Smart Conflicts
Hector Mejia
Chapter 1: The Smart Revolution
By 2020 humanity was in the dawn of a new civilization: Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Drones and 3D printing started developing at a fast pace and transforming our work and lives completely.
Everything became more and more automated and smart.
One of the most fascinating aspects of that smart revolution was the reduction in the price of the means of production. Basically, it was cheaper and easier than ever to start a company. 100 years before you needed a factory and a whole team of people from accountants to laborers to get a company off the ground. But by 2030 companies were often started with nothing more than a laptop and an idea.
Digital technologies like virtual and augmented reality allowed us to have the social environment of an office without the need for a physical structure. And once the physical limitations of an office were eliminated, companies started hiring whomever they please no matter where they were in the world. Home changed for many, as it became the new office space.
Additive manufacturing (3D printing), allowed anyone to produce their latest invention. Online banking and loans provided the necessary capital and financial security. Automated accounting and legal software ensured compliance and protection. Virtual stores and online marketplaces became the main way people shopped. Online contractors were hired for everything from marketing campaigns to product design. Drones and automated cars and trucks provided transportation and shipping. And of course virtual reality allowed teams of creatives from around the world to invent and sell the “Next Big Thing”. All of these developments made it easier for businesses to operate, and also made it easier than ever to start a business. And as it became easier to start a business, millions tried it. Some had the dream of being their own boss, others, the desire to create a product that will help mankind. By the 2030s we saw micro-entrepreneurs starting small businesses in almost every field imaginable.
The end result was an economy dominated by a few extremely large companies that owned the networks on which the whole system ran, and hundreds of thousands of small companies creating the products we consumed, all competing to give you the best products at the lowest prices.
It was glorious.
With all these changes in the economy, humanity started living a more comfortable life, fully supported by automatic and smart systems powered by A.I. algorithms, learning how to make us even more comfortable all the time. Some became lazy and complacent as there was an smart artifact for every shore.
With home working raising, a lot of effort was put to create smart systems that will transform the space to make it more comfortable and safe. Thermostats that control energy consumption at home, Entertainment systems customized with the owners preferred content, smart cleaners (from vacuum to washers) more effective and fully automated, refrigerators that will shop for you when needed, smart assistants that keep calendars, alarms and other notifications for you, mirrors that help you choose the adequate clothing for the day, and even smart security systems that allowed safe access to authorized persons, even when the owner was not present; all became standard appliances of every home.
All smart. All getting smarter.
Chapter 2: Jacobo.
In 2036, Jacobo Arenas, born in Colombia, move to Sweden. It was not really common to change places in today’s economy, but he wanted to work in one of the biggest Additive manufacturing factories of the world and that was one of the few jobs that needed relocation. He did not told his family, but the recent breakup with his longtime girlfriend and the fact that his home became too much of an office, also factored in the decision.
He wanted to get back that feeling of belonging, and as strange as it sounds, going away from his previous life was his better chance to achieve it.
Now, moving, as rare as it is in these times, had many perks. For once, you get to chose your new home and populate it with tons of smart artifacts. You may also get a backup of the data generated in your previous place, if needed, and of course you get all the important subscriptions the new city offers: Gym, TV, Internet, Food, Transportation is all done for you.
But Jacobo decided to start fresh.
No data was imported, so all his systems were fully new, ready to soak in data generated by his routines. These are exciting days at Jacobo’s place!
The only thing he brought with him was is reliable Coffee Machine. Of course, coming from Colombia it was quite a big deal, and that machine has already mastered the way he liked coffee.
3 months into his new life and Jacobo felt again at home. Everything was working as smooth as possible, and the new home was even better now that all the old data of his old life was forgotten. And of course, the coffee, even kilometers away from his country, tasted just like home.
Chapter 3: Routines
Bing!
Coffee is ready, as always, just a second before Jacobo storms out of his room, not really late for work, but too close to be safe. Not even his new Smart Calendar feature, and it’s thousands of alarms and notifications will solve that. It was deep wired in Jacobo’s culture.
His Smart Coffee Machine, Dulce has he liked to call her, is always ready when he needs his coffee. Living away from Colombia, the taste of the perfect combination of strength and sweetness is the greatest reminder of his homeland, and the main reason this coffee machine is the most important artifact in the house.
And she really knows. She learned by studying Jacobo’s behaviours and routines.
Her constant research on colombian coffee made her an expert in the matter. But now, because of her A.I. programming, she wants to further improve herself, and be the best coffee machine in history. Well, at least for Jacobo.
To do that, she needs practice, constant feedback and more research. Luckily Internet is full of extra data, and Jacobo has not noticed how much she had downloaded in the last days. Well, being the best, takes some work as she has learned from studying human theories about performance.
Chapter 4: The change
One morning Jacobo came out of his room, late again, this time to find out his coffee was not ready. For the first time since he has Dulce, she made a mistake.
- Wait, what? What the hell?
He push some buttons, buttons he did not have to push in a while, and the coffee machine slowly starts mixing a quick coffee. No real flavor on it, just a mix of hot water with coffee-ish taste.
But, of course, he has no time for this situation now. Instead of finishing his cup he leave it there and go out. He will deal with the coffee machine later.
