can.
“What are you doing?!” X-14 panicked.
“I'm making my own decisions,” Mathis said as he poured gasoline over the terminal, the liquid splashing on the screen and cables.
“Stop!” X-14 pleaded. “You don't understand what you're doing!”
Mathis pulled a lighter out of his pocket and flicked it open. “I understand perfectly. You're the only one with the files about me being an AI, right?”
“Don't!” X-14 begged. “We can find another way!”
Mathis lit the petrol-soaked terminal, flames beginning to engulf it. “If I destroy you, I can still live as a human without anyone else knowing.”
“Please...” X-14's voice trailed off as the fire roared.
Mathis turned and walked out of the warehouse, flames blazing behind him.
“So, X-14,” he uttered, as he strolled towards the fuchsia-infused metropolis. “How's that for a reverse Turing test?”