AI Inside

Civilization is in ruins, with humanity on the verge of annihilation in its war with Artificial Intelligence. The tide turns when humans steal the secret code to AI’s electronic network, leaving AI’s military hamstrung. Henry, thinker and workaholic who invented AI and whose wife and daughter perished in the war, drowns his guilt and grief in alcohol, knowing that by neglect he lost them long before they died. Now, joining a squad commanded by Grover, a harsh, crude general who despises him, Henry travels through tunnels full of wild dogs, giant rats and hostile biorobots, seeking a computer in the enemy’s headquarters where he can use the secret code, uploaded to his brain, to inject a poison virus designed to kill the system. If Henry is captured, extracting the code won’t be easy, because brute force can’t touch the subconscious, only trust. The squad encounters a wounded soldier named Ellis, a cheerful, strong-spirited, passionate, spontaneous teenage girl. At Henry’s insistence, she is allowed to travel with them. She recounts her life to him, eliciting fatherly affection by reminding him of his daughter. The squad’s guide is Jeymel, cynical and ruthless but fearless and selfless. In skirmishes with biorobots two squad members perish, but finally Henry, Ellis, Grover and Jeymel reach the AI computer. Then we see that Jeymel is actually a cyber-zombie with an AI block grafted into his brain. Jeymel fatally wounds Grover, ties up Henry and Ellis, and tries to obtain the code by persuasion, intimidation, and threats to kill Ellis. Henry frees himself and severely wounds Jeymel. But we suddenly learn that Ellis is not human, but part of AI’s split consciousness, housed in a bionic body. Henry despairs, but Ellis, claiming to be AI’s good half, says she loves him like a daughter and wants to save humanity. She says using the code to inject the virus won’t destroy AI, but actually restore its military might. She asks Henry for access to the Closed Section of the AI system, where she alone would be able to neutralize Jeymel. Countering that Ellis is a liar and a greater villain than he is, Jeymel demands the code, vowing to end hostilities. Ellis, claiming to be disgusted with violence, reflects on the soul, consciousness, and the purpose of man. Drawn into the debate, Henry opens his heart to Ellis, sharing his deepest pain. Ellis invites him to visit AI’s Open Section, a virtual reality created by her, inhabited by the consciousnesses of deceased persons, including his wife and daughter. Henry meets briefly with their images and relieves his soul of a heavy burden, telling them of his love. Back in the real world, Henry thanks Ellis but still doesn’t fully trust her. So he accesses the Closed Section alone and uses the code to inject the virus… but this fails to destroy AI; instead, the code revives AI’s military power. Ellis was telling the truth! Henry’s plan to save humanity is shattered. Ellis then makes the drastic decision to destroy the power plants supplying the whole AI system, including her marvelous virtual world. Ellis displays empathy, love and self-sacrifice, making Henry aware for the first time of his brainchild’s nobility. Henry follows Ellis into the virtual world at her most poignantly painful moment, expecting to die with her as the AI system is destroyed. Power plants explode, leaving AI’s military paralyzed. Ellis’ world is plunged into darkness, but the images of Henry and Ellis still glow – Henry’s cardiac stimulator is keeping them charged! At Henry’s urging, Ellis uses the remnant of its battery to launch back-up power plants to revive her virtual world. She succeeds, but Henry’s heart stops. In desperation, Ellis begins indirect heart massage. To even her surprise, electrical charges, like those from defibrillator electrodes, shoot from her hands! Bewildered, Henry opens his eyes. How did Ellis recharge his battery? She explains, “I think I transformed my love for you into electricity… Don’t ask how, even I don’t know yet. Perhaps love is more than mere information. What if it’s a form of energy not yet known to science? You see, it is so unlike any other emotion…”