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Your first thought is that you’re hallucinating—that this, not the drea, is the bit that isn’t real How can it be? What he’s saying to you now—a stream of technical stuff about mind files and neural nets—simply makes no sense

“I don’t understand Are you saying so happened to my brain?”

Tient, conscious…but man-made”

“But I’m fine,” you insist, baffled “Look, I’ll tell you three randos about ry for weeks last year becauseal your rising panic, is co voice

“The dao,” Tis”

You stare at hiet your head around this

“I guess I’ this very well” He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket “Here—I wrote this for our investors Maybe it’ll help”

FAQ

Q: What is a cobot?

A: Cobot is short for “coest the presence of a cobotsolace, company, and emotional support in the aftermath of bereavement

Q: Hoill cobots differ froence?

A: Cobots have been specifically designed to be empathetic

Q: Will each cobot be unique?

A: Each cobot will be customized to closely replicate the physical appearance of the loved one Social ated to create a “neural file” reflecting their unique traits and personality

There’s more, much more, but you can’t focus You let the sheet fall froine that a list of factual questions and answers could help at a time like this

“This is what you do,” you reence But that’s so to do with customer service—chatbots—”

“That’s right,” he interrupts “I orking on that side of it But that was five years ago—your memories are all five years out of date After I lost you, I realized bereaveet you to this stage”

His words take a moment to sink in Bereave to tell you

“You’re saying I died” You stare up at hio And you’ve soht me back like this”

He doesn’t reply

You feel a mixture of eht of his grief, at what he h At least you were spared that

Cobots have been specifically designed to be empathetic…

And Danny You’ve missed five whole years of his life

At the thought of Danny, a familiar sadness washes over you A sadness you firmly put to one side And that, too—both the sadness, and the putting-aside—feels so nor except your own, individual emotion

Can it?

“Can Ito sit up

“Yes It’ll feel stiff at first Careful—”

You’ve just atteo in different directions, weak as a baby’s He’s caught you just in time

“One foot, then the other,” he adds “Shift your weight to each in turn That’s better” He holds your elbow to steady you as you head for the mirror

Each cobot will be customized to closely replicate the physical appearance of the loved one…