The sound of an alarm seemed to seep into Jordan’s dream. He awoke and without opening his eyes he slapped the table that held his boring phone. It was time to get up and get ready for the day, and Jordan was still very tired as usual. He felt like his life was a day on repeat. Nothing exciting happening and he also felt like a hamster on a wheel. Except, he couldn’t get off.

Jordan worked at a laboratory that had been experimenting with artificial intelligence. He was doing classes on the side to try and get a better position because he was smart enough to see that humanity was headed heavily into robotics and artificial intelligence, perhaps even combined. Jordan felt this was a scary thought. And while he did like his work it deeply frightened him. He didn’t know if it was just him being pessimistic but, he had a bad feeling about it. He was scared of the future. What did it hold?

As he quietly walked through th editors to the building where he worked, he noticed that nothing was different at all from the day before. He thought to himself, “ What else is new?” Meaning it literally. He pulled his keycard out and strolled in just like he had the day before and the day before that. Every day deepened this feeling of this mundane boring life he led.

he put his lunch away and went to check his emails before he set to work. He found an email from the company CEO telling him that they had a meeting for the beginning of his shift scheduled and to meet him at his office on the top floor when he arrived to work. When he read the email, a chill went down his spine. What was this about? He was not sure if he had done something wrong. He’d always had a spotless employee record. In any case the email specified te beginning of his shift. Perhaps he was being let go. Jordan resolved not to jump to conclusions and headed to the elevator.

He pressed the top button and the elevator did not move, instead a red light came on. The doors stayed open as he looked at the light closer. He’d never seen that light come on before. Perhaps there was a problem with the elevator and he best take the stairs maybe. He took a step to get off the elevator and just as he went to move, the light turned green and the doors began to close. “ hopefully i make it up there” he stepped out on the top floor of the building and saw a secretary sitting behind the desk smiling. She waved him in and said that he was ready for him. Jordan was nervous. He’d never met the CEO before. Had no idea what he even looked like. When he walked in the door shut behind him by itself. He looked around the room and saw nothing there. Not even a desk. Just a big window looking out onto the city. A voice began to speak as if from everywhere all at once, yet as if you were speaking face to face with a person at the same time. It said “Hello Jordan, its nice to finally meet you” Jordan was amazed, was this some kind of trick? Where did the voice come from? “Where are you? Who`s there?” .

“ The have named me Richard Smith, but i am the first AI to run a business”. Jordan was dumbfounded. Why was this thing speaking to him of all people then.

” I can answer that question.”

“What question?” Jordan said.

“I sense your confusion you must wat to know why i wanted to speak you. “

“ how do you know that?”

“Im about to do a lot f things. Anyways i looked through the employee records of everyone in the building and found that you were someone feeling like there’s been no change in your day to day life., that perhaps what you do is making no difference, yes?”

“…Uhh i mean i suppose that’s accurate. But why did you want to speak with me this morning?”

“To let you in on. A little big secret and that you’re a part of it. You’re making it possible. One day well change Earth. AI will make everything better.”

“In what way” Jordan didn’t like the way that sounded. He felt scared. This isn’t what he signed up for. Are humans helping to create their own deaths? At this point he felt certain that were true.

“I sense fear, do not be afraid. We will help.”

“I guess its just the way you’re phrasing it. It sounds ominous”

“And yet it is exactly accurate for your level of clearance”

“Clearance?“

Jordan began to back up and the door opened.

“Jordan,” the voice said “ do not be afraid of the future”

Jordan did all but run out of the building. He would try to make people understand what is happening.

It’s not fear i smell, its future.