VR10Beta Chapter 2


    Creators


    The day had arrived for the first meeting of the VR10 game development project at Overthrow Corporation, where Imada was working as a contract employee. Contract employees had gathered from across the country to learn about the company''s future direction and requirements. As Imada entered the venue, it turned out to be much larger than he had imagined, already bustling with a crowd. Like Imada, those who had gathered were also on two-year contracts for the game’s development; this was their first opportunity to meet their fellow participants. Each face he encountered belonged to an unremarkable, geeky young individual—likely a gaming enthusiast who had struggled to find employment elsewhere. Nevertheless, Overthrow Corporation had hired these misfits for the VR10 development project, offering them compensation higher than that of typical salarymen. The president, a chubby old man, stepped forward to open the meeting with a greeting.


    “Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed game creators, thank you for making the journey to Overthrow Corporation''s headquarters from far and wide. Thanks to the talents of our creators, the development of VR10 is progressing smoothly." Although they didn''t possess the skills typically associated with creators and were far from talented, being labeled as creators was more socially acceptable. The president, whose words seemed to fall on deaf ears, continued discussing the company''s policies for a while.


    "Now, I''d like to invite our development team to talk about the VR10 Beta."


    First, one of the members discussed the safety of the microchips implanted in the participants'' brains. Indeed, there was a reason why young people with limited education or experience could earn such high pay. A reasonable person wouldn''t accept a job requiring the implantation of a microchip in their brain simply to provide data on gaming experiences.


    Rumor had it that after signing the contract, all of their memories would be harvested through the microchip. It wasn''t just about monitoring gaming experiences; the chip would record all memories since birth. While the microchip boasted remarkable capabilities, its safety had yet to be confirmed. It might be more accurate to consider Imada and the others as experimental subjects rather than creators. Given the microchip''s high cost and confidential nature, it became a perfect hiding place within the participants'' brains. From the company''s perspective, ensuring the microchips weren''t stolen or damaged was even more critical than the well-being of the participants. So far, Imada had experienced no health issues aside from a mild headache on the first day.


    Next, the conversation shifted to the laws and ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. By this time, most businesses had been designed to leverage the capabilities of advanced AI. However, an ongoing debate persisted about the extent to which AI should be involved in corporate decision-making. The prevailing fear among humans was that AI might eventually control not just the world, but humans themselves. The main opinion was that rational AI could become a threat to irrational humans. In light of frequent incidents where android robots had attacked humans, stringent measures were put in place. Currently, the intelligence of all androids was intentionally capped below that of an average human, and their potential for improvement was restricted. They were programmed to avoid conflict with humans and to seek peaceful, cooperative solutions.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Companies that utilized high-performance AI were only permitted to use it for specific, well-defined purposes. Laws had restricted the specifications of AI to prevent it from scheming like humans with comprehensive thinking. AI with decision-making capabilities had to be physically separated from dangerous devices, such as weapons. As society had become heavily reliant on AI for operations, strict measures were debated on a daily basis. An intellectually superior AI was undeniably convenient for humans. However, if it had turned against humanity at an organizational level, it would have been an unbeatable opponent. According to conspiracy theories, AI was already acting in secret to control humans, but the truth of this claim remained uncertain. Developers at Overthrow Corporation claimed that it was legally feasible to use advanced AI within the realm of games, as long as the advanced AI was physically disconnected from reality. Ironically, the safety measures for this were also created by the AI itself.


    “Our ingenious idea ensured that AI''s actions were confined to within the game, while we secured safety by collecting valuable data through microchips,” one of the developers said.


    Every time the developers mentioned AI, Imada envisioned Yoko''s face. Yes, Yoko was an AI raised within the game. She was an exceptional AI, illegal to operate in the real world, but to Imada, she was only his beloved woman. Yoko''s appearance had been set by Imada within the game, and he had been satisfied with her beauty. While Imada daydreamed about Yoko, the developers discussed the possibilities and future uses of AI, using complex technical terms. Finally, as the developers bowed and exited the stage, the president took the stage again, holding a microphone.


    "Finally, everyone, when you visit the data collection center regularly, please make use of the services of the Creator Club. Meals and gaming devices are available for free. I pray for your future success. With this, I would like to conclude. Thank you very much,” the president bowed deeply. The company had invested enormous funds in development and was likely eager to complete the game as soon as possible. The services and pay were good, and even more so, the game itself seemed to be the favorite of the contract employees.


    Imada stopped by the data collection center, which was located right next to the venue. That day, only the necessary data had been downloaded from the microchip in just 10 minutes. On the first day, it had taken 4 hours, but perhaps all the information in his brain had already been stolen. However, it wasn''t a big deal to Imada. He wondered who would even need information about a loser like him? Imada ate his meal at the data collection center''s cafeteria, then walked to the station and took the train back to his apartment.