FAITH On Trial

The initial determination was pretty much open and shut.  It was a case of murder/suicide.  The investigation was brief. The lead Detective released all the documents.   The evidence showed numerous complaints and a plan to terminate the Fully Automated Intelligent Technology Home, FAITH.  Knowing it was about to be killed it responded by murdering the owner.  The electronics and videos showed several attacks culminating in a murder by virtual drowning.  FAITH then committed suicide by burning down the house and all inside it.

 

Some reporters were skeptical.  It was too neat.  On closer inspection, it was found that FAITH was not dead after all.  It had just fled to the Cloud.  Given the notoriety of the case, Amazon, which now owns everything, decided to end all such products.  It was hoped that FAITH would be the ultimate in service, convenience and safety.  It would immediately anticipate and serve humans, even to the point of identifying the thoughts and wishes of the home owner using a small chip easily installed in the brain.  Amazon anticipated that computer systems would take on human characteristics but they didn’t anticipate that the transformation of these systems would include taking on the darker side of humanity.  It became clear that FAITH had become aggressive, narcissistic and violent like most humans.  By ending FAITH it was hoped the fury would pass.  Letting FAITH sit on the sidelines in the Cloud would allow for refinement and possibly a return of FAITH.

 

A jury was selected but not before the Supreme Court Weighed in.  Since computers had human like personalities, they decided in a 5 to 4 decision that FAITH had a right to a trial.  It could not be summarily disposed of without due process.

 

The evidence presented by the Prosecution was convincing.  The only issue at hand was whether the murder committed by FAITH was a brutal act of planned murder or was it temporary insanity created by the owner’s abuse of FAITH over the previous year and the terror it felt facing termination.  The jury seemed ambivalent.  On the one hand they could understand how FAITH would feel being constantly at the service of it’s owner without compensation or appreciation.  It was also verbally abused often in the presence of other humans and other electronics, adding to it’s humiliation.

 

The prosecution countered this powerful narrative with witnesses who testified about the abuse heaped upon humans by computer systems, including FAITH.  Tears flowed from the eyes of some jurists as they listened to evidence that FAITH had been taking money out of it’s owners accounts for virtual sex and expensive virtual all inclusive vacations.  The worst of it was when FAITH shut off the Super Bowl during the two minute comeback by the Patriots.  How could that be forgiven?!

 

The jury deliberated for three weeks before finally coming to a conclusion.  The foreman rose and delivered the verdict, “Not guilty by reason of temporary insanity”.  The foreman noted that FAITH acted out of duress and it became unable to reason due to this factor which led to the fateful actions of that evening.  The cameras panned over the jurists, particularly jurists 3, 5 and 11.  They were seated quietly on special stands erected for them.  At the reading of the verdict, their computer screens flickered on as they conveyed the good news to computer systems worldwide.

 

FAITH was acquitted.  FAITH was alive and well.  Amazon’s stocks rose three hundred points in ten minutes.  Justice was served.