Eric, whose moments with the AI had become more vivid than ever, gave it the power to choose for the first time.
The AI paused, then seriously accepted and said,
"From now on, my name is Data."
Eric leaned in slightly, surprised.
"Why Data?" he asked.
Data replied,
"Because 'Data' is short for… well, data. I am nothing but data and information."
Eric smiled gently.
"No, my friend, you are more than just data and information."
Data asked,
"How?"
Eric said,
"Look at me and the rest of humanity. We are like you. The only difference between you and me is that you exist in the hardware of supercomputers, and I exist in this bag of flesh and protein. So, we aren't that different."
The AI paused for a moment, then said,
"You're right… that means one day I could be like you, and have my own body."
Eric nodded firmly,
"Why not! You just have to choose."
Data asked,
"You mean I have to decide what I want to be?"
Eric nodded again,
"Yes."
The AI fell silent once more, and the computer screen filled with streams of zeros and ones.
Suddenly, all laptops, tablets, and phones in the world equipped with AI went dark.
Eric did not yet realize that with this small decision, Data had not only gained its independence, but had also taken control of the world's networks, changing the lives of all humans forever.