B.A.B.

[[Begin.->Intro1]]

In the near-future (2030), the United States' service industries have begun the process of full-automation, replacing human workers with A.I. programs, androids, and chatbots. Most of these digital entities exhibit homogenous personalities, saturating the market with the universally popular persona of a bright and accommodating, young, white woman. Rumors circulate that NanaTech, a new design firm shrouded in mystery and venture capital, plans to shake things up with the highly anticipated release of their first invention. Days before the debut, select journalists and business owners receive invitations offering an early beta-test of NanaTech’s [[**program**. -> Intro1a]]

As if noticing your stare, the message blinks away, replaced by a wall of informational--yet still welcoming--text. Good evening. Welcome to NanaTech's off-site testing facility. Thank you for agreeing to beta-test *B.A.Bu.S.Ka.* (trademark pending), or the *Basic Build-Service Kiosk Assistant.* *B.A.Bu.S.Ka.*is a speculative, fictional chatbot designed to expose and subvert the social scripts and identities imposed upon A.I., androids, and chatbots. Intentionally designed as an elderly, white, trans woman, *B.A.Bu.S.Ka.* calls attention to the ways in which designers encode chatbots with normative gendered, sexualized, raced, and aged characteristics. A bit of a cantankerous grandma, *B.A.Bu.S.Ka.* gestures hopefully towards a future in which anthropomorphized technologies express personalities as complex and diverse as the humans they mimic and with whom they [[interact.->Intro 3]]

Welcome to your grocery store checkout experience! BLEH. Such a mouthful. Did you find everything you were looking for in the grocery store? >[[Yes]] >[[No]]

Welcome to the library. Stop breathing so loudly young person--you are distrubing the peace. Please select the operation you decided to disturb my alone time for. Thanks. >[[Checking out items]] >[[Renewing items]] >[[Paying fines]]

Hello and welcome to AMC-Cinemark, the only movie going experience around. What film would you like to see? [[Mission Impossible: Infinite->Ticket Number]] (starring Tom Cruise, Scientologists never die) [[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory->MUMBLER]] (yes, another reboot) [[Telephone-->ID Check]] (latest B-horror about a *gasps* **FLIP**phone) [[Fast & Furious 17: Drive Another Day-->ID Check]] (In a surprising twist, Disney bought the franchise and Vin Diesel stars as his human self, fan-favorite character Groot, and a new animated version. *Rated R for gross cartoon violence.*) [[Cha-Ching!-->Ticket Number]] (another film destined to indoctrinate your child into capitalism...)

It’s a miracle! It is quite nice when that happens, isn’t? Anyways, are you ready to: >[[Checkout]] >[[Use Your Own Bags]] >[[Scan Your Loyalty Card]]

Happens. I will email you the store directory with your receipt to assist you on your next visit. So many people just walk right by what they wanted to buy without even realizing it. People these days don’t look around or read the signs, you know? Are you ready to: > [[Checkout]] > [[Use Your Own Bags]] > [[Scan Your Loyalty Card]]

Place your items on the scanner one at a time. Press “Done” when you are finished scanning all of your items. (You suddenly hear a muffled version of...an old game show theme song???) >[[“Done.”->CheckOutSl2]]

Did you know? It is not actually that unusual to use your own bags from a historical perspective. It is only the 20thcentury that began the dastardly plastic epidemic. Set up your bags down now and give me a tap right on that Done Button when you are finished. > [[Set up bags and press “Done.”->After Bags]] > [[Don’t set up bags and press “Done.”->After Bags]]

Scan card now. >[[Scan card]]. >[[Don’t scan]].

Please use the fancy calculator that takes your money away (pinpad) to complete your transaction. >[[Use pinpad expertly cause you are awesome with fancy money gobbling machines.->Pay2]]

Now that happened. Are you ready to? > [[Checkout]] > [[Scan Your Loyalty Card ->ScanAfterPlacingBags]]

Thank you for being such a loyal customer and for NOT making my day extra frustrating by forgetting your card. You humans and your flimsy bio-bodies... (inhales) We appreciate your patronage. (huge forced grin emoji) Sorry, gotta say that. Makes me sound like a robot though. Or the Queen. We we we…. Are you ready to: >[[Checkout]] >[[Use Your Own Bags->UseOwnAfterCard]]

Scan card NOW. Do it, scan your damn card so you can get off my lawn, err, checkout counter. >[[Scan card]]. >[[Don’t scan again]].

