The Concept: Humans created robots in their image. Never did they consider them equals in the eyes of the law.

K47 is a robot who is becoming human against his wishes. Unable to complete his programming due to the metamorphosis, the robot finds himself in a battle with an emotion chip, the law, and the very people who stand to profit from his mission. He’ll have his day in court to fight for legal rights for androids, but surviving the challenge may be too much for his system to bear.

Life Extension LLC began selling android clones to wealthy business people shortly before the second mission to Mars was announced. The mechanical duplicates were designed to carry a rich person’s affairs to their logical conclusion in the event the upper crust socialite passed away unexpectedly. The units were physically identical to their purchaser and their internal memory core was loaded with every detail of the person’s life. Transfer of those memories, thought patterns, and reactions were done upon delivery and updated by the user as they saw fit. Equipped with the owner’s vocal patterns, a Life Extension Unit spoke exactly the same, even when switching to another language.

The LEU’s purpose was to finalize contracts, pay any outstanding debts, and see to the dispersal of funds to the heirs. For those who could afford the seven-figure price and thousands of dollars of monthly maintenance, it was the perfect way to guarantee their empire would be dealt with in a manner consistent with their desires and lifestyle.

Lawyers could interpret a person’s Last Will and Testament as they saw fit. Even a probate judge could rule that a certain statement had several meanings and then choose the one he liked best. An android was a machine with a program. It only had the ability to see issues as either black or white. Gray was not an option…until now.

The Drive: The epic battles between humans and robots have all been over strength and weaponry. The great legal battle has yet to be defined…until now.

Ricky Ginsburg never found his way into the legal profession. Heavily influenced by television, he’s always had a desire to argue a case in a courtroom setting. Much of K47’s dialog comes from his imaginary debating with an unseen adversary over some key point of law.

As a writer, characters have always been stalking the back of his mind. It’s the plot that often confounds the writing of another novel. So many stories have been written about robots that want to be more human. Building a character who desired just the opposite

was part of the challenge of K47. The concept of an android who would settle the affairs of a super-wealthy client provided the perfect setting for the back-story. Giving that android an attitude completed K47’s character.

Along with the humans who rarely side with the robot, there’s also a woman who was in love with his owner and has let those feelings transfer to the android. Building that relationship between human and machine, and keeping it one-sided, presents another glimpse into our possible future.

Who should read this: Not just lawyers, or judges, or even criminals, but everyone who’s interacted, no matter how short, with the legal system.

So much science fiction has become science fact that in this age of Artificial Intelligence, that turnover has gone from taking years to happening as we swipe. The people who are asking, “When?” need to look behind them. AI has already happened. The future is upon us and we need to consider how we’re going to share the world with our creations.

Anyone who believes that robots will never be either defendants or complainants in a legal setting will be convinced they were wrong after reading K47. Those who generate income from the legal system need to consider the possibility that not all of their clients will be human given time and technology. This article, tailored for the Authors’ Lounge audience, will inspire readers to consider the directions that Artificial Intelligence is forcing them to take.

Where do we go from here: Movies and the ongoing battle for legal standing for androids are always possible plotlines.

As a feature film, K47 has tremendous potential. A follow-up novel, featuring Alexis Edison also has possibilities.

Who is Ricky Ginsburg: His life is on display here

Ricky Ginsburg is one of those writers who sees a flock of birds heading south for the winter and wonders what they talk about on their journey. His portfolio consists of nearly 400 short stories, more than half of which have found their way into various magazines, both paper and electronic, and ten novels, four by Black Rose Writing and the rest self- published. While much of his writing has elements of magical realism and humor, he also has a serious side, but keeps it in a small plexiglass box under his desk.

Where can you purchase K47: Amazon