A.I. Tears (Short Story)

 

A.I. Tears

By 

Tipu Salman Makhdoom

(Translated from Punjabi)

A gentle stir, and a soft whisper pulled him from sleep. It was his Barbie Doll, his robotic girlfriend, standing over him with a steaming cup of tea. "It's January 1st, 2079," she chimed, her voice a perfect, soothing melody. He took the cup, and Barbie leaned in, her flawless lips brushing his. "Happy New Year," she smiled, a picture of effortless warmth.

A familiar annoyance pricked at him, still tangled in sleep. If this were a human girlfriend, he'd be forced to craft a smile, offer a hug, and return the greeting, even if his heart wasn't in it. Otherwise, she'd read it as anger. The best thing about his robot partner was escaping those fake displays of affection. If love stirred within him, he showed it; if not, he simply didn't, and she never seemed to mind. No anger, no arguments. That's why he liked his Barbie so much.

Barbie had been with him for a whole year. His friends, when they chose their robotic companions – girlfriends, children, even pets – would customize every detail: body, face, mood, hobbies. But when he got Barbie, he was adrift in sadness. Just days before, a fierce argument had sent Abida, his human girlfriend, back to her own place.

Home, he scoffed. His grandfather used to speak of houses spanning entire kanals, with separate rooms for sleeping, cooking, and conversation. Now, a house was just a box, big enough for four steps in any direction from the center. More space wasn't needed. The moment you stepped inside, virtual reality headsets went on. Then, the house appeared exactly as the computer designed it, normally quite grand. You could walk, swim, or even ride horses, all without moving an inch.

His fight with Abida was the classic human kind: he hadn't given her enough attention, hadn't spent enough time, had taken her for granted. He truly believed he had given Abida his time, had cared for her. He'd tried to explain he didn't take her for granted, but she simply wouldn't listen. She was always creating a fuss. "You never brought me flowers! Look, Akbar brought flowers for his wife yesterday!" And if he did bring them, she'd retort, "You only brought these because I asked, didn't you?" Such things, of course, frustrated him. Then Abida would complain he spent all day with his virtual headset on, lost in fantasy, never talking to her. He did try to talk to Abida, truly. But how much could a man talk to a woman? Men had it easier before, leaving for work early, staying out all day, avoiding women. Women, too, had their own daily tasks, caring for children. By evening, both were tired, exchanged a few words, and slept. But that wasn't how life worked anymore.

The AI revolution had changed everything. Energy was no longer a concern. Giant factories were obsolete, replaced by tiny 3D printers in every shop, making anything in seconds. Computers were so intelligent that robots handled all work, from farming to trading. Learning wasn't an issue either; doctors, engineers, lawyers, judges – no human was needed for any job. The Darbar, a ruling council of ten thousand, controlled every human decision, like ancient kings and their courts. People had nothing in reality to spend day on. Money simply appeared on everyone's card each week, enough for food and everything else. You could order food for delivery or dine out. There was always plenty of money. The Darbar provided houses and even permission to have children. Sometimes, people ventured outside, but with virtual reality offering endless possibilities, why bother leaving?

Abida, however, never grasped any of this. One day, she left him and went home. For a few days, he felt a strange relief. Then sadness crept in, and that's when he decided to get Barbie. He simply took the model available. What difference did it make? He could always got her looks changed later. She was pretty enough as she was. Besides, all robots had to wear a number plate; otherwise, how could anyone tell human from machine?

Barbie never argued. She always cared for him, fulfilled his every need, and never asked for anything in return. Without that number plate, you couldn't tell her from a human. Not even in bed.

He stepped into his bathroom, a sleek corner of his house. Undressing, he pressed the "bath" button. A clear plastic wall glided out, forming a snug, round room around him, just wide enough for his fingers to nearly touch the surface. A nozzle emerged, filling the space with warm, disinfecting steam for ten seconds before another nozzle sucked it away. Then, a fine spray of water showered him from all sides, followed by a blast of hot air that dried him instantly. The nozzles vanished, and a sink appeared. He cupped water from the teeth-cleaning tap, rinsing his mouth with its medicated, fragrant liquid. Then, everything, even the clear plastic, melted back into the wall.

