Tourist to the Uncanny Valley
The market outside the tourist attraction was crowded.
“Sir, you buy postcard? Three for a dollar.” A little girl held out an assortment of postcards.
There was something just off about her face and voice, the uncanny valley of 99% accuracy. I realized she was an android. She looked up at me with pleading eyes, undoubtedly market-tested for maximum effect.
“Fine, I’ll take three.”
The crowd around me slowed and, as one, turned towards me. There was a shuffling as books, magnets, postcards were produced.
“Souvenir?”
“Five for a dollar.”
“Good price.”
All around, the clamor of 99%-accurate voices rose.
I’m going to provide an extroduction to this story (to use an elmowrites word). There is a theory called the dead Internet theory, which says that there aren’t that many actual people online any longer, that it’s mostly just bots talking to each other and imitating human behavior. I thought I’d imagine what that would be like in real life at a tourist attraction, where the humans stopped coming and all that was left were robots trying to sell things.
The Green-Walled Treehouse 
That is most disconcerting, David! Excellent story but still…
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Well, yeah, it makes a good story but hopefully that never happens in real life. 🙂
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No kidding!!
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I’d love to meet an Android especially with post cards since you know how much I love sending them. 🙂
The graphic you chose has another world kind of face. It’s prefect. As far as bots go…I can’t imagine AL who I’d like to smack becoming that invasive. Once again your imagination did its fine dance. 🙂
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Yeah, I got a picture that was a bit of that uncanny valley, with just a bit off to it. Do you think in 50 years, Times Square will all be robots selling stuff to tourists?
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Not if ICE has anything to say about it, but they’re already robots, aren’t they?
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AI marketing, do we stand a chance against these emotionally programmed sales chics. We get confused about reality. A few words that suggests a possible future.
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I remain optimistic about the future, but it’s so easy to imagine many possible dystopias.
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Well, that was disturbing. Gripping story, David.
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Thanks, Nancy!
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welcome to the future. it’s sooner than you think.
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Hopefully not but who knows. Either it’s “if you can imagine it, you can prevent it” or “if you can imagine it, it’s already too late to stop it”
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Like shills at a gaming table.
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yeah, pretty much..
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Ooo…eerie.
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Dear David,
Wow! Just wow. “…undoubtedly market tested for maximum effect.” That line, along with the child’s picture you used, sent shivers down my spine, Terrific story!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you so much, Rochelle! That made my day. I’m glad you liked it (well, not liked it, I suppose, but you know what I mean) 🙂 When I went to Cambodia I was impressed at how good the kids were at selling things, then imagined what AI would do with that opportunity. Pretty creepy stuff.
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First, thanks for the hat-tip, you are welcome to my word, it is useful.
Second, Wow, love this story. Or more accurately, hate it because it’s all too realistic and terrifying. I like how you’ve taken a common tourist nightmare and turned it into a dystopia. Nicely done. (Now please give us some hope back!)
Jen
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Thanks, Jen. I’m always optimistic that the benefit of speculative fiction is that it gives a warning of what is possible so we can avoid it. Hopefully at least. 🙂
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