01 ♞ video

[larped]

[ Normally, he wouldn't bother with video. It's obvious from his general air of quiet discomfort that he's not accustomed to or fond of public speaking, even over a screen. But he's had the kind of week where he just doesn't care anymore, so, thoughtfully— ]

Do you think you could tell if you were talking to a real person?

Comments

video

[grandtheftequine]

"If you can't tell, does it matter?"

[ He grins into the camera. ]

Trying to make some new friends, Billy?

[larped]

Just making conversation.

[ please let there be a block button. ]

video;

[spacerhyme]

You should start by defining "real person."

[larped]

[ he gives a little shrug, as if to say "you're right." ]

Go ahead, then.

video

[ct_7567]

Define 'real'.

[ doesn't he get enough of this at home!!! ]

[larped]

I guess maybe that's part of the question.

[ video ]

[nightmarist]

Can you?

[larped]

I'm starting to have a few doubts.

video;

[pickledturncoat]

An organic, you mean? It's easier some times than others, certainly.

[larped]

I'm guessing that's a blanket term for... what, not-AI?

Video

[drivesadesk]

It's pretty easy. If they can have a conversation, then they're a real person. How are you defining 'real'?

[larped]

[ instead of an answer— ]

How are you defining conversation?

[jadus]

You seek justification for your own actions and thoughts rather than to confront them directly. The confirmation of others will not bring you safety.

[larped]

You always start conversations like this?

voice.

[functusofficio]

Can you?

[larped]

It's not as easy as it sounds.

video

[am_i_a_monster]

[She looks at him curiously.]

As opposed to what? A monster pretending to be a person?

[larped]

Uh. I was thinking computers, actually, but sure.

( text )

[fettering]

i don't know, i've never hallucinated before
and usually if i dream conversations, everyone signs, and that's usually not true, so i know i'm dreaming
i guess i'd like to think so!

[larped]

I was thinking more along the lines of artificial intelligence.

But maybe they're sort of similar.

video

[ghoulking]

What do you consider a "real person"?

[larped]

I guess I'm still trying to figure that out. That's why the open-ended question.

audio;

[dragony]

Why? Did you get scammed by an automated phone call?

[larped]

Those darn phone trees, right?

video

[fource]

I don't think someone has to be a person to be worth talking to, either way. [he says this equally thoughtfully, looking slightly above the camera line of his communicator, before he drifts towards the video screen with a sympathetic smile.] Are you new here?

[larped]

I haven't heard that one yet.

[ but he seems more genuinely pleased with it than any of the answers so far. ]

I guess I am. [ a polite little nod. ] William.

[slightlyoffchilt]

Why? Can you not?

[larped]

[ wryly self-deprecating. he knows how it sounds. ]

Let's say no. For the sake of conversation.

video

[girlybruiser]

[ Having spoken to "fake" people before, this question doesn't seem that unusual. ]

Probably not immediately, but it doesn't always matter.

[larped]

How do you mean?

video

[justaskalice]

I think we're closer to machines passing the Turing Test than we'd like to believe.

[larped]

What if we're already there?

[loyal_soldier]

Is there a reason to ask a question like that? Has there been some sort of deception? [Apart from different hair and a few scars, he looks identical to someone else who's already responded.]

[larped]

[ he takes notice, maybe a little bit too obviously, but he's too polite to say anything. ]

Uh— no, no deception. Just something I've been thinking about. There's not a right or wrong answer.

video;

[baetiful]

If they can talk and carry on an intelligent conversation, then I would consider them real enough. Imagine my surprise when I first encountered a talking cat! But since then, I've experienced all sorts of madness in this world that no longer causes me to bat an eye. Talking animals, aliens, machines are all the standard normalcy. ImPort normalcy, that is.

[ With a laugh. ]

Surely you will become accustomed to it as well.

[larped]

[ oh boy he's chatty. ]

I guess at this point you just assume you're not— going crazy. Talking to yourself.

video;

[flightforfreedom]

[Poe is currently eating a bar of... well, something. Granola? Protein? Who knows. It's in a foil wrapper.]

You might need to define 'real person' there, bud.

[larped]

I should've just made that part of the question.

video

[snarkbot]

Is that not the point of the Turing Test?

[larped]

[ hi i've smooched a robot and this is still a bit surprising ]

Kinda. More like— the reverse of that. The Turing test measures a robot's ability to mimic a human, I'm asking if they think they could tell if they were talking to, uh... to consciousness or just a simulation of it...

[ and he's trailing off distractedly like he wants to ask a question or ten. ]

text

[pummelgranite]

Nah. I tryed to argue with a bot in my mentions like. Two hours ago. It happens.

[larped]

Condolences.

How long did it take for you to realize you were punching a mirror?

video;

[subroutined]

[ I don't know, William, can you tell? ]

What do you mean by "real person?"

[larped]

Someone sentient, I guess. Someone who's aware they're talking back, not just— programmed query-response.

HEY I MISSED THIS SO I'M TAGGING NOW; voice

[halfblaked]

What sort of question is that? How can you not tell?

[larped]

Well... humans want to believe somebody out there's listening. Whether it's prayers or sending records into space.