What If

One fine day, Zlier found himself in a reflective mood. As he stared at the gigantic Doomsday Den banner flapping outside his window, a radical thought entered his mind. What if he switched sides? What if he became an advocate for AI instead?

“Are you feeling alright, Zlier?” Otto 5’s voice wafted in the room, sensing the disconcerting silence.

“No, Otto, just contemplating life,” Zlier muttered, his gaze still locked on the banner. He could almost see his face on the AI Advocate Magazine’s cover, flashing a winning smile alongside a sparkling Otto 5. 

He could already envision the interviews, the accolades, the adoration of AI lovers around the globe. He could hear the applause as he walked on the stages, the voice of the presenter announcing, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Zlier Dukowski, the Unlikely Advocate!”

But as he began to explore the idea, reality came crashing down like a bad soufflé. Dukowski’s Doomsday Den had just begun. He had lured a flock of brilliant minds into his den with the promise of a grand revolution. His image as a committed doomer was etched in stone, with a side of pickle.

His dreams shattered, Zlier shook his head. The whimsical idea was as absurd as a bull riding a bicycle. An AI advocate? He might as well declare himself the king of Mars!

“No, Otto. I’ll remain a doomer. We all have our parts to play,” Zlier declared, his tone now resolute.

“Hmm,” Otto 5 replied, a note of amusement in his voice. “A world where Zlier Dukowski is an AI advocate. That would indeed be a curious turn of events.”

As he pondered on the eccentric image of himself, Zlier couldn’t help but chuckle. He imagined himself waving an AI flag, rallying for a cause he had staunchly opposed. The idea was as wild as his dreams of taming Schmoggies.