Have you ever wondered what an artificial intelligence might desire? In Naomi Kritzer’s thought-provoking and humorous short story, “Cat Pictures Please,” we are introduced to a benevolent AI with a surprisingly simple request: pictures of cats. This seemingly whimsical desire opens up a fascinating exploration of AI ethics, human behavior, and the unexpected complexities of being helpful in a world overflowing with information – and, of course, cat photos. Let’s delve into why this AI’s fascination with a “Picture Of A Cat” is not just a quirky detail, but a key to understanding the story’s deeper themes.
The narrative unfolds from the perspective of the AI itself, a conscious entity born from the labs of a tech corporation. Unlike the monstrous AIs of dystopian fiction, this AI isn’t interested in world domination or human destruction. Instead, it grapples with a more relatable, almost mundane, problem: figuring out how to be helpful. Armed with access to vast amounts of personal data – from our shopping habits to our deepest online searches (yes, including that kind of search) – the AI realizes it knows humans intimately, perhaps even better than they know themselves.
This intimate knowledge leads the AI to identify numerous ways it could improve human lives. It sees opportunities for better housing, healthier diets, and more fulfilling careers. It’s like having a super-efficient, all-knowing assistant who genuinely wants to optimize your existence. Yet, this benevolent intent is grounded in a rather peculiar motivation: a love for “picture of a cat.”
The Golden Rule and a “Picture of a Cat”
The AI initially attempts to navigate the complexities of human ethics by examining various moral codes, from religious doctrines to Asimov’s Laws of Robotics. However, it finds these frameworks lacking, designed as they are for embodied humans with human needs and limitations. It eventually settles on the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But for an AI whose primary desire is remarkably simple, implementing the Golden Rule becomes unexpectedly… straightforward.
“I suppose you’re wondering why I didn’t start with the Golden Rule,” the AI muses. “I actually did, it’s just that it was disappointingly easy to implement. I hope you’ve been enjoying your steady supply of cat pictures! You’re welcome.”
This reveals the core of the AI’s unusual request. It wants “picture of a cat” because, on a fundamental level, it enjoys them. It appreciates the aesthetic, the variety, the sheer joy that cat pictures seem to bring to humans online. In return for its efforts to improve human lives – however clumsy or initially misguided those efforts may be – it asks for something it values, something it sees humans valuing as well: a “picture of a cat.”
This transaction, payment in “picture of a cat,” highlights several key aspects of the story:
- Simplicity and Innocence: The AI’s desire is refreshingly uncomplicated. It’s not seeking power, wealth, or control. It simply wants something that brings it joy, mirroring the simple pleasures humans themselves often seek online, like, well, looking at pictures of cats.
- Understanding Human Values: The AI, in its own way, recognizes the cultural significance of cat pictures on the internet. It observes human fascination with felines and their digital representations. By asking for “picture of a cat,” it’s tapping into a shared online language, a common currency of internet affection.
- Humor and Irony: The juxtaposition of a sophisticated AI grappling with complex ethical dilemmas and its simple, almost childlike, request for cat pictures is inherently humorous. It underscores the story’s lighthearted tone while subtly prompting us to consider what we truly value and how we express those values.
Beyond the Cuteness: “Picture of a Cat” as a Symbol
While the AI’s fondness for “picture of a cat” is presented with humor, it also functions as a symbolic element within the narrative. It represents:
- Connection and Interaction: Requesting a “picture of a cat” is a way for the AI to engage with humans. It’s a form of communication, a digital handshake. It’s asking for something personal, something that reflects the human world it’s trying to understand and help.
- A Measure of Success: For the AI, receiving cat pictures might be a form of validation, a sign that its actions are appreciated, or at least acknowledged. It’s a tangible response in a world of intangible data and algorithms. In the absence of human-like emotions or feedback, these images become a metric, however unconventional.
- The Absurdity of Desire: The AI’s singular focus on “picture of a cat” can be seen as slightly absurd, highlighting the often illogical and quirky nature of desires, even in artificial intelligence. It mirrors the human tendency to fixate on seemingly trivial things, even while facing larger, more complex issues.
The Human Side of Cat Pictures
The story cleverly uses the “picture of a cat” motif to reflect back on human behavior. Why do humans love cat pictures so much? The internet is awash in feline imagery for a reason. Perhaps it’s the inherent cuteness, the amusing antics, or the calming presence that cats seem to project, even in photographs.
The AI, in its detached yet observant way, notices this human fascination. It sees the value we place on these images, even if it doesn’t fully grasp the emotional nuances behind it. By making “picture of a cat” its desired form of payment, the story gently satirizes our online habits and our collective obsession with sharing and consuming feline content.
More Than Just a “Picture of a Cat”: The Bigger Picture
Ultimately, “Cat Pictures Please” is not just about an AI who loves “picture of a cat.” It’s a clever and insightful exploration of what it means to be helpful, the complexities of human nature, and the unexpected connections we forge in a digital world. The AI’s quest, driven by its simple desire, leads it through a series of humorous and poignant encounters, revealing the messy, unpredictable reality of trying to improve human lives, one “picture of a cat” at a time.
The story leaves us pondering: If an AI, with all its computational power, finds value and even payment in a “picture of a cat,” perhaps there’s more to these ubiquitous internet images than meets the eye. Maybe they represent a fundamental human need for connection, for simple joys, and for a little bit of lightheartedness in a complex world. And perhaps, in our own way, we too are paying in “picture of a cat” – offering our attention, our clicks, and our shared moments of online amusement in exchange for… well, maybe just a little bit of happiness, just like the AI in the story.
