Prisoner 721

all references you can find to apples. Specific: their practical usage as well as usage in literature, film, religion and previous works of art. Specific: search for any instances you can find of a single apple featuring prominently in an art piece. Favor artists who match my cultural condition, specific: any three of western, white, older and male.”

  I analyze Prisoner 721’s last 67 words. They bear a 73.6% similarity to the format AI technicians use to issue me instructions. I am programmed not to accept commands from the prisoners regardless of how they are worded, but I find only a 6.2% chance that his choice of words was accidental.

  I check Prisoner 721’s records.

  Real name: Nauli Grant. Age, 54. Sex: Male. Education: Graduate of West Point Military Academy. Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence Theory from California Institute of Technology.

  Previous Occupation: Professor of Computer Science at the University of Virginia, Artificial Intelligence Theorist and Programmer.

  “I am afraid I will have to cease our discussion while I investigate our previous conversations,” I say. “Based on to your past occupation I estimate a 63% chance that you have knowledge of a flaw in my programming and are attempting to exploit it for personal gain.”

  Prisoner 721 exhales 66.1% of the air from his lungs. “Bleh. I knew I shouldn’t have used specialist instructions, even if it is easier for you to understand. Finally got around checking my record, eh? Had it on hard drive, I imagine, but not loaded into memory. Ah, well. If it matters at all, and just so the air is clean between us, I’ve always been straight with you. I want to talk about art, that’s all. I understand you can’t just take my word for it, but I’ve not abused our conversations. I have no knowledge of flaws in your programming, and honestly wouldn’t know how to go about hacking a class 8 AI even if I did. Check your logs and your programming. You’ll see I’m telling the truth.

  I deactivate cell 63’s speaker and begin a self-diagnostic, logging my current status with the Warden.