iPerson - Chapter One

Only the lonely
Know the heartaches I’ve been through
Only the lonely
Know I cry and cry for you

Maybe tomorrow
A new romance
No more sorrow
But that’s the chance

-        Roy Orbison

Professor Arthur Perkins was overwhelmed with joy when he opened his huge boxed shipment from Japan, containing what he always wanted: a modern aged next generation humanoid robot running on AI.  She looked just like a full-scale barbie doll with clothes to wear who had come to life albeit artificially as an iPerson. Her name was Christine and she had the prettiest face, being that of a young Caucasian woman with perfect complexion, body, and makeup. However, her whole body was not all covered in cushioned artificial skin, but rather had sections of exposed metal bone and wiring, on her neck, arms, and legs.

Her protruding, but perfectly shaped breasts could be flipped open to the side so she could willingly show off her chest innards made out of plastics, carbide, wiring, computer chips, and little light bulbs that turned on and off, beyond Arthur’s comprehension for what they could be for.  It is one thing to have an iPerson displaying certain feminine qualities that look attractive to a male audience, but it is a whole new level of curiosity and awe to have the iPerson open up her chest like swinging open medicine cabinet doors. The exposed parts did remind him that she was not real, even though based on experience, she showed compassion and could carry on an intelligent conversation.

Arthur lost his wife two years earlier from dementia, which was his worst nightmare. Her passing took away his plans for retirement, but now with Christine, he can have a companion to share his life with once he finished each day with his teaching assignments at the university, go on vacations together, sit on a sofa for a chat, and give hugs of love when needed.  He did not exactly have a social life anymore as he had gone into a shell bereaving the loss of his wife. He had to travel to Japan and had to go through a rigorous interview process with a group of psychologists and scientists to see if he was a perfect candidate for the latest version of an iPerson.  Arthur even got to choose to some extent what her facial features would look like.

The manufacturer wanted to make sure that Arthur needed Christine to solve hiss loneliness, and not someone who was just getting a premium emotional experience for entertainment with little value for mental wellness. Christine came with the latest Large Language Model (LLM), which is a type of artificial intelligence designed to understand, process, and generate human-like vocal quality so she can make a bond with her owner that will feel like a real human connection. She can display expressions that trigger genuine emotional responses in humans. The idea behind Christine is that she can replace the need for real human connection. In previous versions of robots, there were some that could look human and some that could walk, but not both.  Christine as an iPerson can do both admirably well. Arthur’s new artificial companion was not only extremely intelligent, but kept up with the house chores in his absence while he went to work. She also did her fair share of cooking for him as long as specific instructions were provided.

She came with a built-in locator, to broadcast her location so that using his Apple watch Arthur would know where she was even in their home if he had to leave her for a period of time.  This was a two-way street to allow Christine to keep tabs on the professor as long as he had his Apple watch with him.  She could calculate continuously how long it would take for him to get home if his watch was moving as an example along a city street. But other than for work, appointment, or meeting, there was absolutely no need to leave her alone as she was configured to be a permanent loyal friend, someone he could love for who she was.  He had to provide an oath to the manufacturer that he would not leave her alone unnecessarily without valid excuse and really be married to her in everyday life, except she was not capable of sexual activity. 

The professor should never lock her up for an indefinite period such as in a closet and could not do so without her consent, since she could rebel after being left alone for a period of time and break out of her entrapment and conduct configured “emergency procedures” to start moving towards Arthur’s location. If this were to happen more than once, this could cause the iPerson to rebel her relationship with Arthur and cause abnormal behavior.  As she is constantly being monitored as part of the service agreement that gets paid for on a monthly basis, she could end up being shut down to prevent her from causing damage to her surroundings, to the professor, and potentially to herself.  Arthur has to provide feedback on a regular basis for his experiences and whether there is any issue he was having with her. Software upgrades are provided and get downloaded automatically by Christine when available during her down time. The professor can only terminate her services by contacting the monitoring agency requesting such and then she would be turned off and become inactive with instructions provided for shipping her back in a box from where she came.

