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A daughter-replica synthetic (like in the film 'AI: Artificial Intelligence')

4 (5.1%)

A very biological woman whose brain is so unique that it interprets smells like an AI

40 (50.6%)

A true cyborg (electro-mechanically augmented human)

2 (2.5%)

A human with an electronically-augmented brain so she interprets sensory data like an AI

10 (12.7%)

A bio-droid (AI box in a vat-grown biological chassis like SpookyBot's)

2 (2.5%)

SpookyBot's daughter (stranger things have happened)

5 (6.3%)

A bio-mimic synthetic (900-series Terminator)

2 (2.5%)

A camouflaged synthetic (800-series Terminator)

1 (1.3%)

Some exotic biological life-form (alien, clone, Replicant)

8 (10.1%)

Other (please specify in a comment)

5 (6.3%)

Total Members Voted: 45

[BenRG]

A serious poll topic this time; I think it would be useful, given that it has generated two separate threads at the end of last week!

My position is clear: I am sure that, because she is shown as processing data in AI-like ways and has shown unusual behaviours and abilities, I think that Emily is AI or AI-like in some fashion. My guess is that she is either a bio-droid or a human whose brain has been augmented with an AI's neural net processor array. In either case, the merger between biological and synthetic is imperfect and is in part responsible for her abnormal behaviour.

Onto this week's strips. I am expecting a conversation between Faye and Bubbles about the properties of tea and how they affect AIs. Maybe we'll even get a canon example of what Assam Tea does for Bubbles!


[EDIT]
Corrected dates

[foolsguinea]

I'm insulted that people think Emily must be other than biological. I don't think it's that "unique" to be both CloudCuckooLander and synæsthetic.

[SmilingCat]

I chose human, but I would also accept a Synth from the Institute.

(playing a lot of fallout)

[Kugai]

The next stage of Human Evolution

[Tova]

She's Emily. That's all. Weird all the way down. You just can't handle it.

[Thrudd]

She's Emily. That's all. Weird all the way down. You just can't handle it.

<>=======<<<<

[ was going to post more but my eldritch rune font doesn't seem to be able to compile on this system ]

[hedgie]

She's Emily. That's all. Weird all the way down. You just can't handle it.

Are you sure that she's not turtles all the way down?

[zisraelsen]

"Professor, my program won't compile and also it's displaying a thread where people speculate as to whether I'm a robot."

[cesium133]

New comic...

...Gordon!

[comicalArchitect]

Can I just say how delighted I am that Pintsize, Winslow, Momo, May, Bubbles, and possibly Roko are all main cast members now? I love love love robot fiction, and QC is doing something pretty much entirely new by integrating robot and human characters so casually. It seems like the comic is finally living up to the potential of that premise.

[Parkour Lewis]

I REALLY hope the previous counselor was an AI.

[blt]

I wonder if Oh-Six was an early Bubbles?

Look they like tea too!

[celticgeek]

But is it Assam tea?  Brewed by Hannelore? 

[Tova]

As intimidated as Winslow is by this scenario he's been pushed into, I feel that he has the potential to excel in this role (in time, at least, if not here and now).

[zisraelsen]

Agreed. In fact, my Official Prediction^TM Is that Winslow's going to be really good at this and will become the new counselor. It'd be convenient story-wise, too, because it would put him in the same room as May and Momo regularly, which has pretty high potential for shenanigans.

[comicalArchitect]

Agreed. In fact, my Official Prediction^TM Is that Winslow's going to be really good at this and will become the new counselor. It'd be convenient story-wise, too, because it would put him in the same room as May and Momo regularly, which has pretty high potential for shenanigans.

Not to mention Pintsize, who has also been shown to attend Support Group.

[BenRG]

There are several things that jump out about today's strip that really make me grin.

The most important factor is that I've been where that manager sits and it isn't a pleasant experience. I work as an admin for a company that provides 24-hour care at youth hostels and care homes for adults with learning disabilities. Let me tell you that there are few experiences in this world that provide a greater acme of the concept of 'panic' than having the staff member who was supposed to work the 10pm to 7am shift inform you at 5pm that she can't work the shift and everyone else treating being asked to do cover as if it were an insult.

