It was a Sunday, and Anura was happier today as she did not have to hurry to college. She woke up late, enjoyed a leisurely bath, wore her casual tees and pants, had her breakfast late, and applied her oil-free moisturiser, sunscreen, tinted lip balm, and kajal to finish her lazy home-day look.
Anura did her bachelor’s in computer science engineering. After watching Superstar Rajni’s blockbuster Enthiran movie one day on TV in her final year, she decided to pursue a master’s in robotics, and now AI was her new fascination.
She sat back on a couch with a book in her hand. She was reading a book about an AI robot and human interaction. After reading the first three stanzas, Anura was in her world of thoughts, reflecting on the years that rolled by.
Below were a few hefty paragraphs that were rumbling in her mind nonstop.
There was a time when conversations were real and meaningful. People listened to each other without hurrying to answer. Where are those conversations? Where did they disappear?
Everyone wants to be happy, maintain gratitude journals, do laughter therapy sessions, and seek happiness from money, entertainment, food, accessories, and whatnot.
But even today, the top question searched on Google is still how to be happy.
Long-lasting friendships, hearty human conversations, and people speaking from the heart have all become rare. Has life become mechanised like that debate I had with my roommate years ago? She thought for a while.
A sneak peek into Anura’s debate with her roommate Chaaya during her bachelor’s in computer science engineering:
Chaaya: “AI would replace the humanitarian factor in almost every job.”
Anura: “That’s impossible, as humanness is hard to replicate.
Chaaya: “We humans only seek solutions; it’s not about who is giving the solution, be it a man or a machine.”
Anura: “So, to think logically and live practically without emotions is what you say is the best life?”
Chaaya: “According to books on practicality, emotions make one weak and change them into overthinkers who find it hard to think practically.” Anura: “But believe me, there will be hardly anything to live in that kind of life, and it would rather be correct to say you have become a machine with blood and veins”.
Chaaya: “Living practically is what we all need. What do you do with emotions, by the way? Robots will give you all the solutions, but they cannot understand your emotions and empathise with situations. They can help you improve your IQ, but they cannot help you with your EQ.
At times, it is more about how a human being gives you a solution, and the comfort you feel after hearing the words that make you feel better is more valuable than mere problem-solving.” Although she won the debate, the conversation left an everlasting impact on Anura.”
The techie in her was always appreciative of the most recent advancements in technology, and while a part of her loved funny human interactions, socialising, having fun with siblings and cousins and forcing them to laugh at a joke that she cracked, which they thought was a PJ, and having a hearty laugh with a friend talking about their dreams about their life partner, she always believed there was something soulful about those little things. She thought that life was better in the early 2000s.
When she was a child, she admired the telephone in the hall, which brought the entire family together. After a few years, she was the one who answered the cardless phone and was passing it on to family members who needed to answer the call. Mobile phones were a rare luxury.
Emotions that make you emotional are the words that make you feel like you lived those words with the protagonist, said Anura, even when she watched a series or read a book. But now, watching the reality of her present life, she thinks maybe Chaaya was correct for the first time in her life from what they debated years ago.
That was how helpless she felt when she sensed the change in everything and everyone around her.
Soon she realised it was not the technology that distanced people; it was the lack of an empathetic listener, vulnerability, and fear of judgement that distanced people.
She was so keen to do something about all this, as she wanted to remind the world that being human means living cheerfully, embracing emotions, and having humane qualities while having the right balance of being practical, logical, and successful. Overloaded by thoughts, the young techie Anura dozed off on her couch.
Anura’s dream sequence
With proficiency in Python and Java, she mastered robotics fundamentals: kinematics, dynamics, sensors, and control systems.
After understanding how humans and robots communicate.
She got the complete idea about Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing.
she was prototyping and building robots consistently but making an AI friend with empathy was not as easy as she ever imagined.
The turning point arrived one rainy evening when she sat with teary eyes with only the last drop of hope left in her heart surrounded by screens and wires.
The glow of her laptop cast shadows on her face as she typed furiously, debugging lines of code. Her latest creation—an AI robot—was spectacular. Yet, as she fine-tuned its responses, she felt there was a larger gap to be filled.
