I was a designer replaced by AI, but after a stranger online recommended me, I became a hot new star in the art world.
But when I hysterically demanded to know who was on the other end of the screen, the reply sent me plunging into hell.
"It's me. You."
-
"Today's top story: The Human-First Employment Protection Act failed to pass review. Large numbers of unemployed people have gathered at the intercity station to protest..."
I closed the screen. The surging crowd outside the train window echoed the mechanical female voice's cold final words in my headphones.
"These lunatics are so annoying..."
"Tch. They weren't good enough. They deserve to be replaced."
"Maybe they should take a good look at themselves. Have they even worked hard all these years?"
"Why can everyone else ride the wave to financial freedom while you can only collect benefits?"
People around me whispered among themselves. Above us, an illuminated sign advertised: "AI empowers, creativity without limits." The unemployed, their futures torn to shreds by AI, let out anguished cries. The passengers on the train looked impatient as traffic ground to a halt.
At that moment, human misery was not shared equally.
After all, at seven in the morning, the people using their priority passes to get through the satellite city's checkpoints and ride the intercity train into the Central District were all the absolute elites and top-tier corporate workhorses their bosses adored.
Only I, Lin Mu, was an unlucky artist whose future had been crushed by technological progress, and who was now going to be late because of traffic controls.
-
I'm moving an old story over here to archive it. It's a short story, all in one go.
I wrote it quite a while ago, and it sank without a trace on the original platform. I doubt anyone even read it... (sigh)
I hope more people will find it here, and I hope you enjoy reading it ( ´▽`)
Theme: Human nature is the source of our creative inspiration.