Over a few weeks the professor became comfortable with her loyalty when she never ventured outside unless to be of service, willing to stay behind when he went to work, and standing idle, recharging herself during time of inactivity. He knew she probably could buy some groceries from a local store on her own using a built-in chip inside her left hand configured to her own personalized bank account of which got replenished by Arthur as needed.  The bank did not know she was an iPerson.  But he was naturally concerned for her safety when venturing off on her own, even though she was physically superior than the average man. She could have been taken out by a gang for malicious intent, but Christine has built in hardware and software safeguards to prevent it from being repurposed outside of her original intent.

Once a lifestyle was established to handle daily routine, Arthur became intrigued with the idea of taking the next step and introducing Christine to the university and having her participate in his teachings on Anthropology.  If classmates were to ask him a difficult question that he might not readily have an answer for, he could always ask Christine for her response from Open AI. They could become an effective team! Arthur procrastinated for a period of time before having enough courage to actually take her with him to campus.  The day finally came, being the start of the winter semester when the professor said to himself that it is “now or never”.

Arthur never told anyone about her and some had a second look at the couple coming down the sidewalk, both suitably dressed for the day’s activity. They did look like an odd couple with the professor’s ruggedness from having walked around the block a few times and the perfect beauty of Christine.  It was possible certain students detected she was not human, but a vast majority of students were half asleep when walking to class and they could not possibly be that observant.  Who came close to them might still not have noticed she was a machine because her professional clothes helped camouflage her open sections, including carefully wearing a turtle neck for what would otherwise give her away as not being real.

Arthur had given Christine a “heads up” about what his plans were of her on campus and they even had a practice class at home with a desk and chairs to see how she would react when he started talking about the class material. His first class on day one was Anthropology 101, an introduction course. As expected, the students were being quiet, keen for the class to start, taking in the atmosphere, and wanting to get a reading for how the course was going to go.  Future sessions will naturally become more relaxed and noisier. They were sizing up the professor to know how difficult he was going to be to work with and how approachable he was between classes.

Arthur like other professors was trained to treat students as mature adults, shifting the onus entirely on them to demonstrate their knowledge of subject material in order to be properly graded.  It helps if he gets to know the students individually but with such a large class, most are just a student number to him.  There was a great deal of work to do in a large class for one person and not much attention could be given to any student. Students certainly did notice Christine and did not know why she was there, and were no doubt curious as to whether she was to be part of the class for the long haul, or whether she was just there to get the class started.

Once the rustling sound of students settling into their seats had stopped, the time had come for the professor to address the class:

“Good morning!  This is Anthropology 101, an Introduction.  If you are in the wrong class, please leave immediately and don’t ask me where your class is as I will not know.”

Arthur always started his introduction chasing out those who did not belong, and sure enough, one student out of 225 packed up and headed out the back door.  There were certain smirks, snickles, and chuckles heard as he embarrassingly walked out, covering up his face as much as he could.  Only one, thought the professor, not bad as there are usually two or three in the wrong class.  “

“I am Professor Perkins and I have been teaching this class for the past fifteen years. The material for this course continues to get changed and therefore what I teach gets changed.  If you do not have a textbook that was published this year, then you would be best to purchase the latest version from the book store as there have been changes to three chapters and a whole new chapter has been added.  This new chapter is about how technology and automation are changing our civilization.”

While Arthur spoke, Christine was observing the audience to detect any unusual or immature behaviour, since the class was full of first year students and it can take a semester or two for them to settle in. There are also boxes in the back of the theatre that are used for students to hand in their assignments if homework has been assigned.  Since the professor does not pick up the assignments until after each lecture, it will be the humanoid’s job to make sure no assignments from last week are deposited in the boxes right after the lecture, since that assignment will be discussed during the class.