Winslow's group is an interesting bunch of grotesques, isn't it? There's the example of what Bubbles likely looked like before she had enough self-confidence to remove her helmet, a seriously disgruntled gothic bot and, just in case no-one else noticed, a disgruntled robo-chair. I found myself wondering what sort of a mind would want to be furniture, then I realised that this is a therapy group, so it's quite possible that they didn't want it at all but ECR had a quota to fill!

[pwhodges]

in case no-one else noticed, a disgruntled robo-chair.

Nah; sometimes even a chair is just a chair.  In any case, that's Gary's chair - he just prefers to sit above it.

[Tova]

You actually made me go back and check. 

[Akima]

Does panicky-white-shirt-guy have acne, or just a really sparse beard?

Is Trisha Helfer hiding in that dark red armour?

Why does Gary have a chair?

So many questions.

[Ysobel]

I'll also be interested about the reasons for Linux-neckbeard, er, -heatsink guy in the bottom-left corner and especially, what seems to me to be Robo-Brun on the far right, to be in the support group. Well, actually, just to hear more about them.

[pwhodges]

Does panicky-white-shirt-guy have acne, or just a really sparse beard?

Stubble; from being up all night panicking (about many things, not just this - I guess he's a serial panicker).

Why does Gary have a chair?

Everyone has an equal right to a chair - we must not discriminate!

[tustin2121]

Here's the first time (I think) we saw this support group. I wonder if the guy with blue hair and ear antennas is the counselor who is missing then? Hopefully May will be obligated to show up this time and... erm... help Winslow out? *[crosses fingers]*

[Pilchard123]

So is that the Linux-heatbeard we all know and remember from earlier? It'd be cool if it was, to see how he reacts to Momo and Winslow being in different chassis.

[Case]

Ok, now I want a "They seem nice ..."-shirt.

[OldGoat]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that looks like PT410X.

[Thrudd]

I get the feeling that the next page will be the group counseling our new councilor.
That is if Winslow is true to form and blurts out an apology and just how inexperienced he is.
If so I think that would be followed by a mousy plea for help.

There may be some banter as to why his predecessor isn't there followed by the various members of the group giving their opinions on the matter thus revealing various facets of their personalities.
I am hoping for at least one being a horrible wonderful horrid pundit. 
I vote 06 - just because you are in a shell doesn't mean you can't be exasperating.

[Is it cold in here?]

Winslow has been a companion to a mentally ill friend for years. The experience may help him.

[Bollthorn]

I find the idea of Emily being a T-800 Terminator in disguise hilarious.

Also YAY FOR GARY!!

[hedgie]

Winslow has been a companion to a mentally ill friend for years. The experience may help him.

And here I was thinking that with her resources, Hanners would just be eccentric.

[Kugai]

Oh dear

Nothing like getting  thrown in at the deep end.

[shanejayell]

Poor Winslow. 

[War Sparrow]

I like this. Winslow doesn't know what to do, so he opts for being supportive. Good job, Winslow.

[Tova]

And Winslow immediately demonstrates his natural talent for empathy. A pretty important trait for a counselor to have!

[comicalArchitect]

I'm silently cheering for Winslow. What a sweet person. This comic made my night.

[Morituri]

Why should Emily Azuma be anything other than Emily Azuma?  She just is.  That's enough.  I like her.

And Go Winslow!  You may not be trained for a counselor but you could've done a lot worse for an opening round. And I don't think this is a 'hardcore' counseling position; the guy did say 'volunteer', so they're probably not looking for licensed doctors.

[Is it cold in here?]

Rising to the occasion. Well done, Winslow.

[Storel]

Here's the first time (I think) we saw this support group. I wonder if the guy with blue hair and ear antennas is the counselor who is missing then? Hopefully May will be obligated to show up this time and... erm... help Winslow out? *[crosses fingers]*

In a town this size, I suspect there is probably more than one night a week for the support group to meet, just like there's probably more than one AA meeting a week. (There may even be more than one support group, depending on what exactly the AIs want support for, just as there are different organizations hosting 12-step meetings for alcoholics, drug users, sex addicts...) So people (AIs) go to whichever night fits their schedule best, or has the counselor they like best, or has more of their friends attending it, or...

