Pop! A champagne cork flies through the air, tumbling out of sight.
A dozen people stand in an otherwise empty office. Take-out cartons lay everywhere. Bottles, cans, red plastic cups. Somewhere in the sea of cubicles music is playing. The clock on a screensaver bounces around the screen: 2:07am.
A staffer enters, setting a six pack of beer on a desk, and a package, “Courier left this outside”
“Oh, what do we have here?” A woman says, ripping open the parcel. Inside is a freshly printed copy of Fortune magazine.
On the cover: Gregory — a young man, early 30s, surrounded by data servers. The look on his face is confident, maybe a bit smug.
“Not another…” Gregory says. His hand waving in mock humility.
“Let’s read a bit, shall we?” She says, flipping pages to find the article, “The headline….”Inventor Turns Tech Inward, Says: "I've Found the Soul"”
“They changed the title…” someone says.
“Should I keep reading?”
Hoots, claps, a “fuck yeah!”
The woman clears her throat and begins…
In a breathtaking advancement that blurs the lines between technology and the metaphysical, Gregory Bledel, a pioneering inventor in artificial intelligence, claims to have developed a way to not just visualize but dynamically replay the essence of the human soul. His new technology, SoulSight, utilizes cutting-edge neural imaging and sophisticated machine learning algorithms to offer users a replay of significant life events from their soul's perspective.
From his recognition as a tech prodigy…
“Prodigy?”
Gregory smiles, palm to forehead, feigning embarrassment.
…Bledel has always pushed the boundaries of what technology can achieve. With SoulSight, he takes a bold step into the realm of human consciousness, proposing that it's possible to access and visualize one's deepest emotional experiences. "This system isn't just a tool for reflection; it's a bridge to the deeper self, a way to literally view your life through the lens of your soul," Bledel explains.
“Should I go on?”
…Individuals who have experienced the SoulSight Replay describe it as transformative, providing unprecedented insight into their emotional and psychological makeup. "It's a revelation, seeing your most poignant moments replayed with such clarity and emotion. It's like reliving them with a new sense of understanding," says one user.
“They quoted your sister?”
Gregory laughs, nods, takes a sip.
The reading continues…
…raises profound ethical questions, particularly concerning the privacy and security of sensitive personal data. The technology's capability to access and display one's innermost experiences calls for rigorous oversight. Dr. Lena Thorpe…
“Boo!” says someone
…a leading ethicist at the Technology and Ethics Group, emphasizes the need for stringent regulations. "While the potential of such technology is vast, the privacy implications are enormous. We must tread carefully to ensure that innovations like SoulSight do not compromise individual privacy or autonomy," she warns.
SoulSight Data Breach Reveals Career-Ending Secrets of Elite Users
Just six months after the debut of the groundbreaking SoulSight technology, which promised a revolutionary way to visualize and replay personal emotional experiences, the platform is grappling with a catastrophic data breach.
Among the victims of this breach are prominent business leaders, political figures, and celebrities who were among the first to adopt this innovative technology. The leaked data—detailed replays of their private SoulSight sessions—reveals highly sensitive personal reactions and decisions that were never meant for public consumption. This includes a session from a top executive from NexInnovate Solutions (NXS), who was recorded expressing relief at the news of the former CEO’s untimely death.
This revelation has not only sparked a fierce public backlash but also led to a significant drop in NXS's stock as investors and stakeholders question the ethical standing of its leadership….
SoulSight Unveils Digital Amnesia Service in Wake of Data Breach
In a bold move that mixes innovation with controversy, SoulSight Technologies has introduced a new service aimed at combating the fallout from their recent high-profile data breach: the Digital Amnesia Service. This pioneering solution promises to erase specific memories related to the breach, offering peace of mind to affected users and anyone who inadvertently viewed sensitive leaked data.
The launch was announced through a sleek, well-orchestrated media campaign, showcasing testimonials from relieved users and detailing the sophisticated neural technology behind the service. "In these challenging times, our priority remains the emotional and mental well-being of our users," stated Gregory Bledel, CEO of SoulSight. "The Digital Amnesia Service is our commitment to restoring privacy and tranquility to those affected by this unprecedented breach…"
Hackers Exploit SoulSight’s Digital Amnesia Technology for Nefarious Purposes
SoulSight Technologies, once celebrated for its revolutionary Digital Amnesia Service designed to help victims of a data breach, now finds itself at the center of a new controversy. Reports have emerged that hackers are exploiting the technology, using it for yet-to-be-fully-understood malicious purposes, raising alarm across cybersecurity and ethical domains.
