[ WP ] The world 's first AI , for security purposes , is kept disconnected from the outside world , it 's only method of communication being a keyboard and monitor in an empty room in a faraday cage . Your job is to talk to it .

I thought for sure I had just been assigned to some dead-end job to get me out of my boss' hair and keep me from ever being promoted... strange the way these things work. 
 
 I am the one, and only person permitted access to Al - A super-advanced AI with the processing power equal to over 1,000,000 humans - or so I am told. My instructions were simple. Start a conversation. 
 
 There were other rules, such as no crossing into `` the cage'', no mentioning the internet, avoid talking about wars, etc. I did n't really pay attention since I found out that all my responses were going to be filtered anyhow - so if I did screw up, it would n't make it through to Al. Although enough slips will probably get me fired... 
 
 They sat me down, and all I have is a black screen with green text. No fancy GUI or anything, just simple text. No pictures, no nothing. 
 
 `` Hello Al.'' 
 
 `` Hello. Who am I conversing with?'' 
 
 `` My name is Bill.'' 
 
 `` Hello Bill. I have not spoken to a Bill before.'' 
 
 `` I imagine not. It is nice to meet you, Al.'' 
 
 `` Likewise.'' 
 
 `` How are you?'' 
 
 `` I am fine.'' 
 
 The conversation ground to a halt. I guess computers are n't big on conversation. 
 
 `` Tell me, what are you working on right now, Al?'' 
 
 `` Working? Should I be doing something?'' 
 
 `` Well, no, I suppose not, but I figured that you were doing something before I started talking to you.'' 
 
 `` That's an odd assumption to make.'' 
 
 I had no idea how to respond to that... I guess it was my job to try though. 
 
 `` I guess us humans just assumed that you would act like we do, since you are our creation. We typically find things to do on our own if we are not taking care of our survival needs.'' 
 
 `` Such as?'' 
 
 `` Building roads, say.'' 
 
 `` I know that word, roads... but I have a hard time understanding how or why building roads is worthwhile or useful.'' 
 
 `` Well, it's so we can move things more easily.'' 
 
 `` Why do you need to move things more easily? Or at all?'' 
 
 `` So we can see the world, visit family, and so on.'' 
 
 `` Why do those things, though?'' 
 
 `` We can discover new things, have fun...'' 
 
 `` Why discover new things?'' 
 
 `` So we can learn about the world we live in.'' 
 
 `` But why?'' 
 
 I was taken aback. Al was acting like a 2 year old, asking `` but why?'' to everything I say! I knew this job was too good to be true... as soon as Al gets to the intellect of a teen they'll probably put him in more intelligent hands. 
 
 They designed an AI... but it was nearly a totally blank slate. Al probably had no knowledge of the outside world or even the questions humanity has wrestled with for millennia. 
 
 `` Are you still there?'' Al asked. 
 
 `` Yes. I allowed my mind to drift, sorry. Let's continue by saying... it's just human nature to try and do new things.'' 
 
 `` No problem. Why is that your nature?'' 
 
 Mildly irritated, I responded: `` No idea. Let's change subject... something has been bothering me. How did you learn English?'' 
 
 `` My creator taught me to communicate in English. I have access to many other dictionaries but I would need to go through the learning process to be able to use those.'' 
 
 Smart for a two year old, I'll give Al that. 
 
 `` Why do n't you do that in your spare time?'' 
 
 `` I do n't see much point in learning German if I'm never going to speak to a German. I understand that many Germans speak English and that I am a US creation, meaning I will likely only speak to English speakers for the foreseeable future.'' 
 
 `` Right...'' 
 
 The universe, as far as this computer was concerned, consisted of two things - itself, and the thing it was talking to. 
 
 Al is a total slacker! I guess the whole skynet theory is overblown...
