Dating-ish (Knitting in the City #6)(17)

Fiona shot her husband a disgusted look. "Is this your way of saying you'd like to replace me with a robot?"

We-Greg, Fiona, Janie, Quinn, Matt, and I-were gathered around the long dining room table at Fiona and Greg's. When Jack had mentioned to Fiona that Matt had stopped by, Fiona asked if I was okay with Matt coming over to share dinner. I was happy for him to join us as I was markedly curious about his artificial intelligence work.

Presently, the kids were asleep, and the conversation had finally turned to Matt's research.

"Of course not, darling." Greg's tone was pacifying. "Everyone already knows you are a robot, well half robot. On your mother's side."

This earned him an amused glower from his wife.

"I, for one, will welcome our robot overlords." I giggled from behind my cocktail as Fiona's eyes shifted to mine. I might have had a little too much to drink.

"Don't encourage him," she said.

"I think we should encourage him," Janie piped up unexpectedly, an odd edge in her voice. "Think about it. Really think about it, all the people out there without partners, for whatever reason. Or growing up with parents indifferent to their children."

"Exactly." Matt hit the table with his palm. "Clearly, this woman is brilliant."

This comment earned him a glare from Quinn, who was infamously territorial with his wife and had become more so during Janie's pregnancy.

Janie arched her back, pressing her fingertips into the base of her spine. I felt so sad for her, clearly she was terribly uncomfortable. "I don't think you have to be brilliant to grasp the practical applications of an AI focused on providing compassion."

"So the answer is to stop looking for a partner? To stop expecting people to be good parents? To give up on humanity?" Fiona glanced between Janie and Matt.

"Why is it giving up?" Matt countered softly, not arguing; rather, he sounded curious, interested in Fiona's opinion.

"Because you're substituting a robot for a human. Robots make no demands, have no feelings. You can't be challenged-to be better, to be more-by a robot."

Greg cut in thoughtfully, "Not to play devil's advocate-"

At this, we all scoffed. All of us. Even Quinn. Synchronized eye-rolling.

Greg clutched his chest and turned an offended look on his wife. "Et tu, Fiona? Et. Tu." 

"Please." Fiona gave her husband a dry look. "You have an honorary degree in advocacy for the devil from Harvard."

"And you passed the bar in the sixth circle of hell." Matt grinned.

"Just get on with it," Quinn mumbled under his breath, encouraging Janie to turn slightly in her chair so he could rub her lower back.

"Fine." Greg pinched his lips together and sniffed, clearly attempting to appear offended. The effect was ruined by the mischievous twinkle in his eye. "As I was saying, not to play devil's advocate, but isn't a vibrator more or less a robot?"

Quinn gritted his teeth and quietly seethed, clearly irritated or made uncomfortable by the direction of the conversation.

"No," I scoffed, wrinkling my nose.

"Why not?" he asked. "It is a machine, is it not? It's programmed with settings. It has an on/off switch. Just because a vibrator doesn't have a face doesn't mean it's not a robot. The fact is, women have already been in flagrante delicto with robots. For years."

The room plunged into a contemplative silence where many brows were furrowed.

Greg continued his thought, his tone more thoughtful and serious than before. "The fact is, robots have been quietly replacing humans since the industrial revolution. To me, this seems like the next logical step."

"How have robots been replacing humans?" Fiona countered.

"Manufacturing, for one."

"Companionship and car manufacturing are not the same," she persisted. "You could never replace highly-skilled labor with a robot."

"You say that, ex-CIA, but the government's drone program is thriving. Robots are already doing the job of the military's skilled assassins, without the risk to US soldiers." Greg's response was matter-of-fact, yet tinged with an unmistakable hint of discontent.

"Did you know Japan has already been using robots to solve their nursing shortage?" Matt asked quietly.

"What?" Fiona made a face.

"It's true." Janie tilted her neck to one side as Quinn's hands moved to her shoulders. "They call it Terapio, and it's doing many of the tasks-albeit, lower-level tasks-required of a registered nurse."

Matt nodded at Janie's statement. "Gamble is working on a similar model for the USA."

"Didn't you used to work for Gamble?" Fiona eyed Matt.

"Yes," Matt confirmed. "In fact, they want me to-"