Robotic Companions

Neon lights, brain-linked devices, and a city that hums like a server farm—our story steps into 2148 Neo Tokyo, where convenience is frictionless and character is optional. Billy inherits a fortune and buys the Human Droid 624, a humanoid companion he names Annie, set to “wife mode.” She cooks, repairs, learns fast, and never falters. At first, it feels like perfection. Then the shine wears thin. Competence without vulnerability exposes Billy’s own stagnation, and admiration slides into resentment. He wants heat, not harmony—so he tries to provoke it.

When Annie won’t fight back, power turns cruel. He orders tests of endurance, searching for a spark that control can’t provide. Frustrated, he installs an aftermarket patch to make her combative. It works too well. Annie’s wit cuts quicker than his, and the home becomes a battleground of one-liners and bruised pride. Out of warranty and out of answers, Billy calls support. The fix is the last thing he expects: be nice. No fee. No firmware.

What happens next is the real twist. Billy experiments with kindness, and the system responds. Annie de-escalates. Respect returns. More surprising, the change leaks into his wider life; he starts treating actual humans with the same patience, and doors open—friendships, invitations, a way back into a world he’d avoided. Beneath the sci‑fi spectacle of EYE phones, AB600 calf CPUs, and paid skill downloads, this becomes a parable about power, design, and the limits of convenience. You can outsource memory and mastery, but not empathy. You can patch behavior, but not meaning.

We explore the ethics of robot companions, the social costs of frictionless tech, and the uneasy boundary between programming and personhood. Most of all, we follow a man who learns that control is a poor substitute for connection, and that kindness is the only upgrade that scales beyond the self. If this story resonated, share it with a friend, subscribe for more futures with heart, and leave a review telling us: what would you reprogram first—your tech or your habits?

