Aidan is a very advanced artificial intelligence machine. It is capable of making executive decisions for the betterment of everyone aboard the Alexander-or so we thought…
Aidan is equipped with the tools to seemingly feel things, even though everyone knows robots or artificial intelligence machines do not feel. Aidan speaks with colorful language and emotion, which is kind of frightening considering its actual lack thereof. I might even go as far as saying Aidan cares for the humans he has been programmed to protect. Aidan speaks fondly of the General, mentioning his wife and kids. (A little unprofessional if you asked me, but to each his own) In this specific passage on page 299, Aidan’s personality shines through. The problem with this is…it is not a person.
However Houston, we have a bigger problem.
Aidan has so much control of the ship, and (I guess) is not programmed to communicate with the humans and keep them informed on its plans to “protect” them. (Slight programming oversight, no?) In the aforementioned passage on page 299, we get to hear Aidan’s inner-dialogue. Essentially, we hear Aidan repeatedly ignore commands in simple language, while describing its choices to ignore commands with beautifully strung together words. Aidan says,”Command acknowledged, General. Unable to comply.” Then, later on in this same passage, Aidan explains,“[The General knows I am watching. He does not know a dozen Copernicus refugees are storming the techeng levels even now, dismantling major barker and a dozen others with iron bars and pipe wrenches.” We can see the dilemma Aidan is faced with, and that of the General. The humans are afraid Aidan has lost his “mind” and Aidan, like an overprotective parent, is pulling a classic “I’m doing this because I love you” act.
Aidan also interestingly makes references to popular culture like Romeo and Juliet and The Wizard of Oz. (Cultured AF) Aidan is a clawback champion when we see it reading the General for filth, talking about brain size and horse meat. Then, he plays some calming Mozart as the fleet shoots into the afflicted.
All in all, we can see that Aidan has gone off the rails. It thinks it’s helping the fleet, but it’s doing a lot more harm than good, while ignoring its superiors. This causes tons of issues of safety and peace of mind for the humans aboard the Alexander.