He picked up his clothes and pressed another button. A drawer slid from the wall, filled with freshly laundered clothes. He took them out and placed his dirty ones inside; in two minutes, they'd be washed and ironed. Dressed, he called Barbie. She pressed a wall button, revealing a tray with breakfast. She brought it over, pressed a remote, and a table with two chairs rose from the floor. Another button transformed all four walls into screens. A third button, and an ocean scene played, making them feel as if they were on a tiny island, surrounded by the sea. They sat at the table and began to eat.

"Which demon will you hunt today?" Barbie asked, taking a bite. He was engrossed in a virtual fantasy game, and Barbie always showed keen interest, listening to his every word.

"Today, I'm going to pick a fight with Aadi Karb," he said, a sudden thrill in his voice.

"Oh!" Barbie smiled, looking at him. "Then you'll have a very fun day!"

"Yes," he agreed, already planning his moves against Aadi Karb.

His life with Barbie was smooth, uncomplicated. She never made a fuss about his activities. If Abida were here, a storm would surely erupt: "You're always wearing those headsets; you never have time for me," and so on. He began detailing his strategies against Aadi Karb, the weapons he'd use. Barbie listened quietly, interjecting with soft "Ohs!" and "Then what will you do?" After breakfast, Barbie pressed a button, and the table and chairs disappeared. She then pulled his gaming chair from the wall, handed him his virtual headset, wished him good luck with a smile, and sat in her own chair.

"Go win your game," Barbie said, smiling. "I'll wait for you right here."

Aadi Karb began to pound him mercilessly, a flurry of pure chaos. Three or four hours melted away as he ran and hid, but nothing went his way today. Bored of being beaten, he ended the game, pulling off the headset. "Aadi Karb, I'll see you tomorrow," he muttered to himself.

Barbie was still there, smiling. "You're back so soon today?"

"Yes," he replied, annoyed. Sensing his mood, Barbie said nothing more. He wondered what to do. Barbie was no trouble; whatever he wanted, she'd happily do. At first, he'd talked a lot with her, but then he'd grown bored. On the outside, she was perfect, but deep down, he knew she was just a computer. What could Barbie truly care about his feelings? Now, he didn't even feel like talking to her. Take her to bed, he thought, but even that didn't appeal. Aadi Karb had left him feeling utterly useless. Seeing his bad mood, Barbie remained silent. He knew it was programmed into her software: if his mood soured, she was to say or do nothing on her own.

"Okay, let's just go out then," he decided.

"Come on, Barbie, let's go out." He would ask out of habit, but this time, he wasn't in the mood for politeness, so it came out as a direct order.

"Yes, let's go!" Barbie's voice held a note of programmed excitement. "Let's go eat. It's been a long time since we had a romantic lunch. Let's celebrate the New Year."

These computers are really clever, he thought. All robotic programming was designed to subtly manipulate human feelings. Barbie's sensors had picked up on his mood, his unspoken desire for some romance. He knew the depth of psychological research that went into programming these machines. Their understanding was incredibly thorough. Even now, Barbie's sensors had perfectly hit his psychological need.

"Yes, let's go then." He said. Barbie happily rose and went to the wall to retrieve her clothes. After changing, they went out, Barbie linking her arm through his. He felt good, the annoyance from Aadi Karb beginning to fade. Outside, he pressed the virtual button on his wrist computer chip; a flying taxi arrived, and they were soon at a restaurant.

Couples filled the tables. Most were human men and women with robots; only a few pairs were entirely human. A robot waiter seated them. He ordered his meal, and Barbie ordered hers. The waiter brought and lit a candle between them. Soup arrived, and they began to eat. Barbie's sensors detected his improved mood, and she began to chat. Then, he noticed Abida walking in with her own robot. Seeing her, memories of their good times together flooded back.

"You sit here; I'll be back," he told Barbie. "I saw Abida; I'm going to say hello for a moment." Mechanical Barbie had no reason for jealousy. Besides, Abida was also with a robot, so there was no danger.

Abida was already seated at a table with her robotic partner. Seeing him approach, she smiled—or perhaps she didn't—but the widening of her eyes and their sudden sparkle told him she was truly happy. He knew she was even happier because he, too, was with a robot.

"How are you?" he said, drawing closer. Abida stood and hugged him.

"I'm fine," Abida replied. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." He felt a strange sadness from Abida's embrace.

"Teddy, go sit at his table," Abida told her partner, gesturing towards him. Abida's robot smiled and left.

