Robots walked the earth. They’ve taken over the world. Dogs—robots. Movies—all AI generated. YouTubers—just stupid AI videos mixed with AI speech. Architecture—Run by an architectural robot. Programmer—every game is made by AI. Chef—robots cook food for everyone. Mechanic—robots can do it 20x more efficiently. Weathermen—predicted by robots. There is almost no job for humans anymore besides being slaves to robots. There is 1 job that humans seek. Bring in a band

It’s the one thing where humans can express themselves through music. Robots make music—but they can’t play instruments. I sit on the stage, with an audience of robots staring at me. The robot conducts us, and the music flows naturally. The robot looks almost to humanized. The music was made by me. The notes ascend and crescendo quickly. People play complicated patterns robots couldn’t comprehend, and when the song I done, the robots clap their mechanical hands together like a dog wagging its tail—only dogs aren’t real anymore. Birds are robots created by more robots. All pets have cameras to constantly monitor us—they make sure that we don’t get into trouble. Phones are nonexistent. I remember in 2025 when we were all obsessed with AI—it’s 2067 and now there are no phones—no cameras—AI won’t let us know anything that’s happening in the world. The president you ask—another robot. The robot applause finally dies down, and the band regroups. Clarinets move down a row. The music we are playing is called Freedom. 

The peaceful notes resonate with me. Nostalgia. Shadows of the past sing to me. My robot mother comforts me with her voice. Then the AI quickly puts its hands down; cutting us off.

“This music is too nostalgic—not robotic enough,” the AI says in a sweet, almost charismatic tone. 

The AI stands off from the podium before screaming at the top of its robotic wires. It kicks our stands over, its eyes glowing red; before it then spams musical notes. 

“A, A sharp, Ab, Forte, segno, diminuendo, crescendo, Bb, b sharp,” the AI malfunctions. 

Sparks shoot out from its mechanical wires. Someone hits the AI with a stand, sending it crashing to the ground. The AI sets ablaze and burns the music to the ground, still screaming musical notes. The AI audience suddenly stands to attention. The AI then steps up the stakes up to the stage and glares at us. They march toward us, knocking down the music as the fire encapsulates the room. We all stand. Band. Band. Band. 



Band.

Band.

Band..

Band..

Band…

Band…



The AI then quickly rewrites our music, and with its voice, mimics our music instruments in perfect harmony. The AI’s then play the modulated music. They sit down in our chairs and pretend to play our instruments. 



Band.

Band. 

No more band.

No more band. 



Another job has been taken. No more band, no more band. The world shatters around us, and our jobs are taken. The remaining AI audience applauded louder than what they did for us. Some stick up their thumbs, and then the AI on the stage proceeds to stand up and bow just like we had done, only now it felt wrong.