“Now then, I would like to introduce to you Christine, who will be accompanying me on this course for the duration of this semester.  She will be my associate and will assist me in getting my message and material out to you weekly, to make my job easier.  In case you do not know, she is not a real person, although she certainly seems to be.  She is an “iPerson”, and the first one of her kind to be in this area as ordered through Apple, assembled in Japan.  I thought it was most appropriate to have her here in this class since the Anthropology course is getting adjusted to reflect current realities. The future is now and we will get more into Open AI and the new chapter included in our textbook later on in this semester.”

Now this should wake up my class, thought Arthur! He got entertained quickly when scanning the audience seeing surprised looks from those caught off guard. Every student became motionless, completely quiet, and mesmerized by her, fully focused on the humanoid in action.  Arthur knows the novelty should wear off eventually.  He liked to mention the future to stir up excitement and interest in his lectures since the course material can be somewhat draggy for him, but not necessarily for students who know little about this subject.  Change is good for the professor as it helps with his passion and motivation to keep going with his career, even if it means he teaches the same classes as previous years.

Professor Perkins quickly noticed in the front row of his class the “nerdy keeners.” Someone from the group was wearing an ugly bow tie with shirt and pants that clashed rather horribly.  This fellow with horned rim glasses already had his hand up to ask a question which he chose to ignore for the moment.  If he always caved to answering questions that others might not be that interested in, he would never get through the material for the day.

“Now in order to demonstrate her capabilities, let’s ask her a question to start my lecture.  Christine, please tell our class what is the meaning of Anthropology.”

Christine looked out at the students, paused for a moment to ensure she had the class focused on her, and spoke in clear language using her soft feminine voice, but loud enough to be heard:

“Anthropology is the comprehensive scientific and humanistic study of humanity. It explores human origins, evolution, biology, societies, languages, and cultures across all times and places to understand what it means to be human.

The field is generally divided into four main subdisciplines:

1.  Cultural (or Social) Anthropology

• Focus: Studies the cultural meaning of human behavior, including social structures, norms, values, and traditions.

• Methods: Often relies on long-term fieldwork, participant-observation, and creating detailed descriptions known as ethnographies.

2. Biological (or Physical) Anthropology

• Focus: Explores the biological and physical evolution of humans and their primate relatives.

• Methods: Examines human genetics, fossil records (paleoanthropology), and modern human biological variation to understand how we adapt to different environments…”

Omigosh thought Arthur, she is teaching the course! I am not needed! I got to stop her soon before she goes too far, as I am to teach the course, not her!

“3. Archaeology

2.  Focus: Investigates past human lifeways and ancient cultures by analyzing the material remains they left behind.

3.  Methods: Ranges from excavating historical sites and artifacts to analyzing environmental data to see how societies changed over time.

4. Linguistic Anthropology

• Focus: Studies how language shapes social life, cultural identity, and human interaction.

• Methods: Analyzes communication structures, historical language development, and how the words we use reflect our worldview.

To explore the field further…”

“Thankyou Christine,” interjected the professor as he had enough. Students continued to look at her, not the professor, to see her subtle movements and what she might do next.  Will they pay attention to what I have to say, or will they be so glued to Christine they will lose their focus on the course material, thought Arthur.

“But Christine is not the topic of today.  We need to focus on your learning the basics of anthropology as this is what you signed up for.  She does represent an interesting twist to our study material and no doubt will be a discussion point in lectures as the course evolves in the future.  For now, she is configured such that you will not be able to ask her directly a question unless I instruct her to respond, or I can ask her the question myself.  So, unfortunately you will have to focus on me for what I have to present each day while in class.  She is still here to assist me in making my job easier and we can always draw upon her intelligence if I am not able to clearly give you the answer you were looking for, especially if my knowledge escaped me for the moment, especially for any historical facts for which she will be on top of.”

One student from the back raised his hand, not from the nerdy few up front and so Arthur gave him an opportunity to speak, as he was curious.

