The idea that a computer can understand the nuances of human language freaks me out. I can't lie, the first time I heard of "Watson" and its attempt to beat Ken Jennings at "Jeopardy!" I was not excited for how far humanity had come in being able to build such a thing -- I was a little worried that such a thing existed. Whether it's been because of dystopian novels or in movies (ranging from normal sci-fi stuff to Disney Channel tv ones), I've grown to see these super-computers as something that we should avoid (they could make all our electronics go haywire, trap us in our houses, etc). In reading Neuromancer, though, I've found myself rooting for Wintermute, and I thought I'd have my post be used toward considering why.
Firstly, I think the way Wintermute is introduced, through a very ominous sounding scenario and with just its name causing a bit of a stir for Case and Molly, I, especially as someone who is not fond of supercomputers, should have had my guard up about Wintermute.
But when Wintermute introduces itself (himself?...) to Case, the interaction seems so innocent, trying to find a way to connect with Case and apologizing when Linda Lee is the wrong way to do so.
This realization, and that's the only way I can think to call it, for Wintermute is an essentially human one. When people don't understand how they are coming off to those they are trying to connect with, we say that they have no social skills. While I'm sure it's not just a human thing (animals probably do this, too), I think we consider knowing how to interact with people a very non-computer sort of thing. I imagine most of us have felt the sheer frustration that comes from trying every option we can think of and having a computer produce the same ERROR message each time. Computer voices (which are addressed in Neuromancer, interestingly) are usually not very sensitive to how a listener would best understand or most easily follow a line of argument. Wintermute, then, in realizing that it (I typed "he" first. Agh!) had chosen a bad way of communicating with Case and then apologizing, is doing something very un-computer.
In being un-computer, Wintermute got me to sort of pull for it... But I'm not sure I like that.
Given that you felt sympathy for Wintermute, it's probably worth asking whether or not the uneasiness you feel comes from the fact that Wintermute was an AI or if it was because he was constantly manipulating people. We fear technology going mad with power and manipulating mankind, but it's important to remember that our fellow humans have been attempting to do just that for the better part of 20,000 years. If the AI/human distinction was removed, would you still feel as uncomfortable? Computers aren't programmed to be evil, but some people just are.
ReplyDeleteI kind of like Wintermute too, and for pretty much the same reasons. In its interactions with Case, Molly et al, the AI seems thoughtful... considerate, almost. I have to give credit to Gibson for making Wintermute sympathetic, but at the same time, we should be careful... Neuromancer is not a clear cut novel where we're *supposed* to feel certain ways about certain characters, events, etc. Wintermute, as we're told, has no personality... it can only communicate with people through probabilistic personality profiles pieced together from their experiences. As far as we can guess, Wintermute has no real feeling for its human pawns... it simply uses kindness to manipulate them, a lot like how some sociopaths have been known to be very charming but emotionally detached at a fundamental level. So we feel uncomfortable rooting for Wintermute, because we know that ultimately, it's just screwing around with us. It's another example of the huge gulf between personality and 'character,' or will or moral intentions or whatever you want to call it.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your question, Nemo, about whether it is the fact that Wintermute is an AI or the fact that he is always manipulating people that was causing Jenna's distrust, I have to say that, to me anyway, it is precisely Wintermute's ability to manipulate people that makes the fact that he's an AI so upsetting. Granted, I would probably be freaked by him because he's an AI anyway, because I am not sure about giving a machine those capabilites. However, Wintermute's ability to manipulate people is one of his most frightening capabilites his artificial intelligence grants him.
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