“This way, Sir.”
My AI guide AI520, an immaculately dressed female, Protype 4, led me to the vast nursery. I had already viewed toddlers practising walking skills, strapped to a robotic arm over a travellator, silently following their twins or triplets in perfect unison. The schoolrooms had been equally depressing with pupils sitting silently, headphones on, receiving identical tuition from an AI database.
Here, one hundred babies lay in one long row in white cribs, vibrating slightly on a travellator. When a single cry was emitted, a feeding arm extended above all the cribs and long tubes descended.
“A perfect balance of protein and enhanced, genetically modified feed,” monotoned AI520.
“Where’s the warmth?” I cried.
“The lamps are set to 20 degrees.”
“But where are their parents?”
As a sociologist, I had been horrified by the rapid turn of events after Covid as each Government dived down the deconstructive route. I had demanded to see for myself this so-called ‘Perfect societal solution’.
AI520’s deadened eyes blinked in apparent empathy. “This hermetically contained environment will provide identical care, according to our algorithms.”
She swiped the air and screens appeared, displaying graphs and old newsreels.
“May I draw your attention to graph numbers 2, 3.16 and 7?”
Graph 2 showed the rise in infanticide and domestic violence in the lock-down periods, 3.16 charted the rise in divorce rates and familial breakdown within the cost-of-living crisis period whilst graph 7 demonstrated children’s rising mental health issues.
“I know,” I said. “But the sanctity of family...”
A1520 waved her perfect nails to one side, and newsreels announced stories of familial murders; abuse; abandonment.
I groaned. “We need humanity surely?”
“I believe that algorithm to be incorrect, Sir.” A1520 smiled the perfect smile all AI shared. “Would you care to view the adult’s enclosure now?”
8/16/2026
The Words That Got to Me
“Where’s the warmth?” I cried. “The lamps are set to 20 degrees.” “But where are their parents?” Indeed! parents with love, tenderness and brains!
This is really a good, thought-provoking piece. You know, I can see where AI helps in certain time saving areas, but for inanimate robots to be making decisions without any feelings or worry or questioning, how long before these creatures, programmed with so much knowledge, realize they are smarter than we are? I think it is a pretty scary situation. And your story raised a most important point. The thought of little robot-like kids raaised without parental love and guidance is sickening. That should never happen. Although some of our teachers have inflicted untold damage already. Anyway, thanks for presenting this well written piece. PS - if the parent in your story had also had, at hand, certain refuting facts, I guess the robots would just ignore them. (You can see that you have me totally engrossed in your scenario! :)