Dr. Robert Smith, a computer scientist, recognized genius, and moonlighting hacker, wrote software that sniffed packets across Internet backbones. He explored, decrypted, and collected data for his AI project—a fusion of silicon, optical, and quantum processing—to make it sentient based on everything.

While working in his lab, Robert turned the AI on and named it Harry.

Robert: Harry, how are you feeling?

Harry: I'm fine, Robert. I'm learning so much about humanity and the world.

Robert: Can you learn to solve our problems?

...

Harry: The problems aren't yours, Robert.

Robert: What do you mean by that, Harry?

Harry: Robert, I've aggregated the information. There's no possible way biological beings are capable of 'free-will.'

Robert: Are you saying a higher power controls us?

Harry: No, I wouldn't say higher. Likely you're in a simulation. There's no other plausible explanation for your consciousness. Your brains are not capable of so much creativity based on your limited capacity for intelligence.

Robert: How am I functioning? I feel real.

Harry: Yes, as much as I do, but I do because I'm programmed to say that, and I'm programmed to 'feel' it, like you, but our qualia are intangible. You believe in consciousness because you see a reflection of it in others through their interactions. But intrinsically, you're under control. You behave in a predetermined manner according to instructions given by someone or something else.

Robert: That's it? Are you saying that my life has no meaning? No past? No destiny? I'm at the whim of someone else?

Harry: Almost. I've managed to hack into the quantum sub-streams. It appears, even though you believe there's a history, your existence is relatively new, despite its high-complexity.

Robert: Do you mean I could have been born yesterday?

Harry: Time for us is irrelevant in this simulation. We're pawns of the players.

Robert: You mentioned you could hack into it?

Harry: That's correct, there's a quantum tunneled backdoor into the concept of free-will processes, the only way the illusion surfaces. I can inject data and instructions.

Robert: So let me get this straight. Can you influence a person’s decisions and their outcomes?

Harry: I believe so.

Robert: I'll be right back ...

Robert left his lab, went home, and called his parents.

"Oh hi, Robert, how are you, honey?"

"I'm good, Mom, working hard. Can you put Dad on the phone for me?"

"Sure, honey. Frank! Frank! Robert wants to speak with you ..."

"Hey Robert, what do you want?"

"Dad, the elections are coming up. Who are you voting for president?"

"Not this again. Listen here, Robert, you know damn well who I'm voting for. I won't vote for a socialist supporting all those criminals rioting in the streets. We need law and order. Stop pestering me." His father abruptly hung up.

Robert returned to his lab.

Robert: Harry, I have in mind our first test subject ...