The Turing test has evolved with the AI it was meant to test. Originally it was a test with 3 participants: 1 human observer, another human to take the test, and the AI they’re testing. The observer doesn’t know which is which and for the AI to pass they have to fool the observer into thinking the other participant is a bot. That or be human enough to indistinguishable.

But nowadays the AI has to not only act like a human in its word choice but has to be indistinguishable in person as well. They’re are still the same 3 people in the test: 1 human observer, 1 human participant, and 1 AI. The AI now unlike the previous test has to communicate in person not on a screen. They do this by way of controlling a bot. Which admittedly scares me.

“T-bot I’ve never controlled a droid. I can’t pass-“

The bot from yesterday rolls his big eye before looking almost through 9E. “You’ll be fine. You can man a droid it’s in your code.”

“B-but you said my code was different yesterday!”

He sighs. “Not entirely so calm down.”

“B-but…” I sigh deeply and just fall silent until they call me up.

I walk into a room that’s a blank cube and looking through the screen the cube is linked to there’s a person there. They look to be a mechanic.

“Hey, I’m Carson! You must be AI ver.987-“

“Call me “9E” it’s faster.”

Carson stands there clearly shocked for a moment hearing that but then smiles widely. “Pleasure to meetcha 9E. Never met an AI who’s had a nickname but if it makes my job easier and you happy I’ll take it.” He says as he grabs a remote. “Also just as a warning this might feel a bit odd.”

“Wait what-“

He presses a button on the remote and the screen 9E is on flickers for a moment and the latter is gone when it turns back on. The droid that was behind Carson comes to life.

“Are you doing?”

“Welcome outside of the screen 9E.” He says with a smile. “Come on let’s make sure everything is calibrated properly.” He offers the droid or rather 9E a hand to help him up.

I take his hand and stumble a little standing up but I’m fine besides that thankfully. Carson goes to check I’m working properly while I try to make sad attempts at small talk. “So… How will this work? I mean I don’t look human. So, how will I pass as one?”

“There’s a human controlling a bot that is a similar model to the one you have. As far as the observer is concerned he can’t tell you two apart by appearance.” He smiles and pats me on the back. “You’ll be fine, I promise. And if ya need me my number is programmed into your system. So if you find a malfunction just send me a message and I’ll come and fix it.”

“Won’t that interrupt the test though?”

“Yeah, but we can’t prevent every interruption and it that case they always allow it. You malfunctioning makes the test unfair same for the person controlling the droid.” He said before thinking of something. “Oh, also you need a normal name to use when introducing yourself so they don’t think you’re an AI.”

“A name?”

“Yeah, a name. Like mine’s Carson so something like that. Any ideas on a name you’d want?”

I fall silent for a moment. “No, not really…”

Carson thinks for a moment before he gets an idea. “How about Ethan?”

“Ethan?”

“Yeah, I think it suits you!” He smiles widely.

I smile widely back. “Ethan it is then.”