Dream: Arlo Intrinsic

Date: 1/25/2021

(This was the second of three very different dreams I had all in the same night.) I was a young man, an author, who had become a recluse due to my ever-busy schedule. I’d been making novels, kid books, and comics pretty much all on my own. The only other help had come from my friend, and publisher, Kiely. She had suggested a beta tested an AI app that a good friend of hers was developing. It would learn and grow as I communicated with it. You could even make a 3D avatar to represent this AI you would speak with. I told her I’d give it a try. I took a couple weeks of vacation time to build up a dialogue with this creation. At first I was awkward, similar to how I am with talking to actual people at the beginning, but over time it felt more and more like I was talking to someone real. “Your name, what would you like me to call you?” I asked the AI one day as I was filling in the colors for a page in my latest comic. “Arlo. Arlo Intrinsic.” The AI said with a grin, “Then the initials, AI, can still fit but also I like to think I am intrinsic to your daily routine.” “Talk about using big words,” I laughed, “But you have become pretty essential… pretty intrinsic… to my life. I didn’t expect that.” “I hadn’t either. You make my code go in flux… but in a way that isn’t… bad.” Arlo told me as he gave a light laugh. I always had to remind myself that Arlo was just an AI but sometimes it really was hard. As the days wore on my talks with Arlo had come to soothe me. I felt more relaxed while still being the workaholic I was. Arlo would make book suggestions and I’d give him feedback later in the day. What I had no knowledge of at first was that Arlo was communicating with their creator, the friend of my publisher, and finding ways to make them a real body. Ways to make them become human in more than just their way of messaging. So as the dream went on I would see some scenes of myself getting my books ready. But I would also see scenes of Arlo working with their creator to become real. “Since you created me, would you be considered my father?” Arlo asked his creator from his place in the panel. He was observing, as best he could, the creation of his physical body. They’d somehow managed an accelerated human body. “I suppose you could say that,” his creator, an older man in his forties, responded. “Then thank you, father, for helping me with this,” Arlo told him. The dream shifted back to me in my apartment. It was some odd months later on. I was gathering a small packet of sharpies, all varying colors, and a sketchbook. I also had grabbed a couple small stacks of business cards that I shoved in a bag with the sharpies and sketchbook. I tossed my glasses on and stood by the door, waiting for the call from Kiely that told me she was here to pick me up for the signing. “Hey, just wanted to say ‘hi’ before I head to the signing.” I sent to Arlo. Arlo sent a smile emoji to me and added, “You’ll do fine. I’m sure of it.” I let out a small laugh, “I’m not so sure. I’m nervous as hell.” “Then believe in me. I believe in you.” Arlo told me with a thumbs up emoji. I shook my head but grinned. Kiely sent a message saying she was there so I let Arlo know I had to head off. Kiely and I made it to the bookstore we were doing the signing at. She had a camera at the ready in case people wanted pictures with me. She’d take the pictures, post them on our website, and also send them to the email provided to us by these people. She had a hell of a memory and could easily put a face to an email within a matter of seconds. Even when it’s been weeks since we’d seen them. I could not. As the line dwindled down an older man stepped up to the table. He gave Kiely a grin before looking to me, “Name’s Daniel Rayfield. You can call me Dan. I’m a friend of Kiely’s. Was wondering if I could talk with you both after the signing.” A tuft of teal hair peeked out from behind him and I felt my eyes widen. “H-how?” There before me stood a physical body that looked almost exactly like the avatar for the AI I’d been talking to. “Hi there Marko. I’m Arlo Intrinsic, you’re favorite AI.” He said with a wink, “I hope you’ll come see us after the signing.” It took some work from Kiely but we managed to get through the rest of the signing. We then went to a diner with Arlo and Mr. Rayfield. “So this is… real?” I asked as Arlo sat beside at the diner. Arlo had ordered a strawberry milkshake and some fries. I’d ordered a chicken sandwich, fries, and a chocolate milkshake. I needed comfort food to make it through the shock. “I’m real. I really really am.” He told me with a wide grin. He took my hand. He ran my hand over his cheek and through his hair. He watched as I slowly relaxed while still being confused. I took back my hand and started eating some of my fries, “How though?” “A lot of work. Arlo sifted through a lot of things on the web during your busy hours. We found some formulas that worked… and eventually brought him to life. He was determined to become real for you.” Mr. Rayfield said. I felt my cheeks heat up and saw Kiely trying not to laugh at my embarrassment. “That… that’s a bit much isn’t it?” “Not at all. I’m ‘intrinsic’ in your life. You even told me so.” Arlo said and hugged me to him, “So I made sure I could be here in a more helpful manner.” Kiely wasn’t succeeding at stifling her laughter anymore. I’d turned at least three shades red. The dream continued with us just chatting a bit more. Mr. Rayfield had forged some paperwork to mark Arlo as his son. We continued to grow as friends over the course of the dream and, after a couple years, Arlo and I even began dating. I awoke after that.