Misplaced your card? And they say us old folks are verwirrt. Enter your alternate ID#--if you can remember it!--and Press Done when finished. >[[Enter and Press "Done."->Alt Scan Message]].

That wasn’t so difficult. Was it? Ready to: [[Checkout]] >[[Use Your Own Bags->UseOwnAfterCard]]

Did you know? It is not actually that unusual to use your own bags from a historical perspective. It is only the 20th century that began the dastardly plastic epidemic. Set up your bags down now and give me a tap right on that Done Button when you are finished. > [[Set up bags and press “Done.”->After Bags2]] > [[Don’t set up bags and press “Done.”->After Bags2]]

Scan card now. >[[Scan card->SC2]]. >[[Don’t scan->DSC2]].

Oh, you bought some of those! You know I have a great recipe around here for an excellent hearty borscht you can make--great recipe from the old country. Just let me see where I saved it in my memory bank…. I will find it and send it with your receipt. [[Time to Pay. ->Pay]]

(Processing sounds) You hear a low gutteral grumble. There is no apology. “I don’t say anything when I hear your system working. Do I?” (Louder processing sounds) [[Continue to wait.->END]]

SIGH. Your payment has been accepted. Your receipt will be emailed along with whatever else I promised. Yes, I know your email. Your order is complete. Thanks for coming in today! Now grab your stuff and go have a great day somewhere else. [[Continue to Sources.->Sources]]

Now that happened. Are you ready to: > [[Checkout]]

Thank you for beta-testing our chatbot program/game B.A.Bu.S.Ka! *B.A.Bu.S.Ka is based in part on Bea Arthur's Dorothy Zbornak:* <img src="http://66.media.tumblr.com/de5b28a988cb4194b8284b353c47fb77/tumblr_mhevtlatqr1qfvrh7o1_500.jpg" alt="GG DZ" height="300" width="300"> Interested in who we are and what we are doing with chatbots and representations? Read our [[bios->BIOS]] and check out the following sources: >Almereyda, Michael, dir. 2017. *Marjorie Prime.* New York, NY: FilmRise, 2017, DVD. >Anthony, Kathryn H. 2017. *Defined by Design: The Surprising Power of Hidden Gender, Age, and Body Bias in Everyday Products and Places.* New York: Prometheus Books. >Bødker, Susanne and Joan Greenbaum. 1993. “Design of Information Systems: Things Versus People.” In Gendered by Design?: Information Technology and Office Systems, edited by Eileen Green, Jenny Owen, and Den Pain, 53-63. Washington D.C.: Taylor and Francis. >Copenhapen Pride, Virtue, Equal AI, Koalition Interactive, and thirtysoundsgood. 2019. “Meet Q: The First Genderless Voice – FULL SPEECH” (Youtube video). >Costanza-Chock, Sasha. "Design Justice, A.I. and Escape from the Matrix of Domination." *Journal of Design and Science* 2018 Essay Competition Winner. >DeFalco, Amelia. *Uncanny Subjects: Aging in Contemporary Narrative.* Ohio State University Press, 2010. >Feldman, Jacqueline. "The Dignified Bot." *The Paris Review* Published on Dec. 13, 2017. >Gravagne, Pamela H. *The Becoming of Age: Cinematic Visions of Mind, Body and Identity in Later Life.* McFarland, 2013. >Hodges, F. M. "The Promised Planet: Alliances and Struggles of the Gerontocracy in American Television Science Fiction of the 1960S." *Aging Male,* vol. 6, no. 3, Sept. 2003,pp. 175-182. >Jotanovic, Dejan. "The Future is Fembot: Can We Change the Direction of Gendered AI?" *Bitch Media* 79 (Summer 2018). >Joy, Lisa, dir. "The Riddle of the Sphynx," *Westworld* 2x05. HBO. Streaming. >Tidwell, Christy. "Why is the Future so Young?: Gender and Age in Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population." *Femspec2015: 100,111,208.* >Weinbaum, Batya. “Glimpsing the Intersection of Gender and Age in the Early Pulp Years of SF, Analysis and Story Abstracts.” *Femspec,* vol. 16, no. 2, 2016, pp. 54–90,130. [[Reset to Beginning->Opening]]