"The potential for abuse of memory-altering technology is something we've long feared," stated cybersecurity expert Helena Forsyth. "It's a powerful tool that, if misused, can lead to unknown consequences, not just for the individuals targeted but for society at large." Reports indicate that hackers may be using the technology to erase memories of their own illegal activities from witnesses or victims, essentially 'cleaning' the slate of any who might recall their crimes…
Gregory Bledel: From Tech Visionary to President in a Historic Landslide Victory
In an unprecedented shift from Silicon Valley to the corridors of power in Washington, D.C., Gregory Bledel, the charismatic founder and CEO of SoulSight Technologies, has been elected President of the United States in a landslide victory. Voters across the nation were captivated by Bledel's vision, charm, and his seemingly innate ability to connect with the common person on a human level.
Bledel’s journey from a tech mogul to the highest office in the land sounds like the plot of a Hollywood movie, yet it is the reality Americans woke up to today. His campaign, which some initially viewed with skepticism given his corporate background, quickly gained momentum as he toured the country. Bledel's speeches, filled with optimism and a clear vision for a technology-driven future, resonated deeply with a populace eager for innovation and sincerity in politics.
"Gregory Bledel brings more than just successful business acumen to the table; he brings a sense of hope and a promise of integrity," remarked political analyst Maria Gonzales. "His campaign was remarkably free of the usual political rhetoric, focusing instead on substantive, achievable goals."
As President-elect Bledel prepares to take office, the world watches with bated breath, hopeful that his tenure will be marked by the same innovation and integrity that defined his campaign. Whether he will transform the political landscape with the same effectiveness with which he revolutionized technology remains to be seen. But for now, Gregory Bledel stands as a symbol of change, the very embodiment of a new American dream shaped by silicon circuits and human heartstrings alike…
***
Music to read by: The Ants Go Marching by Rome Apart
Backstory
I’m drawn to big concepts, often at the expense of emotional impact. What can I say, I love reading Jessamyn West – I just don’t write like she does. My therapist says admitting it is “a good first step.”
The genesis for this idea goes back a few years. Some ideas take time to percolate
In 2013 I added Introspectacles to the Urban Dictionary. I described it as “eyewear for soul-searching” with the lexical usage, "I've completely lost myself, where are my introspectacles?"
The other day I was thinking about how Silicon Valley companies often build “technology looking for a problem” think: LLMs, blockchain, IoT, 3D printing, etc. Couple that with a, somewhat, intimate knowledge of how technology – even if meant for a different purpose – can get away from you.
With that in mind, I was off to the races….
I took a very different approach with this story by laying it out in a series of news articles of the kind you’d find in Wired, Forbes, or Fortune. Articles instead of scenes was an ode to the spinning newspaper-style montages in films. News magazine style writing is functional if dispassionate. It often avoids subtlety but can be nuanced if bent the right way. Indeed, I’ve tried to lay enough groundwork with each article to give the reader an implied, but not overt, way of looking at all the angles: move fast & break things, potential for blackmail, tech as savior, etc.
The intro setting/dialog is meant as a porch – an entryway for the reader – in order to get to the montage, meat of the story. I wrote about a dozen versions that felt right at first but went too far in describing everyone.
There were so many different ways the story could have turned. On my mind lately has been AI/LLMs and how the resulting data could be used. Then, all the ethical complications with being able to access your innermost thoughts/feelings. As I’m writing this I saw Sam Altman tweet that OpenAI has an announcement scheduled for Monday (5/13/2024)…maybe it’ll be something like SoulSight?
For the ending, I decided on a reverse Manchurian Candidate where the populous is the killer (of democracy in this case). Instead of a lone brainwashed lone assassin it was the reach of SoulSight. In fact, the last article changes tone from more factual reporting to more of a fluff piece that could have easily been written by his campaign team instead of the press.
Hope you enjoyed it.
-j.
Genius in its concept and in its execution, J. Were these missives printed in a magazine tomorrow, millions would believe them to be true. And millions more would be lining up to purchase both SoulSight AND the Digital Amnesia Service, warnings be damned. Because that is what sheep do.
Sounds like 100% effective propaganda. We are who we have been waiting for... new and improved to boot.