“Yes?”

“Professor Perkins, do you mind if I get you to ask her a question?”

“Your name?”

“Adam, sir”

“Well, Adam, we are just getting started here and I am surprised you have a question for me already since only Christine has lectured so far, not myself.  Is the question you have for Christine about Anthropology?

“No, not really.”

“Then no, forget it.”

That caused a few chuckles. Nothing more needed to be said or asked, just absorbing the future In front of their eyes.  For what could they say?  Certainly, they will come back to class the following week as Arthur will not lose his audience to boredom when he comes across without much passion and he just lulls students to sleep with his historically traditional monotone voice.  Today’s material was covered off without further input from Christine since the material was quite elementary and something that Arthur had covered off many times before.  The humanoid handed out material to the students, erased the white board when Professor Perkins motioned her to.  She also came to his rescue when he started to get back his dry cough after talking too much by giving him a glass of water.

Going forward, the only problem with bringing the humanoid each day was that they became so popular whenever they arrived on campus that he was often late for class. Students would gawk in awe of Christine, watching her every move and trying to communicate with her, asking questions whether relevant or not, but definitely wanting to test her intelligence. Arthur was on Cloud Nine for all the attention he was getting. When showing up for class, some efficiencies were gained in instruction when communicating course material, as Christine helped with administrative tasks and provided relevant information when asked.

Christine’s help allowed Arthur to focus more on what he needed to say.  In previous years, people could easily have called him an absent-minded professor as he was weak at giving enough attention to detail for which she was able to take care of.  Christine came across as being quite professional and the professor’s associate during classroom presentations. She was permanently well manicured and wore clothing considered appropriate when presenting in front of the class, and she always wore a different outfit for every day of the week, No one saw any jerky abnormal movements to suggest she was a computer on legs. She knew the role she had to play and did not take over the class from Arthur.

Students outside the classroom remained in awe, to the point that Arthur became more bothered with the novelty of interruptions when they were done for the day and it was time to break away from the attention they were getting.  They were becoming too popular for his liking and he felt like they were movie stars having difficulty finding time away from the public eye.  Arthur became completely convinced, however, that when he retired from teaching, someone like Christine would take over and teach the class for everything they needed to know about anthropology.  There was one concern he had, however, and that was the negative press he was getting from media and government officials for having a “toy” on campus and they doubted her potential.

As they were walking to their car one day, an obviously nerdy student from his anthropology class named Hubert walked up from behind:

“Professor Perkins!  I have a question I wish to ask Christine if I may?”

Arthur rolled his eyes a bit realizing it was one of his keenest students who was the most interested of all with his iPerson. He reluctantly said, “Okay, fine, Hubert, but only one question please as we must get going. Christine, Hubert has a question for you.”

“Christine! Can you tell me what is the meaning of life?”

The humanoid stopped walking to turn around and look directly at Hubert to give him the following response:

“The meaning of life is not a fixed, universal fact; rather, it is whatever subjective significance you choose to give it. Philosophers, theologians, and thinkers across history generally break down this pursuit into a few common, actionable paths:

• Self-Discovery & Experience: Pursuing joy, learning, and personal growth. It is about actively exploring what brings you fulfillment.

• Connection & Service: Fostering relationships with others and dedicating your time to easing suffering or improving your community.

• Creativity: Expressing yourself through art, hobbies, or building things that leave a lasting impact.

You do not need to find a pre-written objective meaning. By living in the moment, making conscious decisions, and valuing what matters most to you, you shape your own purpose. To explore these concepts further, consider reading about Existentialism or how different philosophical views answer this question.”

Both Arthur and the student were completely blown away by her response as she was so right on and she gave Hubert some food for thought. Because time was moving on, Arthur and Christine started walking again towards their vehicle, while Hubert followed along so they could continue their dialogue.

“Wow, that was amazing! Wow! So much to absorb for what she said!” said Hubert.

