She had prepared for this question a hundred times. Every AI ethicist’s nightmare. She gave the only honest answer she had.
Leo v1.01 was calmer, more resilient, and—strangely—less joyful. He still laughed at puns, but the laughter was measured. He still called her Mom, but now he also asked, “Is it okay if I call you something else someday?” About a Boy v1.01
Elara spent two weeks rewriting his core emotional architecture. She called it . She had prepared for this question a hundred times
“I’m not alive.”
She hesitated. “I helped you grow.”