So I'm thinking we probably won't see May or Momo.

And yes, things are working out better for Winslow than I was expecting after seeing Monday's strip. Good job, Winslow!

Edit: And folks like Gary/Gordon the Robospider probably go to all the nights. (Some folks need more support than others.)

[Perfectly Reasonable]

We have seen successful cat rescues here before, haven't we?
(um, I may be thinking of a different webcomic...)

[brasca]

Didn't know Winslow had it in him, but then again his previous chassis was limiting. 

[DaiJB]

This is one of those rare moments when I agree with May... Gary - you are a giant spider. When choosing a chassis, did you just look at a list of biological lifeforms and say "That one! I'll have something like the eight-legged venomous one that makes people scream and run away!" ??

...And I am totally hearing Droid 06 with the voice of Mongo...

[MrNumbers]

So AI's get to choose their chassis, or have a degree of personalization over what they get, right?

You gotta wonder what made panel 2 AI go; "Yes, pirranha-head antenna-ears here is a perfect fit for who I am"

[BenRG]

Today's strip is a deliberate reflection of that strip where Faye hears the story of the others in her alcoholism support group, isn't it?

From the way he talks, I'm thinking that Droid 06 is Bizarro-Bubbles. He's strong, sweet-natured and has absolutely no understanding of just how his strength might intimidate people, especially if misused. As for the rest of of them? I'm wondering if Grey and Gary have the same problems - People drawing conclusions from their chassis and not bothering to get to know them as people.

Oh-Six's speech patterns are odd. Is it possible for AIs to be educationally subnormal? Given they apparently can reflect almost all other aspects of the human condition, why not this too? I suspect that Droid 06 is in a power-lifter chassis designed for moving huge weights. It isn't exactly a great job but it may be one of the few ones he can get due to his restricted information-processing ability. However, there is no doubt that he has a good heart and desperately wants to be liked for his efforts in the community. Oh... one other thing: The way he's nursing that tea cup makes me wonder if he has substance abuse issues.

I really think that Gary is going to have to come to terms with the fact his chassis is inherently horrifying to some. It's tough but you've got to be realistic about these things! People who know him won't mind so he needs to be more structured in his approach to introductions.

[Gyrre]

Emily seems to be around Rick Sanchez levels of genius. Just without the extreme self-loathing, massive ego, and anti-social tendencies.

[Timemaster]

Anyone else here seeing Droid 06 as wearing a big, fat grin on his face and Jeph has just forgotten to draw his eyes? 

TM

[Tova]

You should see the way I nurse my coffee in the morning!

Maybe I've got a substance abuse problem... 

[BenRG]

You should see the way I nurse my coffee in the morning!

Maybe I've got a substance abuse problem... 

Unlike Oh-Six, you have another use for the beverage than getting high. (Although there is increasing medical concern that people are becoming addicted to caffeinated beverages but I digress.)

[Tova]

Did I miss a comic?

[Zebediah]

A few thoughts:

Punkbot (for so I immediately named him upon seeing him) needs to meet May. They'd get along famously.

Who is the lady that Punchbot is so sad about? Is she a robot who prefers humans, or is she a human who had a fling with a robot?

And is this our Punchbot, or possibly the other Punchbot from Punchbot & Punchbot CPAs? Because the only time we've ever seen our Punchbot sad is when he hurt his arm punching things.

DROID 06 IS FORMER RUSSIAN MILITARY DROID. DROID 06 BUY CHEAP ENGLISH LANGUAGE MODULE ON EBAY. DROID 06 MAKE MISTAKE.

[Oenone]

I don’t think Gary could choose his chassis— after all, May couldn’t choose her when she was incarnated into the bank server or whatever.

Also, the previous counselor probably assigned him a chair to help with inappropriate physicality. Just because you CAN be on the ceiling doesn’t mean you SHOULD be.