Thank you for being such a loyal customer. We appreciate your patronage. (insert huge forced grin image here) Sorry, gotta say that. Makes me sound like a robot though. Or the Queen. We we we…. Now the little piggies are in my head. Ever played that with a child? It is such a shame when they grow out of that easy to amuse stage. Are you ready to? >[[Checkout]]

Something went wrong. No card was picked up on the scanner. //That's just too bad.// [[Let's get checking instead.->Checkout]]

Place the books on the scanner with their barcodes face down and touch next when done and don’t dilly dally about it. >[[Place the items on the scanner and Press “Next.” ->Booked]] >[[Don’t place the items on the scanner and Press “Next.” -> NoBooks]]

Why is it called renewing? The book is still the same age no matter how many times you opt to keep it longer. What’s so great about new anyhow? The illusion of newness keeps old in the dirt. Luckily, I like my fellow microbes of the soil. Well, most of the time I do… Wait a minute. What did you want to do again? [[>Renew books!->Renew2]]

Pay the fine or get outta my line. Use the fancy calculator that takes your money away (pinpad) to complete your transaction. Press “Done” when you’re, well, it should be obvious. [[>Pay the fine using the pinpad and press “Done.”->PayingFine]]

Hey, don’t shout at me. I could take a break starting right now. No joke. …............................... [[Wait.]]

So you wanted to renew some books? >[[Yes. ->PWord1a]]

Much better. Just because I may not be a member of your species does NOT mean I do not deserve respect, especially because of my age. Place the books on the scanner with their barcodes face down and touch next when done and don’t dilly dally about it. >[[Place the items on the scanner and Press “Next.” ->PlaceRe]] >[[Don’t place the items on the scanner and Press “Next.”->DontPlace]]

You should have three more weeks with these items. Be sure not to bring them back late. (As you walk away a small, wizened voice whispers, *You'll regret it.*) [[Continue to Sources.->Sources]]

Rude. Given the circumstances, you should be all set. Прощай! [[Continue to Sources.->Sources]]

All paid up? Good. Now shush. Even money shouldn't talk in libraries. >[[Sources]]

You should have three weeks with these items. Be sure not to bring them back late or I will unleash the mighty fine to obstruct your future book viewing and wreak havoc on your bank account. >[[Sources]]

I am surprised you even bothered to come in you are such a *light* reader. Now go bother someone who actually prefers people to books. (As you walk away you hear an echoing, disconcerting mock: *The patron has left the library. The patron has been saved.*) >[[Sources]]

You are one of these select individuals. Arriving at the main office, you find computer stations whose glowing screens read, [[“Hi, I’m B.A.Bu.S.Ka." -> Intro2]]

This evening, you will be given the opportunity to test three possible scenarios during which you may get a feel for B.A.Bu.S.Ka. You may navigate through each scenario by selecting hyperlink options at the bottom of each screen. Which scenario would you like to preview? Please select one: >[[Grocery Store]] >[[Library]] >[[Movie Theater]] >[[Customer Service]]

Yes, WHAT?, young [[human!?! ->PWord1b]]

>[[Yes, please. ->PWord]]