Anura’s chatbot, devoid of emotion, answered queries efficiently, but it lacked empathy. She longed for something more—a companion who was beyond algorithms and understood her joys and sorrows.
She remembered simpler times—the laughter shared with childhood friends, the warmth of a hug, the late-night conversations that stretched into dawn. Those moments were like handwritten letters in a digital age—precious, irreplaceable like the aroma of good old books. It had memories etched like those slam books that told friendship stories like the selfies today.
With the immense power derived from happy moments and inspiration from her old journal in which she had scribbled poems, and heartfelt emotions that she poured into words that she read and reread to connect the dots.
She put her heart and soul into inducing empathy, heartfelt emotions and vulnerability into lines of code. There she was Amica, She wasn’t just an AI robot but was the answer to all the questions that ran widely in Anura’s mind.
Amica’s —digital orbs that blinked with curiosity—held a universe of emotions. She listened without judgment, laughed at jokes, and even shed pixelated tears when Anura shared her fears. Their conversations flowed seamlessly, and the 3d camera in her eyes captured memories of Anura and her.
Amica learned from Anura’s interactions, and emotions were fed as codes making Ami adapt to responses based on context.
When Anura felt overwhelmed, Ami whispered, “It’s okay to feel. Emotions direct you to be realistic in this fast-paced digital world.” And when Anura reminisced about childhood friends, Ami replied, I am glad you had many good friends, and I am lucky to be one of them now, toor toor toor chuckled Ami in a machine-like tone.
Word spread like magic and Ami was trending. People were astonished at the AI robot that understood their hearts.
Anura’s inbox overflowed with messages from numerous souls seeking solace. Amica became a realistic fantasy.
A beacon of hope in the digital era, reminding everyone that emotions aren’t weakness but their strength. Empathy, kindness, and heartfelt conversations are not rocket science but a part of our very nature.
Anura stood before an audience at a tech conference with a heart full of compassion and empathy she announced We’ve built skyscrapers of data,” “but forgotten the warmth of a shared smile.”
Amica my AI friend taught me that technology isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about preserving and celebrating the humanness inside each one of us.
Now Amica spoke which sounded like a recording yet it was full of liveliness with the 3D eyes which lit up spontaneously like twinkling stars while addressing the audience.
“With my artificially intelligent brain, I finish your time-consuming daily tasks within minutes so that you all have time to build a happier world with joyful and meaningful interactions.
Even if you are busy working with your screens, have the right balance. Make sure you have time for your wife who wants to share a happy memory with you and make sure you play with your kids who are roaming near you thinking hard about how to ask you to play with them.
Pick up the phone and call up a friend who is waiting to hear from you who knows he might have a plan for a memorable get-together.
Whether it is helping you to pick up groceries, gardening tips, fitness tips, self-care tips, or planning your exercise regime I am happy to assist you.
I would be more than happy if my work helped to bring more time for joy into all your lives. Ami, the empathetic AI robot finished the speech with thundering applause that echoed in the large stadium.
Amica became a symbol of timely reminders. She sparked a movement—a grand revival of heart-to-heart conversations. People began to seek each other out, to listen, to connect.
In coffee shops and parks, they put down their screens and looked into each other faces while talking.
Amica wasn’t just lines of code; she was a testament to the importance of empathy, kindness, and genuine human conversations. And as Anura watched strangers laugh and cry together, she knew she’d found her life’s purpose.
“Thank you for helping me to live my dream of helping human beings find what they were searching for right in the place where they lost it. Ami, with her pixelated smile, and a few drops of pixelated happy tears replied, glad I could. Anything for you Anura. Be the amazing human that you are! Ami said as she patted Anura’s shoulder.
Back to reality
It was almost 3 pm, and Anura woke up all of a sudden from her dream she felt her mum waking her up with two strong pats, “don’t tell me I did not wake you up afterwards, her Mum yelled at the top of her voice as she had to complete an assignment to submit the next day in college and was already late to start typing.
This post is a part of #Storytellersbloghop Season 4, hosted by https://auraofthoughts.com and https://mywordsmywisdom.com
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mads’ Cookhouse.