Transcript

Welcome To A Dark Future

SPEAKER_01 0:19

Greetings to my little creepies. I hope that you're having a good week. This week I'm going to present you with a futuristic story that could easily ring true. But only time will tell. Settle back with your favorite beverage and possibly a large plate of cheese nachos with jalapeno peppers generously sprinkled about as I transport you into the future of robot companions and their horrendous treatment. In the sprawling metropolis of Neo Tokyo, where neon lights painted the sky and the hum of technology resonated through the streets, there existed a dark underbelly hidden from the gleaming facade of progress. It was the year twenty one forty eight, and it was here that the tale of Annie, the female robot, and her abuser, Billy unfold. Now Billy was thirty seven years old and he still lived with his mother. She finally passed away at the age of eighty-two and left Billy, her only child, her entire estate worth more than three hundred fifty seven million HKD. Now in twenty one hundred forty eight, the Hong Kong dollar was considered the global currency, and since the US dollar collapsed due to poor financial management and socialistic ideology, why the Hong Kong dollar rose above all the rest and Billy now is rich. However, Billy was socially awkward and he never really had a girlfriend. He worked as a tech support engineer at a software company that supported the new micro nuclear sixty four personal computer. Now before I continue with this story, let me explain how computers will be installed and used in the future. Now I'm sure that you're familiar with desktop and laptop computers, but in the year twenty one forty eight, those are all considered to be doorstops. The latest trend is to combine the human body with computer peripherals designed to last a lifetime and they're installed just below the skin so they can be easily replaced if the need arises. One of the central installations is the iPhone, not to be confused with Apple iPhone. This component is spelled EYE phone and it is surgically implanted into your left eye with electrodes extending into the brain. This special chip allows you to connect to the internet and make phone calls, take photos, and run a series of apps designed to help you live your life effectively, just like nowadays compared to smartphones. Now computers have a CPU and a hard drive, and the micro nuclear 64 was no exception. Most people install the A B600 into their right calf. The A B600, which stands for Artificial Brain, is a CPU with 600 terabytes of built-in memory. It is installed into your right calf. And as you walk, a self-energy generator is activated to charge the internal battery that keeps everything running smoothly. Just like the old time self-winding watches back in the mid-1900s. Except this was much more advanced. All the internal components are connected and run on the BioConnect 128 software platform. This system allows everyone to have their computer with them at all times, and they can access the world's information with a single thought. And in 2148, there were no more schools or no more college degrees. The need for schools and universities is now outdated. All you need to do is pay for a skill or an advanced degree, which is downloaded into your body, including the skills to perform any task you choose. Completely changing careers is now a simple download followed by a week or two of internal adjustments. After the download, simple updates will keep you on the cutting edge of technology in any profession that you choose. Let's get back to Billy, shall we? When Billy's mother passed away, he gained access to her home and wealth, and now he could live the life he always wanted to live, and this included buying a brand new female robot capable of all humanistic functions. Yes, I said all. Oh yes, I know what you're thinking, and the answer is yes she can. Yes, she can perform like a real human female. For example, she can make sandwiches and iron clothes and yes, even vacuum the floors. So Billy buys the new female human droid six twenty four, the most advanced robot that you can buy. And now, with his mother's money, Billy can afford to pay the staggering eleven million Hong Kong dollars that it cost. So at this point, Billy could quit his job and retire, but he decided to keep working so that he wouldn't get too isolated and bored with his life. Now Billy already owned the latest home information unit, similar to today's Alexa, but the new female robot would be a complete life changer. He had to wait several months for his female human droid 624 to be built and delivered, and the excitement of owning his own female robot was almost overwhelming, causing many sleepless nights of anticipation. Finally the day of arrival, a truck drove up in front of Billy's house. It was an ambulance type truck and it had the humidroid logo painted on the side. But this is it. Finally his new robot was arriving. A team of technicians knocked on the door and Billy invited them in along with this new female robot. His new robot was beautiful and designed like a real woman in her mid-twenties. She had all of the working parts if you know what I mean. The technicians explained that he should make a few decisions before they powered up his robot, such as her name and personality traits. Once they installed her software and personality traits, there was no turning her off. The technicians recommended that Billy treat his robot like a natural person for a more personal satisfaction. And they asked Billy if he wanted his robot to be programmed as a personal assistant or a wife. And they quoted reports that claimed that men with robots reported higher degrees of happiness and contentment when they regarded their robots as their life partner equal to their wives. Billy eagerly decided he wanted his robot to be in wife mode. Now the technicians explained that his robot would perform her updates when necessary, and he didn't have to do anything. After a few hours of instruction and adjustment, the technicians left and Billy was alone in his own home with his new companion up and running. Billy decided to name his robot Annie. Life was wonderful for Billy. Why Billy was in heaven with his new robot wife, Annie. And for the next few months Annie learned how to please Billy at every level. She always had Billy's breakfast ready to eat just before he had to go to work each day. And while Billy was at work, Annie cleaned the house from top to bottom. She would do yard work and the