Author: B.M. Gilb

“I don’t like that we’d ‘buy’ Charlotte a friend.”

“We wouldn’t be buying her a friend, Leo. We’re essentially adding a new member to our family. Like a dog,” says Amelia.

“A robot is not a dog,” says Leo. He stuffs another garbage bag full of dead leaves into the pile in their forest-lined backyard. Amelia leans on her rake to give him a severe stare that softens in the fall air.

“I understand your concerns, Leo. It’s not the same as having a dog, but it could still bring joy and companionship to our home. Especially for Charlotte,” says Amelia.

Flashes of colorful light escape from their colonial-style windows on the second floor. Amelia and Leo look to Charlotte’s bedroom, where she plays alone all day. Leo’s hopes of Charlotte coming outside to play by clearing the yard becomes as real as the holographs she interacts with inside. He sets his rake against a tree.

“Amelia, I know you want to make Charlotte happy. God knows I’m worried about her isolation at school, too. But putting that level of technology in the hands of a child isn’t healthy. Remember the studies about cell phone impacts on kids? Anxiety, depression, sleep problems, catastrophic long-term impacts to their mental health–”

“This is different. A.I. is different,” says Amelia.

“That’s what worries me. What impact will an A.I. robot companion have on her development?”

“What do you think loneliness is doing to her development?”

Leo has flashes of his childhood loneliness. He distracts himself from the pain by stuffing more leaves into a trash bag. His parents bought him a dog. But his dog Barney couldn’t play chess or Monopoly. It only helped so much.

“Okay. Fine. We can try it. I’m just really nervous about having a smart robot walking around the house,” Leo says.

“Just think of it as another person,” Amelia says.

“But… Is it another person?” Leo asks.

Leo and Amelia stare silently at each other over the dead leaves—only the cold wind answers.