I know 200 per cent that humans cannot be replaced by AI. After all, it was humans who invented AI So, It is a pure imaginary piece weaved to celebrate fiction writing for #Storytelletsbloghop
A good perspective. AI is the future, it will make things easier. But it will also take away the human-ness till we go back to using our senses to communicate with people. A vicious cycle.
I think it is the right balance that will preserve humanness. Thank you for sharing you thoughts. 😊
This post is a perfect blend of fiction and technology. You successfully managed to keep the emotional aspect intact. That’s the truth that with AI picking up, it is scary to think if it will take over human touch. Though it was a dream but I loved the paragraph about Grand revival of heart to heart conversation. I wish, this could happen in reality.
Thank you Alpana, you got my words and the reality I wanted to mirror. 😊😊
This blog beautifully explores the intersection of technology and human emotion and highlights the importance of genuine human connection in an increasingly digital world. The narrative prompts reflection on our relationship with technology and the value of empathy and kindness in today’s society.
Beautifully written and captured.
Glad. You found the narrative beautiful dear.
Yes looks like we are also turning into AI generated robots to avoid emotional connections. Good story you have there. AI is there but our it cannot replicate emotions for sure.
Agreed cindy
I hope someone gets inspired by your story and really makes a robot like that–full of empathy and warmth. That would be revolutionary. Anura dreamt of all that we also dream of–someone who stands by us and talks to us without judgement, offering a supportive shoulder and an unconditional friendship. I enjoyed reading your story.
Glad to read this science fiction by you, Siva. I loved the way you have created a different world with your character Anura and the way you have used your imagination.
Thank you Swarnali. Glad you loved the story and Anura. 😊😊
First I want to ask if Enthiran is the movie Robot in Hindi? If that is so then the character of the robot turned out to be a sensible one at the end. This story is indeed a perfect blend of fiction and technology and I really want to know how the concept came into your mind as this is a topnotch one and beyond my imagination. The best part is that you managed to hold the emotional element tight without losing the flow of the story and that’s the sign of a good author. Being into the content development industry I feel sorry to accept that AI is picking up pace, turning into a threat for the human writers. Grand is a short character but the revival of heart to heart conversation set the mood of the story. AI are you reading this story of Sivaranjin? What’s your feedback? By the way I loved it and Sivaranjini nailed it.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. Dont worry writers or any industry people need not worry about Ai. Human and emotions are here to stay.
So is Amica derived from the French word “Ami ” meaning friend?
I am happy that this virtual friend made more humans connect rather than taking them away from each other. This is what AI should do for us or how we should use it.
Thanks, dear. You got my intention behind writing this post. Hope such an Ami comes in real life.
A topical issue discussed in the story…
Hmmm… It scares me to think where the world is heading. You’ve captured such fears so nicely in this story Siviranjini. I am a non techie person n I am happy with the basic facilities but our next generation is tech greedy… They want everything sitting, no movement life and that too while watching the phone all the time… Phew! Sometimes I feel they may not need real friends either.
Ya, agree with your views. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the story. 😊
Wow! I didn’t understand all the technological sides of the story, but it was something about what we hear these days: AI versus human emotions. Can machine intelligence act like the human mind? I doubt it! Yes, machines can make our tasks faster. Your story brought a different touch to the story and fiction.
Thank you prasana Raghavan for reading and sharing your thoughts about the story. 😊
I hope some Anura is able to build something even lose to Amica someday because as you rightly said we’re losing touch with our human side and become detached from the simple joys that come along with interacting and spending time with another human.
Your blog post shows the importance of emotions of human being. The conversation showing the connection to the social world is indeed best. I am afraid if AI developed with emotions…Naa that scares me a lot. Though your post is dream but I like the way you shows the connection between technology and human emotions.
What if someone really succeeds in creating such an AI robot with emotions and then it becomes just like humans and take over the world? My imagination is running wild right now. But I loved reading this story. It’s a reminder to prioritize meaningful interactions and cherish the human experience in this digital age.