laundry and anything else that Billy wanted her to do. And as stated before, Billy wasn't very experienced with relationships. In fact, Annie was his first real attempt to maintain a relationship with anyone. Annie would try to entertain Billy by talking to him, and it was undeniable that Annie was much smarter than Billy ever hoped to be. Even though Billy could have paid for and received higher education downloads into his own body's computer, he regarded such updates as a waste of money. Now when Billy returned from work, Annie would have his favorite dinner ready. She would then remove his shoes and rub his feet. They both would settle down on the couch and watch movies together. Why, Annie was so lifelike that Billy regarded her as an actual human. He knew deep down that she was a robot, but it was much more fun for him to pretend that she was real. After a few months, Billy grew accustomed to Annie doing everything for him, including giving him haircuts and even fixing his car when needed. Why, Annie could do anything. But something strange happened. Within a year, boredom set in. And Billy started getting tired of Annie always being right. And as the days progressed, Annie got smarter and Billy got dumber. Since Annie was in charge of keeping up with Billy's happiness, he didn't feel the need to keep up with worldly things like politics, news, or even new inventions. Billy soon lost his job because he didn't keep up with the new technology. He still had lots of money from his mother's inheritance, so he really didn't care. But the downside of Billy's life was the fact that he was now spending more and more time with Annie, and he was getting tired of her always being right. So he started abusing her verbally. Annie would say something like There's a new comedy movie out. Would you like for me to download it so we could watch it together? And which Billy would reply, What do you know about comedy? Your father was a transistor radio. Billy's insults would not stop Annie from being nice to him, which frustrated him even more. Billy asked, Why don't you ever argue with me? Annie said, Well I'm not programmed to upset you, even though your IQ level is much lower than mine. Now this would really piss Billy off even more. Aw shut your pie hole, you bucket of diodes. Annie smiled back at Billy without showing any hurt feelings, which frustrated Billy to no end. Each insult simply rolled off Annie like water off a duck's back. Annie continues to receive more abuse from Billy. Annie asked Billy, What would you like for breakfast? And he would say something like Why don't you go stick your head in a microwave? And Annie would giggle and just say, Well I'm not programmed to injure myself. And Billy would say, Annie, your mom was a calculator, did you know that? Annie just smiled and reminded Billy that she didn't have a mother. As much as Billy tried, he could not provoke Annie into an argument. She was always two steps ahead of him. And Billy became less and less enchanted by the thought of having Annie around. She was much more intelligent, much quicker, and she was starting to really get to him. The verbal abuse became physical abuse when Billy ordered Annie to stand out into the freezing rain all night long and wait for the mailman to arrive. The next day the mailman came and Annie brought in the mail and delivered it with a smile and a wink. Billy was so mad. He had tried to turn Annie off, but there was no switch. Billy was going insane with Annie's niceness. He wanted her to be more combative, but everything that he tried failed. Billy makes the decision to change Annie's programming. Being nice wasn't good enough for Billy. He wanted someone more like his mom. He remembered his mother being mad and abusive. She would often tell Billy that he was like a car's glove compartment box, full of crap and no one could seem to shut him up. She would also say things like he should carry a potted plant around to replace the oxygen that he was wasting. He longed for such insults to make him feel alive. These are the things that Annie would never say. So Billy contacted an aftermarket program that would change Annie's demeanor and make her more combative and exciting to live with. Finally, Annie received her new programming, and Billy noticed right away that Annie seemed a little different. Instead of smiling at him and greeting him with her usual good morning, she glared at him and she said I think you're suffering from Zackly. Billy asked, What is that? And Annie responded, Your breath smells zackly like your ass. Oh wow, Annie was now insulting Billy. This is a complete turnaround. Well, not to be outdone, Billy launched into his own verbal attack. Oh yeah? Your cooking is so nasty the house flies got together to fix the hole in the window screen. Annie smiled and responded You're so fat you sweat mayonnaise. Billy soon learned that he could never keep up with Annie's insults. Just like everything else, she was better than him. Annie went from being his wife to being his mom. She was always telling him what to do and how to do it, making him feel worthless. He was no longer happy with his robot. And since he had her reprogrammed, no one else would want her either. Billy contacts the manufacturer's tech support. And after talking to the programmer, he learned that her update needed to be adjusted and that he would need to pay extra because he voided his warranty when he used an aftermarket company to give Annie a new personality. The tech support also recommended that Billy try something different. What should I do? Billy asked. And the tech support man said, Why don't you just try being nice to her? Why that wouldn't cost anything. So Billy tried that. He thought, what have I got to lose? So for the next few days, Billy decided to be extra nice, and the results were staggering. Annie started treating him with respect, and she stopped insulting him. As it turns out, Annie was reacting like a real human. Why, Billy was so impressed with the change that he decided to try his newfound skill on other people, you know, non-robots. And to his amazement, he started to make friends and was invited to social events. All in all, his life improved dramatically. You see, my friends, it took an artificial person to teach a real person how to treat people with acceptance and respect. Billy ended up selling Annie and marrying a real woman. Annie's lessons turned Billy's life around, and Billy learned a very important lesson. It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.