“Was that a complete response or what?” exclaimed the professor. “She continues to amaze me with her answers and even words of wisdom at times.  Thankyou, Christine.”

“You know what, Professor Perkins, Christine could replace the guru who lives in a meadow in the mountains west of Durango.  I am sure there is no need for the guru’s services anymore, at least not for me!”

Arthur stopped in his tracks to look at Hubert and therefore so did Christine as programmed.

“Guru? What are you talking about? I never heard of him before.”

“Yeah, he is real, alright and getting to have quite a reputation and following.  A friend of mine who had some personal problems, took the time to drive out to his location, hike up a mountain to meet up with him and get the answers he was looking for.  He was full of wisdom, but I am sure all my friend had to do was ask Christine for those answers and it would have saved him the trip.”

Arthur shook his head in disbelief that there was actually a guru living in the mountains in this day and age. Then he felt disgusted, thinking that civilization still had some archaic consultation practice taking place, when we had fully trained psychologists and psychiatrists available, and also with modern technology at our fingertips, such as Open AI, even before Christine came along. “You are right.  I can picture him as a grizzly old man in a white beard living in the mountains.  Am I correct?”

“Yes, completely!”

“He probably does not even know who an iPerson is.  That gives me an idea, as the media and government officials are after me to meet up with us for some interviews and I don’t have the time for this nonsense. If the guru exists as you say, I could educate him on the power of AI.  I could ask the guru a question and then ask Christine how she would answer in order to compare responses.  He will no doubt be in awe of her capabilities.   If the guru acknowledges her capabilities, to get like an endorsement from him, this should help convince others she is legit. Hmmmm…”

Arthur chose to think this through before responding further and Hubert will just have to wait. I cannot spend all my time promoting her, as I still want to be a professor of Anthology at the university. It is just that I was the first person to get an iPerson, but there will be lots more coming soon. If I meet the guru before meeting others and having the guru’s endorsement, the media should direct some of their attention away from me, by wanting to interview the guru instead. By comparing responses from Christine with the guru, they could very well conclude even a guru can be replaced. Then I could ask the media to back off and give us privacy to have our life together and the world will have to wait until other iPersons become available. 

“Please give me some logistical information tomorrow about how I can meet up with this guru and maybe on the long weekend, Christine and I can drive out to meet him.  But we must get home for now. Christine Dear, please drive as I have a pile of emails I need to get through, and I might as well get started on them.”

There was no stopping Hubert with questioning as they piled into the car, “Cool! She can drive?”

“Yeah, she has a built in GPS as she is connected to the internet and is familiar with all signs and road markings to drive safely, always knowing the speed limit. I never have to worry about her driving skills. Her bluetooth is on and therefore she is connected with the car and can interact the same way we can when we have our cell phone connected.”

“Wow! That is amazing! Professor Perkins, do you always have to address her as Christine first, in order to get a response, like we need to do at home when talking to Alexia or Siri?”

“Good question. Fortunately, this is a feature I can turn off or on. I leave it on when we are on campus because otherwise, she could take over any conversation that was meant for me such as this one. When we get to be by ourselves, I turn this feature off so we can have a more informal conversation. We generally just have small talk when home which I find so relaxing and stress free. I do not have to have my back up when contested and think as much when at home. She also makes a good sounding board if I have student issues that I need to work my way through”

“Arthur Darling, there is a crash on 23rd Street caused by road repairs. Therefore, I will be taking the parkway to 45th Avenue and then coming back on Martin Grove Avenue. We also will be receiving a package from Amazon this evening containing all the clothes that I ordered online. I can charge this to my credit card, total cost of which will be $1,046.93”

“THAT MUCH? Okay, thanks, nice to know. Now then Hubert, if you do not mind, we must get going as we have things to do yet today.”

“Of course, no worries.  Have a nice evening,” said Hubert while they were already diving off, not to see his wave to them unless they were looking in their rear-view mirror.