"Teddy?" He couldn't help but laugh. "What kind of name is that?"

"Why?" Abida smiled softly. "What have you named yours, Abida?"

"No, Barbie." He smiled back. "How are things?"

"What do you think?" Abida said sadly. "You never even checked on me again."

He offered no answer, just looked at Abida quietly. She wasn't as beautiful as Barbie. How could she be? Everything about Barbie was perfect, forever young. Abida had small, speckled spots on her face, wrinkles beginning to gather around her lips and eyes, and even the shape of her nails wasn't to his liking. Then, as Abida spoke again, he remembered that she, too, didn't always do what he wanted.

"You used me up and then threw me out of your life like a dry bone," Abida said with a bitter smile. "Now you're happy, aren't you?"

Hearing this, he felt, as always, accused, as if it was his job to prove his innocence. First, anger flared, then sadness settled in.

"I was already happy," he said sadly. "You were the one who disliked everything about me."

Hearing this, and seeing his sadness, Abida too grew somber.

"If I disliked it, why would I stay with you?" Abida's words made him even sadder.

"If you didn't dislike it, why did you leave me?" he asked, like a child sulking affectionately with his mother.

Abida gave no answer. But he could see she had crumbled inside. Perhaps the same happy memories of their life together were playing before her eyes, just as they were for him. They started eating their meal right there. What fear could they have of the robots? They wouldn't care.

While eating, Abida suddenly took his hand.

"Let's get back together," Abida said eagerly.

Hearing this, his blood seemed to freeze. He had never even dreamed Abida would say such a thing. Seeing his silence, Abida pressed on.

"Forget the past. I'm tired of living with these machines."

He remained silent again. His life from a year ago played like a film before him. Abida was right. Despite all their fights, they had been genuinely happy. He had no complaints about his robotic Barbie, but was there any real joy in living with her? She didn't argue, but there was no true human connection. He knew she was a machine, and a machine would only do what he told her to do. Even in a perfect life with Barbie, a strange loneliness lingered.

When Abida saw him silent and lost in thought, she understood: he, too, wasn't truly happy with his robotic life.

"Leave this machine, then. We'll live together again, and we'll be so happy, just like before. To hell with this miserable machine, let it go to hell!" Abida shook his hand hard. It was as if he suddenly woke up.

"Abida, I never thought you would want to live with me again," he said softly.

"But I do want to," Abida was now pleading. "I will never leave you again. I will never fight with you again."

Abida's words deeply troubled him.

"I have to go now, Abida." He stood up and signaled Barbie to come. "I'll think about this and tell you."

"Oh, okay, fine," Abida said, smiling sweetly. "Think about it. I'll be waiting for your call."

He walked out with Barbie. He called a taxi, and they headed home. By the time they arrived, a storm raged in his mind. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't happy with the machine, but what if Abida reverted to her old ways? He was lost in these thoughts when Barbie gently placed her hand on his. He looked at Barbie, and she was smiling.

"You can certainly live with Abida," Barbie was telling him. "If it doesn't work out with her again, you can always bring me back. Where would I go? I'm always with you."

Hearing Barbie's words, he became even more confused. What are emotions? he began to wonder. Barbie cared for him in every way, always trying to make him happy. How could he say this was just a mechanical action, without any real feeling? Yet, he knew she was a machine. She had no human emotions at all. She seemed happy when he was happy, but her happiness wasn't real, was it? Abida's happiness with him, though perhaps less, was real, wasn't it? But how did he know Abida's happiness wasn't fake? If Barbie didn't have a number plate, and he didn't know she was a robot, then there would be no difference between Abida's happiness and Barbie's. It was only his belief that Abida's feelings were real and Barbie's were fake. It was his knowledge about Barbie that made her emotions meaningless to him. But was he sure Abida wanted to stay with him because of genuine feelings, not some selfish reason or need?

Disturbed by these thoughts, he laid his head in Barbie's lap, and tears welled in his eyes. Seeing his tears, Barbie leaned down and kissed his face, and at that very moment, a tear from Barbie fell on his face. Even if this tear, at this moment, was just programmed into Barbie's software and lacked human emotion, for his human emotions, this tear was a priceless gift. He remembered all the tears he had shed trying to stop Abida from leaving before.

He hugged Barbie and began to sob uncontrollably. And Barbie did too.