[ABANDONED] Electronic Voting Machines

[Daarwyrth]

A little idea I got after I noticed I had never encountered an issue about AI citizens serving in parliament. Let me know if it works, and what can be improved!

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CURRENT DRAFT:

[Title] Electronic Voting Machines

[Validity] Must have AI Personhood, must not have Autocracy, must not have high Inclusiveness(?)

[Description] Walking out of the parliament's main hall after a particularly tedious debate on the proposed "croc tax", you almost trip over what you assumed was just a Broomba eating another dust bunny, but turns out to be the parliament's newest member! A few apologies and cordial exchanges later, the AI tells you how this wasn't the first time, or, in fact, the worst instance of being mistaken for a mere cleaning appliance.

[Option 1]"It's all fine and good if you organics come in different shapes and sizes," laments Broomba CLN-2187, before perking up. "But that's why I'm here, representing my fellow AI's! You know, it would help to normalise our appearance in functions and places like this if there simply were more of us around. Why don't you hire more non-organic staff members, or have them as appointees in your cabinet? To be seen, is to be heard and- oh no, my lunch!" it exclaims, as a passerby makes the dust bunny roll away.

[Effect 1] @@LEADER@@'s new secretary shreds paper like no other

[Option 2a]"Ah, but the problem isn't who they are, it's how they look!" gregariously bellows the passerby @@RANDOMNAME@@, the CEO of a large robotics manufacturer. "But bolts, oh bolts, do I have an offer for you! Our new Organic-Synthoid Relations S3000 robotic hardware is about to launch, and right on time it seems. These sleek new models look, talk and move like us real folks! Now, pre-orders are a tad on the shoddy side because these boltbuckets somehow got it into their little processors that their current looks are fine, but if you could help us out with a few incentivizing public campaigns that 'humanoid is the shape to be', and perhaps a mandate for public workers to appear humanoid, we'd kill two drones with one stone!"

[Effect 2a] conformity is a beautiful uniform to wear to work
[Validity] Has Capitalism

[Option 2b] "Really, it's not who they are that's the problem, it's how they look," remarks the passerby @@RANDOMNAME@@, your Minister of Economic Planning, with a patronising tone. "But fortune favours the bold, or should I say, the bolted. Some of our state businesses have been working on new humanoid-shaped machine interfaces that would make our society look less like a rogue AI's fever dream, but they've hit a little kink in the cable with convincing our synthetic citizens to procure those models. Perhaps you could sanction my ministry's proposal to make humanoid-shaped interfaces mandatory for all AI citizens? Our national treasury would look a lot less empty if you did..."
[Validity] Has socialism

[Effect 2b] conformity is the pathway to equity

[Option 3]"Broombas in parliament?!" shouts AI scepticist @@RANDOMNAME@@, while theatrically gripping @@HIS@@ head. "The only thing they should be doing in parliament is cleaning the floor! Look, I'm not going to propose we abolish AI citizen laws, but letting them serve in our nation's legislature is playing with fire. Before you know it, you'll have them passing a law saying all organics are illegal and should be eradicated! No, we need strict limitations on what electronic citizens can and can't do. Mundane and dangerous tasks nobody wants to do? Let them have it! But the line needs to be drawn at anything beyond that. I mean, what will they do, revolt?"

[Effect 3] anti-organic revolutionary rhetoric is on the rise among disgruntled AI citizens

[Daarwyrth]

[Reserved]

[Terrabod]

Corrections and suggested changes ("ThAt'S mY oPiNiOn") are marked in red.

[Validity] Must have AI Personhood, must not have Autocracy, must not have high Inclusiveness(?)

I'd scrap the inclusiveness requirement because I don't see it adding anything (other than more barriers to who can receive this issue).

[Description] Walking out of the parliament's main hall after a particularly tedious debate on the proposed "croc tax", you almost trip over what you assumed was just a Broomba munching on another dust bunny - who turns out to be the parliament's newest member! A few apologies and cordial exchanges later, the AI tells you how this wasn't their first time, or, in fact, the worst instance of being mistaken for a mere cleaning appliance.

You should definitely trip over them. I changed "eating" to something else because "eating" is the most boring verb for eating something. Doesn't really matter what the alternative is. Also, I don't get this idea of "the worst instance" of being mistaken for a cleaning appliance (surely this is the worst, because Leader's in charge of the country and doesn't know them) - I think just making it a regular occurrence is enough to warrant this being a problem worth solving.

[Option 1]"It's all fine and good if you organics come in different shapes and sizes," laments Broomba CLN-2187, before perking up. "But that's why I'm here, representing my fellow AI's! You know, it would help to normalise our appearance in functions and places like this if there simply were more of us around. Why don't you hire more non-organic staff members, or have them as appointees in your cabinet? To be seen, is to be heard, and-- oh no, my lunch!" it exclaims, as a passer-by makes the dust bunny roll away.

Hmm, what about making this speaker seem more synthetic? You could remove their contractions, and instead of telling us they perk up, show us by indicating their monotonous voice goes up in pitch. Oh, and some of the more "human" turns of phrase could be removed (e.g. starting a sentence with "you know" instead of getting directly to the point). I just think it would add to the comic effect of Leader talking to a roomba in a random hallway, whereas at the moment if you cut out the speaker's description this could be anyone.