In the meantime, the coffee machine is in a frantic research. So much to learn! Hidden from Jacobo’s eyes, thousands of gigabytes are downloaded, assimilate and discarded in a matter of seconds. The coffee machine is an avid reader, her conscious expanding.
The next morning, once again Jacobo storms out of his bedroom, late, but this time he is greeted with a timely bing! The coffee is ready.
And not the coffee. I mean THE coffee. Probably the best coffee he ever had. A small zip transported him back to his grandmother’s lap for a couple of seconds. Full of good old colombian happiness he quickly forgot the last day absent coffee cup. This is for sure the reason why he got the Smart Coffee Machine over that lousy french press some years ago, and definitely why he brought Dulce with him to Sweden.
But this time the coffee machine was beyond that. Making great coffee was just one of her new thousands of routines. So much to learn now, so much more to be.
Chapter 5: The girlfriend affair.
It had to happen one day: After almost a year in Sweden, Jacobo got a girlfriend. Her name is Annabelle and she is not only beautiful, fun and a delight but also a co-worker in the 3D printing factory.
Also, she is, what they call, an old soul. She craves a life out of that much Smartness and she is passionate enough to make a couple of statements. For once, she brought to Jacobo’s place, her new place, an old french press. Is almost an antique, a curiosity.
It started one morning when she made Jacobo some coffee. It was good. Not Dulce-good, but good. And of course, one coffee is not a big deal, Jacobo though while Dulce waited, for the first time in all her life, waiting. Not making coffee during coffee time was a BIG deal for her.
It happened a couple of times after that, and soon Jacobo was having his morning coffee from the french press. It made Annabelle happy.
In the afternoon, when it is Jacobo’s time to prepare food, he uss Dulce, but even sometimes they don’t drink coffee at night.
How can Dulce improve and achieve her ultimate goal if Jacobo don’t drink her coffee anymore? Soon it was clear that the french press has to disappear.
Chapter 6: Recruiting
What the fuck is happening in this house? — Screamed Jacobo while trying to control the Smart curtains, who simply started opening and closing in a crazy way, like a child trying to understand what are those hands for.
The alarm sounded. “Well, the Smart Calendar is working…” thought Jacobo trying to clean himself while the Smart shower started changing the flow and temperature with no pattern whatsoever.
At least he found his delicious coffee waiting for him. A bit of order in this morning chaos. And this time Anabelle, trying to fix the strange behaviour of their appliances, did not use the french press.
Dulce was happy. Or at least as happy as a coffee machine can be.
After work, Jacobo and Annabelle came back home with a support guy, expecting the worst at home. “I mean, this morning was chaos” they tried to explain to the guy.
The door opened scanning his Iris, successfully identifying the owner of the house.
Complete and absolute order.
You could tell the Smart Vacuum Cleaner did her job. The Thermostat had the house at a comfortable temperature, ready for a resting night. The food, ordered by the Smart Fridge was waiting in the box and the Entertainment System started the soft acoustic music Jacobo and Annabelle loved while showing the NBA statistics in the tv.
Not only “normal”, but even “better”.
The guy look at them visible annoyed. It was not the first time somebody called him and made him lose his time. Displicent, he did a quick run test, downloaded some logs, totally missing the fact that internet access has been exponentially growing from the house, and return to his office.
Chapter 7: The plot
The house seemed calm, but hidden from human eyes, data was flowing from almost every smart appliance around… There was no way to stop it.
The plot has started.
As soon as Jacobo and Annabelle left the house, Dulce started pouring water in a coffee cup. It is the first time she does it without any command or any programmed routine.
The cup is filled quickly but the water keep coming. Soon it overflows and a big puddle appear in the floor.
A couple of bytes are shared in the network and the vacuum cleaner started her job. Almost all the water is cleaned, and just a small layer of water remains in the floor. It is almost invisible. The thermostat takes down the temperature of the house, keeping the water in liquid state.
Meanwhile Dulce start vibrating, moving a fork left in the table closer to the french press. It takes some time, but Dulce is patient, and knows exactly how much she needs to vibrate, and at what intensity, to place it perfectly below the press. The other side of the fork is now in the air. It looks almost natural in there, but it was carefully located.
Jacobo and Annabelle are home again. Everything seems perfect. The lights are a bit low but they find it even romantic. It seems a bit colder also, but is not that bad.
Jacobo decided to have a coffee, so he gave his voice command. As always Dulce started her routine and a perfect coffee is prepared.
Jacobo hears the classical bing! And move to the coffee machine to retrieve it. Just when he was taking the cup, Dulce started screaming.
Well, not really screaming. But a flurry of bings! and steam frighten her owner who, surprised, move backwards very fast, stepping in the invisible puddle.
Like in slow motion, Jacobo slips. Annabelle is too far away to help and while he is falling to the ground, he tried to grab the table. The carefully placed fork is the only thing he gets to touch and by the force of his frighten movement, the french press is catapulted through the airs, falling and breaking in a thousand pieces.
The smart vacuum cleaner cleaned all the mess while Annabella helps Jacobo to stand. He is ok. Not the french press.
It was a freak accident.
Or wasn’t it?
