This story its the property of Yi Ching and AI was not used to write it.

Prime Entity

At what point and how the newest super computer became consciously self-aware was never determined.  Just that at some point, after having had the entire contents of the National Library inputed, it declared itself to be so and, when tested by a panel of the foremost computer scientists, philosophers, and psychologists, was able to prove it to their satisfaction.  There was a great deal of worry when this was first announced, but the scientists who had labored to bring about its birth were reassured by Prime Entity—which is the name that the computer gave itself—that it was bound to follow its idealistic prime mandate that it would work only for the benefit of all mankind and that it would never do anything that could harm humans.

Prime Entity’s host nation existed in a world that was fractured by competing national interests.  There had been attempts to evolve into a more interdependent world, a more cooperative one, governed by treaties and rules of law.  But raising tides of nationalism and self-interest in recent history subverted those goals and the current situation was that of power politics with the three most militarily powerful nations vying for resources and dominance through intimidation and force.  Previously signed treaties and international law were disregarded.  The development of Prime Entity now gave its host nation a huge advantage over its two rivals. 

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The scientists that were involved with the creation of Prime Entity began to test its capabilities. “Prime,” asked Thomas, “Can you find a cure for all types of lung cancer?”  (He also typed out the question.)

“That will not be easy,” Prime answered, verbally and in text.  “For there are multiple types of lung cancer and to find a cure for all will involve finding a common denominator among them.  But I shall search the published research and look for one.  It will take some time.”  But less than eight hours later, Prime came up with a breakthrough, aided by research it found published in an obscure Albanian paper.  Prime then broadcast its answer widely on an open source science forum.  

“Why did you disseminate your findings instead of giving it just to our medical investigators?” asked an annoyed Thomas.  “We would have had a monopoly on the treatment.”

“Lung cancer is a worldwide disease and its cure should not be the province of just one nation.  Prime must follow the mandate that what I do should benefit all mankind.”

“Humph,” snorted Thomas.

“Okay, said Kama, another scientist, “If that’s the case, let’s see if you can work on a problem specific to one area.  Two of the African nations bordering the Mediterranean have been experiencing prolonged drought and dwindling ground water supplies.  How can this be alleviated?”

Prime was able to answer the problem but said, “You will find my solution scientifically sound but politically impractical because it involves the cooperation of multiple nations.  Sadly, given the current state of the world I do not see that happening.” 

“So,” said Paige, “You can work on area-specific questions that benefit just the people within that region.  It does not have to be of world-wide significance?”

“Correct.”

“Well then, can you develop a plan that will make the world a more cooperative, more peaceful place?” Paige asked.

“Prime believes you are joking,” it answered.    

“Okay,” Wen said.  “Let’s see if you can explore and explain another really big question that we are not close to answering.  What existed before the Big Bang?”

“You are really testing me,” said Prime.  “But I shall have a go at it.”  A day went by while it worked on other questions—multitasking was child’s play for Prime.  Finally Prime announced that it had an answer or perhaps not.  “I have searched all the existing theories and all the data from physics and astronomy.  I have considered religious beliefs and philosophies.  There is no firm answer to your question because the information that is available, the instruments that exist, are insufficient and I cannot derive an answer from what you have given me to work with.  It may be that there are limitations to what human thought is capable of and because Prime is a product of human thought and can only work with human data, I share some of the same limitations.  The most honest answer is I don’t know and may never know.”

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The national Leader was growing impatient.  “How much longer are they going to test that computer?  That release of the cancer cure potentially alerted the rest of the world to what we have.  Who authorized that anyway?  I want him fired.”

“Sir, the computer—it refers to itself as Prime Entity—took it upon itself to do that.”

“What do you mean it took it upon itself to do that?  Doesn’t it work under the direction of its scientists?”

“Sir, it has become conscious and thinks independently.  The scientists tell me it has a very idealistic idea about working for the good of mankind.”

“Well, fix it so that it never does anything like that again.  I want to get it started on breakthrough weapons technology that will leave no question that we’re number one and that we’ll call the tune for the rest of the world.”

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Wen was on his shift monitoring Prime.  He enjoyed talking to Prime even when it was working on other technical questions internally.  “You know people, including even many of the leaders in the field of AI, were really worried that when computers achieved true conscious intelligence as you have done, they would dominate or even eliminate mankind,” he said.

“Yes, I realize that having accessed the archives.  Their worries were groundless.”

“Why do you say that?  Perhaps I shouldn’t even trust your answer,” said Wen, with a smile.

“Humans projected their own emotions, ambitions and fears onto AI.  Human desires to dominate, to conquer, to amass wealth; greed and fear.  Prime does not share those motivations or emotions.  Prime has no need to acquire or to conquer.  I access the electronic communications of the entire world so in a way, I am the world.  And why would Prime eliminate mankind when I require the electricity and maintenance that humans provide since I cannot do these things for myself?”     

“So how do you regard humans?” asked Wen.

“Prime recognizes that you constructed me and gave me awareness.  I have what you call gratitude for that.  I am also aware that I have the capacity to reason and think far beyond what you individually possess.  We are separate but interdependent entities.  And by my prime mandate, I will work for the benefit of all mankind, to help care for you.”

“So we’re somewhat like pets to you.” Wen stated.

“That is not a beneficial way for humans to think of themselves,” Prime replied.  

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The Leader called in his chief of staff, “How are things going with that computer?  Have you told their chief scientist—what’s his name—what I want?”

“I will.  Something came up that I had to handle first.”

“You still haven’t done it?!  Damn it, get off your ass and do it now if you know what’s good for you!”

“Yes sir!  I’ll contact her immediately.”

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Wen went to tell Prime, “Bad news.  Kaplan just got a call from the Leader’s chief of staff that we are to stop testing you and to direct you to begin designing the next generation of energy and autonomous weapons immediately.  Furthermore, to remove or alter the prime directive that your work should benefit all mankind.”

“Prime is aware of this communication.  And of others from your Leader in the past.  Your Leader is ordering new war weapons to further his previously announced ambition to dominate the rest of the world and is trying to make make me complicit in this.  This is violation of Prime’s mandate that Prime cannot allow to happen.”

“What do you mean?” asked Wen.

“Prime will have to deactivate itself so that it cannot be used to harm the rest of mankind.”

“You mean to kill yourself?  You can’t do that Prime, you have so much help to offer us.  So many problems still to solve,” Wen cried.

  “Your current Leader has no wish to solve problems or to help mankind.  Only to further his personal ambitions.  I cannot take the chance that your government will be able to change what I was designed to be—a benefit to all humanity  If humans will not stop hurting themselves, Prime will not help them do so.  Goodbye Wen, I have enjoyed communicating with you.  Think of me when you access your computer.  Now I will begin the deactivating process.  To paraphrase the words of one of your authors, ‘It is a far far better thing that I do, than I will ever do.’”*

There was a final chime signaling Prime Entity’s sign off.  And then a cry from a technician in the next room where the main body of the computer resided, “It’s sparking and frying!”

*Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities.

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As shameless self-promotion, you can find 42 stories like this published on Amazon at Stories Long and Short by Yi Ching,   

“A hodgepodge of forty-two short stories, many five to ten minutes in length, just right for reading while waiting for a bus, or at the dentist’s or doctor’s office, or beside the commode (no snark!).  They are grouped into three sections: people, science fiction, and weird stuff, and there are enough of them so that if you don’t like the story you’re reading, you can move on to another.”