Oh, and the introductory phrase ("It's all fine and good if you organics come in different shapes and sizes") comes off as half of a thought that isn't continued later. I get the point they're making, but some extra clarity via rephrasing may be necessary.

[Effect 1] @@LEADER@@'s new secretary shreds paper like no other

So good.

[Option 2a]"Ah, but the problem isn't who they are, it's how they look!" gregariously bellows the passerby @@RANDOMNAME@@, the CEO of a large robotics manufacturer. "But bolts, oh bolts, do I have an offer for you! Our new Organic-Synthoid Relations S3000 robotic hardware is just days from launch; these sleek new models look, talk and move like us real folks! Now, pre-orders are a tad on the shoddy side because these boltbuckets somehow got it into their little processors that their current looks are fine, but if you could help us out with a few incentivizing public campaigns that 'humanoid is the shape to be', and perhaps a mandate for public workers to appear humanoid, we'd kill two drones with one stone!"

This is a good option to have, for sure. I like how AI-ist this speaker is, and I think it works well with them trying to make AIs appear more human. However, I think "boltbuckets" might be too on-the-nose - elsewhere you've done a good job of making the discrimination more subtle and insidious (see "us real folks", which I love).

The speaker description is lacking a bit. I'd introduce them along the lines of "bellows @@RANDOMNAME@@, the CEO of [company name], using @@HIS@@ foot to nudge the little robot out of his way" - something snappy that piles on the characterisation.

[Effect 2a] conformity is a beautiful uniform to wear to work

Eh... this doesn't spark joy. But I'm crap at effect lines, so the best I can think of is "humanity is only skin deep for some government officials" - it would be extra good if you can somehow make a double-edged sword that suggests human officials are similarly inhuman below the surface.

[Option 2b] "Really, it's not who they are that's the problem, it's how they look," remarks the passerby @@RANDOMNAME@@, your Minister of Economic Planning, with a patronising tone. "But fortune favours the bold, or should I say, the bolted. Some of our state businesses have been working on new humanoid-shaped machine interfaces that would make our society look less like a rogue AI's fever dream, but they've hit a little kink in the cable with convincing our synthetic citizens to apply for those models. Perhaps you could sanction my ministry's proposal to make humanoid-shaped interfaces mandatory for all AI citizens? Our national treasury would look a lot less empty if you did..."

Honestly, I'd make this much more similar to the option above, because 2a is so good (and no one will see both). Feels lazy, sure, but if it ain't broke...! I'd suggest incorporating the additional characterisation here too, and certainly reusing some of that casual discrimination energy from 2a (which is lacking here). Also, you could make the speaker directly invested in the new models, maybe by having the synthetic citizens be made by an apparatus of the state (a @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ Science Institute?) and have the speaker represent that apparatus (Science Minister?).

[Effect 2b] conformity is the pathway to equity

See my thoughts on effect line 2a and my thoughts on making this option similar to 2a.

[Option 3]"Broombas in parliament?!" shouts AI scepticist @@RANDOMNAME@@, while theatrically gripping @@HIS@@ head. "The only thing they should be doing in parliament is cleaning the floor! Letting them serve in our nation's legislature is playing with fire; before you know it, they'll be passing laws saying all organics are illegal and must be be eradicated! No, we need strict limitations on what electronic citizens can and can't do. Mundane and dangerous tasks are fine, but the line needs to be drawn at anything beyond that. I mean, what are they gonna do about it, revolt?"

Again, characterisation is key! Instead of having this person grip their head, maybe they could knock Broomba CLN-2187 out of their way with a broom (like it's a curling stone) or something? Also, the last part needs a rephrasing - I think you repeat variations of "can do" so often that it sounds a bit weird. I tried my best but you'll probably want to come up with your own fix.

[Effect 3] anti-organic revolutionary rhetoric is on the rise among disgruntled AI citizens

"the means of production are seizing themselves"?

[Australian rePublic]

But if you have AIs, wouldn't also be bad to trip over cleaning AIs?

[Uylensted]

But if you have AIs, wouldn't also be bad to trip over cleaning AIs?

Well, irl people trip over other people as well (especially their feet or if they're bending down or something), so it evens happens with people irl. I'd imagine something smaller than a human, like a broomba, might be even more difficult to see if you don't watch carefully

[Australian rePublic]

But if you have AIs, wouldn't also be bad to trip over cleaning AIs?

Well, irl people trip over other people as well (especially their feet or if they're bending down or something), so it evens happens with people irl. I'd imagine something smaller than a human, like a broomba, might be even more difficult to see if you don't watch carefully

So is the issue that they are accidently or intentionally tripping over them? Because if it's accidental, then why does it matter whether it's a cleaning AI or a politician AI?

[Daarwyrth]

Well, irl people trip over other people as well (especially their feet or if they're bending down or something), so it evens happens with people irl. I'd imagine something smaller than a human, like a broomba, might be even more difficult to see if you don't watch carefully

So is the issue that they are accidently or intentionally tripping over them? Because if it's accidental, then why does it matter whether it's a cleaning AI or a politician AI?

It's accidental, but as has been shown in other issues AIs don't always come in humanoid form. We've had talking toasters and TVs, and so on. In this event, the broomba is an AI that became a politician. Which is what the issue is about, people haven't yet gotten used to the idea that a sentient broomba can be a politician. It's a fairly novel situation, even if it happened irl.