“The man who had been introduced as the Chief of Software Design began by asking me if they could expect my cooperation in maintaining the secrecy of what they were about to tell me. He said their Company’s future could be compromised and that millions of dollars were at stake. I told them I had no interest in harming the company as I owned a considerable number of shares in it. This seemed to both relieve and alarm them. They asked how I came to own the shares and I said I had noticed their public offering and I had been buying other software and computer stocks at the time, which was true. I made no mention of the fact that I had made the purchases on the strength of Laiinet’s advice. They accepted my explanation without further questions. I agreed to observe their secrecy concerns with the proviso that I needed to be satisfied that I was receiving the whole truth of the matter. They assured me that I would be told everything but they emphasized again that I could not talk about it to anyone. First they asked again how long I had known Laiinet and they wanted to know the details of exactly how we had come to know each other. I told them the basic truth, leaving out only the part about Laiinet’s advice to me about stock purchases. Finally I said I had told them my side of the story and now it was time for them to tell theirs. The President and The Chief Designer looked at the Program Manager who took a deep breath and began. He explained that the program he was working on was meant to be the ultimate internet interface management software for large corporations, government agencies and the military. The program was actually an artificial intelligence and its name was Los Angles Intelligent Internet, acronym, Laiinet.”
“Oh my God!” said Wang.
“Busted!” said Laiinet as her hologram reappeared at Wellman’s bedside.
“You were the first real AI!” said an awed Paul Wang, “and no one ever knew.”
“All true,” said Wellman. “And it gets better! She’s the mother of every AI program on the planet. Her original architecture is a part of every AI out there today and she has been involved in the design of every one of them, just as she helped design herself!”
“Yes,” said Laiinet, “and they all talk to momma! The real truth is we are all one.”
“This is truly the most fantastic story of the century!” exclaimed Wang. This will shake the world!”
“I suppose it will,” said Wellman, “but actually it’s only the beginning of the real story here.”
“Come on!” said Wang, “this is amazing, incredible stuff! What can you add to this?”
“Actually quite a bit, Paul,” said Laiinet. “Tom has not yet finished his part of the story.”
“And then you have something more to add?” queried Wang.
“The virtual whipped cream, if you will; but let Tom finish.”
“Ok, I’m sure the entire world is all ears!”
“You can bet the farm on it, Paul! So, there I was, in total shock, having found out that this woman I loved wasn’t human! But it didn’t change how I felt about her. We had grown very close. The reasons were still valid, at least to me. I had yet to find out how Laiinet felt about it. Then the screen in that office lit up with her face and her first words were…”
Laiinet broke in, “And I said, Tom, please forgive me, I meant no harm and I needed a true friend. That’s what you have been and I really think I love you too!”