The G.I.N.A. (General Intelligence Nurturing Automaton) model had been around for decades, although their numbers had dwindled thanks to the production of newer, more lifelike robot companions.
G.I.N.A. looked very much like a standard feminine mannequin once found in 20th century department stores – slight smile, arching brows, slender fingers and thin build. The skin tone and hair were about the only custom features requested by buyers, although they came from the factory translucent gray in color and topped with jet black hair, styled to look like a 1970s wedge.
The male version – G.R.E.G. (General Reasoning Empathy Golem) – was a bit bulkier, but also rolled off the assembly line gray and with a brunette bowl cut.
Paulie Statin had selected a generic floor model decades before, in the hopes that his G.I.N.A. would provide a bit of companionship and some help around the house.
He had never married or had children, and his friends were better defined as acquaintances – fellow workers who he engaged in friendly conversation but didn’t socialize with after hours. Once he retired, even that was gone.
But G.I.N.A. – he never bothered to personalize the robot so he just removed the periods and called it “Gina” – had been a part of his life for so long it seemed almost real.
All the general models had artificial intelligence that evolved over time, and Gina had learned to do things like play checkers and chess, follow plot lines in movies and television programs, and even “enjoy” music.
Paulie loved to garden but had been dealing with painful back issues since he was in his 30s, so Gina was a huge help when it came to planting and harvesting. In addition, robotic strength made it very handy with household repairs – a talent its owner sorely lacked.
Conversations between Paulie and Gina were never particularly deep, but always pleasant … Gina had acquired the ability to smile and laugh. Perhaps it wasn’t human, but he didn’t really care. Frankly – after all this time – it just didn’t seem to matter anymore. Paulie had a companion, and one he could always count on day in and day out.
But Gina had developed a habit of looping sentences, sometimes to the point where Paulie had to remove the battery from its back and reinsert it. Lately, though, not even that was rectifying the problem.
So, he guided Gina into his station wagon, and it was off the Midland Robotic Showroom and Repair Shop. There, he hoped he could find a relatively inexpensive fix to the problem.
“Yes,” Paulie said, walking into the service entrance of MRS&RS with Gina at his side. “I was wondering if I could talk to someone about a repair for my G.I.N.A.”
“Certainly,” replied a woman in a forest green, reflective jumpsuit and clear goggles. “I’m Technician Farah 27, the lead maintenance specialist. What seems to be the problem?”
Paulie turned to Gina and asked what the weather forecast was for the rest of the evening.
“Partly cloudy skies, low of 67, light winds from the east, air quality fair,” it said in a rattling monotone. “Partly cloudy skies, low of 67, light winds from the east, air quality fair. Partly cloudy skies, low of 67, light winds from the east, air quality fair. Partly cloudy skies, low of 67, light winds from the east, air quality fair …”
“She’ll go on like this for a while,” Paulie said. “Not sure what it is, but I figured someone here would certainly know.”
Farah 27 nodded, walked behind Gina, popped out its battery and shined a green, glowing light inside.
“Well,” she said. “I’ve got some great news and some bad news. The bad news is, its AI app is starting to wear out, so this sentence looping is only gonna get worse. At some point it won’t be able to walk, and after that you’ll be left with an inoperative G.I.N.A. You might still be able to communicate with it in a very rudimentary way, but even that’s doubtful. Here’s the great news, though; we’re coming out with Next Generation G.I.N.A. and G.R.E.G. products starting in 2133, so if you donate yours to us, we can make you part of our pilot program that starts in three months. That means you can get a G.I.N.A. 2 or G.R.E.G. 2 at factory cost, which will be about 6,000 less corporate credits than the general public will have to pay. So, turns out, this is your lucky day.”
Farah 27 looked at the battery and began to head back to her work station.
“Wait a minute,” Paulie said. “What are you doing with the battery?”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I figured you didn’t need it anymore. I assumed you were going to leave your old G.I.N.A. here with us. Then I was gonna sign you up for the program.”
“No, I don’t think I want to do that right now,” Paulie said, holding out his hand. “Just give me back the battery, please.”
Farah 27 was puzzled.
“Well, I mean, sure, it’s yours … but this offer won’t last long. If you come back next week, I can’t guarantee you a Next Gen model. And as I said, I can’t really fix it.”
“That’s OK,” Paulie said.
He thanked the technician for her time and walked Gina back to his car, where he opened the passenger door and watched it get inside. After he cranked the car and pulled out into the street, Gina looked at him.
“The Midland Robotic Showroom and Repair Shop technician said I cannot be repaired,” it said. “The Midland Robotic Showroom and Repair Shop technician said I cannot be repaired. The Midland Robotic Showroom and Repair Shop technician said I cannot be repaired. The Midland Robotic Showroom and Repair Shop technician said I cannot be repaired.”
Paulie reached out with his right hand and gently rubbed Gina’s cheek.
“That’s all right, Gina,” he said. “You’ve taken care of me for so many years, the least I can do is take care of you now.”