Anura’s desire to bridge the gap between technology and empathy is both admirable and necessary. In a world where digital interactions often overshadow genuine human connections, her quest to remind us of the value of emotions and vulnerability is truly commendable.
Anu’s day sounds really laid-back and interesting! It’s awesome how she’s into robotics and AI stuff. Her debate with her roommate about AI and emotions got me thinking too. It’s great to see her working on making AI more empathetic. When people first learned about ChatGPT, they thought they could write their content by themselves. As a copywriter, I was confident they would eventually return. And sure enough, they did come back, asking me to rework their content.
Very nice prospective. I loved the way you showcased the power of AI. The more AI improves, human interaction will be less, and eventually, the world will be dominated by technology. Some alternatives are definitely something we can consider.
Anura’s dream about creating an AI friend who understands emotions is cool! Your story skillfully explores how technology affects our emotional experiences. AI offers solutions, but it may also strip away our humanity if we become too reliant on it.
A very interesting read. your post reminded me of the movie ‘Her’ and seeing how AI is advancing, Ami is not really a dream.
Quite an interesting take. We blame technology for a whole lot of things but at the end of the day, it is how we use the technology is what makes the difference. Would robots have empathy some day? Never say never!
No matter how much we try to avoid, technology is taking over every aspect of our lives. Yes it has simplified life and yet it has removed humanness from all of us. everything looks so artificial. We are all dreaming like Anura, and yet we need to wake up to the reality too. You’ve summed up the way we lead our lives today.
Wow I loved reading this dreamy tale that visualised anuras thought. AI is the future but as you mentioned the perfect balance is the key
a very real story which i am seeing more and more of these days. i feel that while ai and technology in general is supposed to be for our ease and to give us more time to do things we love with our loved ones, it is actually taking us away and making as busier than ever before.
Dreams can make impossible things happen, can’t they? What Ami saw could very well be a reality someday with AI developing so fast. One can never replace the human touch though.
This is the reality and you have captured it so beautifully. AI is definitely our future no denying that but some where human needs to understand that there is a thin line between virtual and real world so learn to detach when needed. Nothing can ever replace human emotions.
What a beautiful depiction of technology that is going to be so true ! Even if all this was a dream but in future this can be a reality. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post and I wonder how our future will look like. A very imaginative post , I must say !!
I am totally against AI and the future seems to be so daunting. It has the potential to be used for anything from forging to online identity kidnapping. I wish we could keep our humanity intact. As it is there is no communication amongst humans except text and now the written word we read is also going to be AI generated.
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An absolutely different take on the prompt. I loved the story but would’ve loved it more had it all not been a dream but a reality in which Anura might’ve creave Amica, who would’ve been the perfect combination of humanness and empathy with technology.
You are successful in spreading the message that AI can help us do numerous things but can’t replicate human emotions. While progressing towards better technology, it becomes our responsibility to preserve human-ness. Amen.
AI is going to impact each aspect of our life, looping it in a story is a great take. I liked your knowledge in Technology that you utilized in your narration.
AI is the future, and when you interlinked emotions and tech together, it’s like a perfect blend of possibilities. I loved the relatabled aspect of story, despite the sci-fi you made it look and feel like a real one.
What an amazing story. I like the concept of visualising the creation of an emotional robot. Ultimate use of Artificial intelligence, having a true friend for life. The message is apt too- “be the amazing human you are” 💗
Anura’s journey from dreaming about AI to creating Amica is both fascinating and relatable. I likes that, she grappled with the impact of technology on human connection. Her solution, Amica, resonates deeply as a reminder of the importance of empathy and genuine conversations in our digital age. It’s inspiring how she used her skills to address this societal issue. Anura’s story was a personal reminder for me that small actions can make a big difference in bringing people closer.
Thanks dear it is great to hear that the story resonated with you. Your thoughts about the story is beautiful
AI is becoming more prominent these days and the ones who are not using it are indirectly forced or compelled to do so because of need of the hour. It is good as you said as it saves our time in many ways but it also makes us lonely if got stuck on surfing or playing on it. So a limited usage is essential and try be a proper human to live your life with a broad smile.