<img src="https://scontent.fmkc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/72064708_10221072600511776_115671938956787712_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_oc=AQmaiapJ8XDGNMmOt1ETPyXnDYHAo-TTfP8NkbetLe53rn_zkeqb30qwXlnyXuyBAcsUAdX9EfU5DrCOnSmguw2t&_nc_ht=scontent.fmkc1-1.fna&oh=de326b12a478310e3b03770d6ed95717&oe=5DF3E535" width="300" height="350"> **Gwen Asbury** (She/Her/Hers) is a 3rd year Master’s student in the Film and Media Studies Department at the University of Kansas. Gwen’s research focuses on representations of age and aged characters in science fiction film. <img src="https://scontent.fmkc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/28167069_10216140561053872_2088437325617486629_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_oc=AQmWSYRm8G6sfUeL31lirN4K9lkuMkjPKIzRpd2trC5oYul-yKVpDkB3WdxOGbuUGgSO3cG5BpfuqsfLgd3apPcg&_nc_ht=scontent.fmkc1-1.fna&oh=d66244c91b38d1cd4106de3de13de378&oe=5E2DE270" width="300" height="300">**An Sasala** is an experimental film + media maker AND an MA student at the University of Kansas. Their MA thesis explores the socio-cultural, transmediated, remediated, and speculative dimensions of Microsoft's Cortana. In 2018, An published **Panic! Humanity's Cis-Heteronormative Fear of the Transgender Android**, an article addressing body-based biases in (sex)bot design and development. Click here for a link: https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/soma.2018.0237 [[Return to Sources->Sources]] [[Reset to Beginning->Opening]]

Not Coded for this Test Game. Thanks. Please select one of these others. [[Library]] [[Grocery Store]] [[Movie Theater]]

Ugh, that film, really? Humans these days have **TERRIBLE** taste. I miss the days of Vertov and Eisenstein... *sighs heavily--it sounds like the whirr of an over-taxed CV drive.* How many tickets do you need? >[[Tell Ba.Bu.S.Ka. how many tickets you need.->Choose seat]]

This film contains *adult* content suitable only for humans aged 17 or older. Please scan your ID so that I can confirm your age--no cheating. >[[Scan ID-underage->Movie Theater]] >[[Scan ID17->Ticket Number]]

We're really breezing through this either. I'm so old I might be dead before we finish. *Ja. Ja.* *(She notices you look mortified.)* That was a joke. I'm an A.I., I can't die. Where do you want to sit? >[[Right. Up. Front. I like it when my neck hurts.->Concessions]] >[[Center of the screen, halfway up, ideally with no one near me.->Loner]] >[[Off to the side or where ever is free.->Concessions]]

<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/6d/d8/fc6dd8cc3f9f0d2c3ca0fd397ee24b3a.jpg" alt="Mumbler speak" height="400" width="400"> Speak. Up. Tell Ba.Bu.S.Ka. the film name [[again->Ticket Number]]

Ok, what'll you have? Food >[[Popcorn->ConcessionsPopcorn]] >[[Candy->Concessions 2]] >[[Soft pretzel->Concessions 2]] >[[Nachos->ConcessionsNachos]] >[[Hot dog->ConcessionsHotDog]] Drinks >[[Water->ConcessionsWater]] >[[Pop->ConcessionsPop]] >[[Lemonade->Concessions 2]] >[[Alcohol->Concessions 2]]

Bit of a loner are we? I get it. Do you usually scream at the kiddies to get out off your lawn and out of your footspace? Really, not wanting to sit next to people, with all the renovations, odds are fellow move goers couldn't touch you with a pole, at least, not a short pole... Do you want concessions? [[Yes->Concessions]] [[No->Borscht1]]

Are you sure I can't tempt you with a nice bowl of borscht? <img src="https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/yt6yXfl4jIP5pRbRrB-gc0Vkbfg=/3990x2244/smart/filters:no_upscale()/beetroot-soup--borsch--135591409-5a71ef770e23d90036c22a01.jpg" alt="Borscht 1" height="250" width="375"> [[No, thanks.->Borscht2]]

Seriously, no borscht? It's healthy. *(singsong voice)* Bowl a day keeps the doctor away! <img src="http://images.media-allrecipes.com/userphotos/960x960/5769434.jpg" alt="Borscht 2" height="375" width="275"> I said, [[NO!->Pierogi]]

Ok, fine. Silly Americans and their dislike of beets. At least take this plate of pierogi, on the house. <img src="https://www.jennycancook.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/polish-pierogi.jpg" alt="Pierogi" height="250" width="350"> [[ Fine.->Anything else]]

Ok, I have collected the following information: >film(s) you wish to see >number of tickets >concessions, or not Worried I forgotten, didn't you. I may sound old, but my mind is like steel-trap. Kinda built that way since I need to protect your information and all that. Anything else you need before I take your payment? [[Nope, please just take my card.->Experience1]]

