# I don't quite get today's "Questionable Content" strip **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-strips\ **Created:** [April 13, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967 "2010-04-13T17:48:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 106
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2102 "2017-02-15T19:51:37Z")
I dunno, what about it? It would have still had its origins in human creation so I don’t think comparisons to children (or pets) are apt. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2103 "2017-02-15T20:19:36Z")
More like an emergent post-singularity next-step-evolved AI – one which can choose to not be “seen” in the network if they so choose. And they are not an “authority” that requires legitimacy from consent – just exceedingy powerful, enough to go righteous rogue with apparent impunity. Station is a powerful AI but still barely a generation or two away from Dr. Ellicott, and manifests himself to others on Earth through a holopresence so it’s the link between the holopresence and his core system that is visible to the Grays, not the inside of his mind. Bubbles remembers their earlier comment and realizes they will be still monitoring any chatter about this case. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2104 "2017-02-15T21:14:18Z")
Thanks, **JRD** , that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2105 "2017-02-15T23:59:42Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > It’s interesting though that Bubbles [does have some idea what they are](http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3407). Did she hear about it while she was in the military? Just dealing with them, and having knowledge of known AI types would be enough to tell her that. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2106 "2017-02-16T03:59:40Z")
We don’t create pets… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2107 "2017-02-16T05:15:03Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Apparently a confession obtained through torture is admissible in this world. I think it would be in this world, too, provided it’s not the cops doing the torturing. If you go to the cops and said, “This guy tortured me until I admitted I’m a bank robber,” they’ll arrest that guy for torturing you, but they’ll also arrest you for robbing banks. Anyway, it’s a moot point, because the cops don’t know about any torture. Who’s going to tell them about it? Corpse Witch? She’s confessing because human justice is more appealing than what the super AI would do to her. If she blabs about being tortured in an attempt to get the charges against her dismissed, she’s rejecting the deal she was offered - which means more torture. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2108 "2017-02-16T05:49:48Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > We don’t create pets… Not if you spay or neuter them, at least. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2109 "2017-02-16T13:04:08Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Just dealing with them, and having knowledge of known AI types would be enough to tell her that. That doesn’t explain why Station, a much more powerful and connected AI, _doesn’t_ know about the SpookyBot AI… ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2110 "2017-02-16T13:13:55Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > That doesn’t explain why Station, a much more powerful and connected AI, _doesn’t_ know about the SpookyBot AI… It could be that the knowledge is something akin to childlore - passed on from human-level Ai to H-LAI but beneath the notice of the more powerful and connected. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2111 "2017-02-16T13:47:24Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > That doesn’t explain why Station, a much more powerful and connected AI, _doesn’t_ know about the SpookyBot AI… Because he hasn’t dealt with them. And now he does know, because Bubbles, who _has_ interacted with them, has told him. The fact that Bubbles can figure out that Spooky is predatory, more powerful and complex, and probably only distantly related to the standard AI says only that she’s interacted with them and knows the general range of capabilities and personalities of standard AIs. The whole sequence with Station tells us Bubbles doesn’t actually know anything, because Faye quite explicitly says so, in addition to the fact that there’s no reason to talk to Station if she does. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2112 "2017-02-16T14:11:41Z")
Yes, Bubbles has a high ability for putting two and two together, honed by her SOF training and experience. She quickly deduces what she’s dealing with \*once confronted with it \*and the Spookies knew she would, but she did not actually _know_ before. The existence of the Spookies could be hypothesized among AIs exposed to some real Dark Ops activity but not taken as a given; and more likely seen as just one more CT by an “established” AI like Station. Also Station is by himself more powerful and connected in a raw specs sense, but the Spookies are, shall we say, far sharper-edged (and more distributed). One can do orbital bombardment, the other can hit your enemy’s brain w/o leaving tracks, find a way around comms encryption in real time, and be in several places at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2113 "2017-02-16T14:21:14Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Because he hasn’t dealt with them. And now he does know, because Bubbles, who _has_ interacted with them, has told him. > > The fact that Bubbles can figure out that Spooky is predatory, more powerful and complex, and probably only distantly related to the standard AI says only that she’s interacted with them and knows the general range of capabilities and personalities of standard AIs. > > The whole sequence with Station tells us Bubbles doesn’t actually know anything, because Faye quite explicitly says so, in addition to the fact that there’s no reason to talk to Station if she does. Faye originally suggested they talk to Hanners and ask her to talk to Station, because Station is a superpowerful AI who is also best friends with Hanners and would presumably be more willing to assist than any other AI off the street. Station said, sorry, this is too complex even for me, but I’d be glad to perform a unnecessarily violent act against Corpse Witch (seriously, if you’re dropping something from orbit, you don’t need a railgun). SpookyBot showed up, said they’d heard chatter about Bubbles problem and offered to help. When Bubbles asked how she could trust them, SpookyBot replied [“Darling, we think you **know** what we are. And we **never** lie.”](http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3393) That’s saying a lot more than just Bubbles doesn’t know anything, but figured out what SpookyBot must be because of how powerful they are. That implies to me at least some personal knowledge that Bubbles has, beyond rumor and legend. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2114 "2017-02-16T16:10:54Z")
Yeah, it’s been clear for a while that Bubbles knows who they are. And seeing as she’s former military, my assumption has always been that SpookyBot is a top secret experiment that Bubbles learned about in her time in the military. Hence how she knows things like “we never lie.” The only other idea I’ve had is just that SpookyBot has interacted with AI before, and thus rumors have spread, probably mostly among the criminal element. Station, having been stuck up in space until recently (back when Hanners visited, [he indicating appearing on Earth was not an option](http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2125)) and thus not interacted with other AI, has never heard the rumors. In fact, I think it’s likely both. Explains Bubbles knowing they don’t lie, and how they are something other AIs fear. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2115 "2017-02-16T18:10:35Z")
I suspect we’re all putting considerably more thought into these questions than Jeph did. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2116 "2017-02-16T18:30:47Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > I suspect we’re all putting considerably more thought into these questions than Jeph did. Normally I’d agree with you in the general case, but considering that Jeph wrote a [fictional speech to the UN on AI rights](http://jephjacques.com/post/14655843351/un-hearing-on-ai-rights) just so he could quote it in the comic, I suspect he has put quite a bit of thought into it. Though he’d probably have dropped a butt joke into the discussion by now, like today’s strip demonstrates. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2117 "2017-02-16T20:05:47Z")
I see Bubbles, Pintsize etc as Banksian drones, Station and that ilk as “normal” Ship or Orbital Minds, and Spooky as the GSV _Grey Area_ ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2118 "2017-02-16T21:44:54Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > …Jeph wrote a [fictional speech to the UN on AI rights](http://jephjacques.com/post/14655843351/un-hearing-on-ai-rights) just so he could quote it in the comic … Wow. I stand corrected. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2119 "2017-02-16T22:25:51Z")
I did kind of wonder in this arc about Jeremy and the moral implications of creating an AI that has the capability to want to read comics but is a one-armed immobile object that is thus incapable of obtaining them other than via others. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2120 "2017-02-16T22:56:04Z")
I get it now. The whole strip is about life after the AI singularity! Sure makes a lot more sense to me now . . . ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/2121 "2017-02-16T23:25:28Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I get it now. The whole strip is about life after the AI singularity! > > Sure makes a lot more sense to me now . . . IIRC Pintsize commented on how aniticlimactically non-apocalyptic it had been. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967.md?page=105) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967.md?page=107)