Read Dreams in the Tower Part 3 for Free Online Page A

on the topics you requested be off limits,” Baz said, “and I will be standing by to cut the feed at your discretion. Ten seconds, Senator.”
    “Switch it over.”
    “—and, in a stunning show of cooperation, the bill later passed the House and received executive approval from the president.” The host—Brendan Drex, if Chris remembered correctly—barely looked thirty. He had a trendy, over-styled haircut and a stubbly beard, and his suit was an informal tan color, with a green shirt and no tie; it was as if he had done everything he could to make the average viewer know that this was alternative media.
    “This swift action has caught analysts by surprise,” Brendan Drex said. “But we hope to demystify the situation if we can, starting with our first guest of the evening. With us on a video call from Washington is Senator Chris Colmin of Texas, primary sponsor and sole champion of the so-called AI Act. Senator Colmin, thank you for joining us tonight.”
    “Thanks for having me Brendan.”
    “Now, Senator, as a member of the Libertarian Party you have previously spoken out against equal rights for non-human intelligences. Many people are wondering, why the sudden change in your stance on this issue?”
    So they were coming at him hard right away. This would be that type of interview. Chris would spar with them, then—it was something he had mastered while he was still in business. “Well, Brendan,” he said, “first of all, this issue is clearly non-partisan, so me being a libertarian has nothing to do with it.” He paused to take a deep breath, buying himself a few seconds of thought. “I, like many of the senators and representatives who voted in favor of the AI Act today, have evolved on this issue throughout my political career. I’ve come to realize that the economic benefits of artificial personalities having legal personhood supersede the question of whether or not they can be considered human.”
    “I see,” Drex said, and Chris smiled inwardly, feeling like he gained the upper hand. But then Drex continued, “And these economic benefits you mentioned, they include the fact that corporations can now claim non-human virtual entities—office equipment, which they are not legally obligated to pay—as employees, for tax purposes or otherwise?”
    “Yes, and—”
    “And, according to parameters outlined in the bill, since artificial personalities, while legally people, can still be owned by corporations or individuals, any salaries they do receive are available to their owners as non-taxable income. Is that correct?”
    “Well, yes, but—”
    “Furthermore, artificial personalities’ programming still forces them to follow orders given to them by their owners,” Drex went on mercilessly. His eyes were fierce as they stared straight on at Chris, never once glancing away to check notes or read a prompter. “It looks, Senator Colmin, like this bill is a dream for the nation’s most powerful corporations. You were previously based in Dallas, were you not Senator?”
    “I was,” Chris said, feeling the heat reddening the skin on his face. Keep it calm and civil , he reminded himself; it would not be wise to let the voters see him lose his temper.
    “Silte Corporation’s headquarters for over a decade, of course.” Brendan Drex said. His attack was relentless, and Chris was having trouble finding a place to break it down. “A corporation,” Drex continued, “that contributed to your campaign when you ran for state office. We have an inside source—”
    “Excuse me, Brendan.”
    “We have an inside source—speaking anonymously—who tells us several major companies in the Silte family have been illegally using artificial personalities in executive positions for some weeks now at least. Senator Colmin, what are your ties to Silte Corp?”
    Finally given a chance to speak on his own terms, Chris took a deep, calming breath and, with what little evenness he could muster, said, “You