They Are Among Us
Originally posted on 20th September 2004 A computer would deserve to be called intelligent if it could deceive a human into believing that it was human. Alan Turing, 1912–1954. I am now an old man and no longer fear being thought of as mad; I am therefore to write down an account of an extraordinary event which befell me in the closing years of the twentieth century. I hope that at least someone will believe what I say, and take heed. The future of mankind may depend on it. I was walking on the Pennine moors when I came upon a narrow cave entrance I had not before been aware of; naturally I was intrigued and slipped inside, taking out the pocket torch I always carry with me in order to explore further. I had only gone a few dozen paces when to my surprise I came to a metal door. It was old and pitted with rust, but the oiled hinges showed it had clearly been used recently, so I cautiously opened it and looked into the concrete lined corridor which lay beyond. I had evidently ...