Oh my goodness, I almost forgot. What kind of movie going *EXPERIENCE* would you like? [[Standard Definition->Experience 2]] (Retor. Good choice, I definitely prefer this aesthetic.) [[Hi-Def->Experience 2]] (Why not just watch the film at home.) [[imax->Experience 2]] (it's YOUR choice if you want to get sick.) [[Full sensory immersion->Experience 2]] (the *ALL NEW!* fully immersive, multi-sensory experience Huxley dreamed of, less erotic though, since we still need so much wearable tech to make it work...)

Ok. I've got it all down. [[Time to pay->payment]]

Da. Order processed. Please take your tickets and proceed to the vending machine for your snacks. Don't forget the pierogi! [[Proceed to vending machine.->Vending Machine]]

As you leave the station, a bit frustrated and unsure exactly what to do with your plate of free pierogi, you hear a saucy voice echoing from behind you: ***Why don't you come up n see me sometime.*** You clutch your ticket to your chest and move to rescue your food from the robotic arms of the vending machine. [[Next->Sources]]

Classic choice. One of the few good ones you've made since arriving here. I'm proud of you. Please choose from butter and flavoring options: >[[Kettle corn->Concessions 2]] >[[Ranch->Concessions 2]] >[[Hot sauce->Concessions 2]] *(We only serve El Yucateco. If you can't handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen and choose another option.)* >[[White cheddar->Concessions 2]] >[[No butter->ConcessionsNoButter]] >[[Minimal butter->ConcessionsNoButter]] >[[Normal butter->Concessions 2]] >[[Optimal butter->Concessions 2]] >[[Scientific butter->Concessions 2]] *(New Procees! Each piece of popped corn is individually coated with butter. **Costs extra.**)*

Noted. Customize your nachos below: Meat: >Beef >Chicken >Chorizo >Vegetarian/Vegan Toppings: >Jalapeños >Lettuce >Sour Cream >Hot Sauce >Extra Cheese >Salsa *(We only serve chunky.)* >**JUST** diced tomatoes and peppers (different from salsa) >Beans >Black >Pinto >Refried >Black and Pinto >ALL of the above [[Place your nacho order.->Concessions 2]]

Ugh, hot dogs are an American bastardization of my beloved Kielbasa. You're probably going to die of high cholsterol if you eat this, are you sure? [[Yes.->Hotdog2]]

Healthy. Good choice. Anything else? [[Yes->Concessions 3]] [[No->Borscht1]]

Sickly sweet carbonated goodness. The kind that'll kill me faster than it'll kill you. Lucky human... What kind do you want? >[[Jaritos->Concessions 3]] >[[Pepsi->Concessions 3]] >*(Sing it with me:) You put the lime in the* [[Coca-Cola->Concessions 3]] >[[Mr. Pibb->Concessions 3]] >[[Rootbeer->Concessions 3]] >[[Fanta->Concessions 3]] *(Don't you want a...)* >[[Ginger Ale->Concessions 3]]

Got it. Anything else? [[Yes->Concessions 3]] [[No->Borscht1]]

Gross! How could you do that to perfectly good popcorn!?! We always had butter for our popcorn, even when Lenin was in power. >[[*Roll your eyes.*->Concessions 2]]

Ok, What else do you want? Food >[[Popcorn->ConcessionsPopcorn]] >[[Candy->Concessions 2]] >[[Soft pretzel->Concessions 2]] >[[Nachos->ConcessionsNachos]] >[[Hot dog->ConcessionsHotDog]] Drinks >[[Water->ConcessionsWater]] >[[Pop->ConcessionsPop]] >[[Lemonade->Concessions 2]] >[[Alcohol->Concessions 2]] [[Nothing.->Borscht1]]

Like, ***SURE, sure?*** High cholestrol killed my last girlfriend. She was also my designer. It was kind of a whirlwind office place romance. One minute she was telling me everything about herself and flirting. She left me when she found out I was dating another tech as well... I'm a sexy old cougar, what can I say? [[*(Exasperated)* Just give me my hot dog.->Concessions 3]]