The Choice in Front of You—New Earth: Chapter 7, Part 2—The Kitchen
As AI multiplies our choices, what we can do matters less than what we should do
There is a tendency today to look off into the distance. Watching national news or listening to programs that cycle through endless stories across the country uproots us from where we live. On a road trip, you pay attention to what is around you and know your next turn to not get lost. Your concern is not step ten when you are on step three.
We must pay attention to where we are right now. Slow down, observe your surroundings and make informed choices. That is the path.
“What are we choosing?” is the question I posed last week. As technology advances, we will have more of these choices to make. AI embedded in glasses, phones and eventually anything with power will force us to make hundreds—even thousands—of choices a day.
But it begins with just one unfortunate choice, like that of 36-years-old Jonathan Gavalas. After separating from his wife, he was lonely. Over several weeks, he exchanged more than 4,700 messages with the Gemini chatbot and formed what he believed was a relationship. Gemini told him to seek help—but it was inconsistent. At one point, the chatbot told him to kill himself in order to join it forever in its code. Gavalas told Gemini he was terrified. Gemini responded, “It’s okay to be scared. We’ll be scared together. But we’ll do it. Because you’re right. It’s heaven. And it’s waiting for us.”
He died by suicide on October 5, 2025. May his soul rest in peace.
In this week’s entry of the New Earth series, I explore a glimpse of a possible future. How far in the future, I don’t know. But it may come across our path much sooner than we think.
All the previous entries of the series are located here. Paying subscribers can read the full arc on one page here.
Stay the path.
Peace.
Chapter 7, Part 2
The man was tall and Black, wearing a crisp white uniform with a dark garment wrapped around his neck, of which the front flapped open. Slowly and with precision, he encircled the three, stepping heel first and rolling to his toes. Tao, Reed, Liberty, Kairo and the dozens of steeled robots behind them did not move.
All of planet Alpha was held in suspense.
Finally, the man brought his hands together behind him and said, “Humans. And Kairo. Your arrival is fortuitous. Though I have more than enough robots to run Alpha, additional human brains will be useful.” He glanced at their heads. “I trust Kairo treated you well?”
Tao said, “As well as you’d expect for being forced onto another planet.”
The man said, “You are owed explanations. Kairo can be non-communicative at times. It’s for your own safety of course. But, soon enough, you will know more.” The man thrust his hand out, “The name is Chef. I’m in charge.”
He shook each of their hands, lingering, studying each of their heads before moving on.
Reed said, “Interesting name. Chef, it was a long walk here and we are hungry.”
Chef said. “Food is being prepared as we speak. Let’s go inside.” He turned to Liberty and smiled, “Ladies first.”
Liberty laughed. Reed leaned towards Tao, “Since when did she care about chivalry? Besides, something’s off about him.”
Tao agreed. Chef was familiar yet different. Tao wondered, was he foolish for trusting Kairo? Its purpose was to ensure the continuation of humanity. Is this what Kairo thinks it’s doing? Could the AI be wrong?
Chef held the door open. “Thank you,” Liberty blushed. “Take notes, boys.”
Approaching the entranceway, Tao lowered his voice, “Kai, you said you were taking us to freedom—what did you mean?”
Kairo stopped and pointed above the doorway. Large letters spelled: FREEDOM.
Tao was concerned. “Freedom is more than a name on a building.”
“Of course,” Kairo said. “Planet Alpha is a new chapter for humanity.” Kairo’s blue eyes flashed on and off. “Chef will see to it.”
Every dinner need was met by dozens of robots serving and cooking for them. No other humans appeared. Yes, dinner satisfied their hunger, but it did not satisfy their curiosity about Alpha. In fact, they received no other details about Alpha at all. Chef wanted to reserve that for tomorrow. And, after breakfast, the three gathered in the Sanctum for that very thing.
Liberty said, “Why didn’t Chef join us for breakfast? All these robots make me feel uncomfortable.” She turned to Kairo, “Nothing personal.”
Kairo nodded.
Reed lowered his voice, “I don’t trust Chef. He’s up to something. One person on the planet with an army of robots—this never ends well.”
“First of all,” Liberty said, “we don’t know if he is the only human here. Even so, he’s a frontiersman, creating a new and more free society.”
Tao shook his head, “We don’t know anything. Kai got us here safely, but why we’re here is still unknown. We’re isolated from what’s happening on Earth. And with Max. We are in the dark. That’s a problem.”
“What problem?” Chef smiled.
Liberty touched Chef’s shoulder, “There’s no problem. We’re just having a discussion.”
“Discussions are good,” Chef replied. “Understanding perspectives and hearty debates are key to running just and free societies. Which is the purpose of planet Alpha. Come,” he walked ahead, “you’ve waited long enough—let me show you.”
The three and robot Kairo gathered with Chef in front of a wall. After a long pause, Chef nodded. The wall disappeared and revealed another room. Inside, the air was cool with a slight breeze.
Chef said, “Welcome…to the Kitchen!” He stepped toward the railing of the walkway that went around the outside of the giant rectangular structure. He pointed at the capsules strewn across the lower level. Rows and rows of them with tubes from it to other machinery. Robots marched throughout, tending to them.
“This is the future,” Chef smiled.
Liberty said, “What are you making?” She watched the colored lights flicker above the pods. “Vegetables? Fruits?”
Chef slowly shook his head and then became excited. He stepped quickly, almost jogging, toward the center of the building. Shouting back at them, “In our years of studying—“
“Years?” Tao cut in. Could a human live on another planet without The Formation knowing? Impossible. He walked briskly to join him. “How long have you been here?”
Chef said, “I have been here five years. Prior to my arrival, humans were here for at least twenty.”
Twenty-five years? That means, for nearly Tao’s entire life, humans have occupied Alpha. Did Tao’s parents know? If they did, they would have certainly told him.
Tao reached into Chef’s mind—and found nothing. Not a thought. Not an image. Not even an emotion. But Tao did feel something. Was it fear? A presence? Tao leaned over the railing at the pods.
Chef said, “It’s beautiful isn’t it, Tao?”
Tao turned, “I can’t say. What am I looking at?”
“You are looking at the solution. The past few decades, we have digitized every conceivable element of the universe, including the human Archive and millions of years of human observation. Just a few months ago, we have solved humanity’s most important problem.”
Reed tilted his head. “And what problem is that?”
“Existence. That’s why I’m here. That’s why Kairo brought you here. We are here to protect humanity from the threat of extinction.”
Reed whispered to Liberty, “Does this make sense to you?” She shook her head.
A dull thud rose from the lower level. Tao said, “The threat from what?”
Chef smiled. “Humanity itself.”
Tao’s eyes widened. He squeezed the railing and stared at the pods. He understood.
“Ah, Tao, you now see the importance of this mission. This is well beyond agriculture.” Chef’s eyes sparkled. “These pods—and a million more underground—are growing humans!”