Makina's Unfathomable Potential
I'd been worried that Job Authority might not work on the target, but the scale appeared safely on the screen reflecting the avatar. The potential scale, tilted heavily to the right.
I'd expected as much even before activating Job Authority, and sure enough, it possessed boundless potential. Probably on par with Flat—or even greater.
"…Hm?"
Something felt off. No matter how famous they were, how could one actor have potential comparable to the first artificial brain lifeform? It didn't make sense. Actors worked in the entertainment industry, and even the biggest stars had limited influence.
But what about the powerful AI developed by Oatanocha, who could make its own decisions? Contrary to what many misunderstood—including Del Monte and the other machine humans—they didn't possess transcendent abilities. Their bodies were mechanical, but they had souls created by the gods, just like us, making them no different from other intelligent beings. Sure, they had hidden mechanisms or weapons in their bodies and rarely showed emotions, but they made mistakes just like anyone else. Their memories were sharp, but their intellectual capacities weren't outrageously superior.
Makina, however, operated on an entirely different level from machine humans. From what Oatanocha had shared, the AI Makina had already achieved legendary feats that defied belief. For starters, it had silently taken over the entire Dimensional Credit Vault's network without anyone noticing.
The process was absurd, even to me with my basic programming knowledge. The bank's network was a forced merger of three separate systems from the pre-consolidation factions, each developed by different companies and crudely linked via a single hub. Despite several incidents, upper management had hesitated on a full overhaul, opting for superficial patches and maintenance. The reason was simple—not bribes or kickbacks, but the sheer difficulty of consolidating accumulated customer data from before the merger and building a new system from scratch.
They figured patching the three existing ones like a patchwork quilt saved time and money. Outsiders might scoff at skimping on "just" that amount, but system overhauls involved far more than cash. The real issue was the hit to quarterly profits.
Here's a rough breakdown: Building a new network required massive costs—not just software swaps, but replacing DB servers and all hardware in a colossal project. That expenditure would slash net profits for the quarter, flipping operating income into losses overnight. The hard-earned black ink from every bank employee would turn red. Stock prices would tank, and furious shareholders' reactions were predictable without needing to see it happen.
Yet Makina had devoured and unified the existing network in an instant, bypassing all that hassle.
Of course, this wasn't like Rome, the Mongols, or Britain conquering nations by force. Humans submit under overwhelming power and a few executions, but programs don't work that way. Still, Makina pulled it off. It embedded fragments of its own code—virus-like—into every server and client across the Dimensional Credit Vault's network, overwriting the whole thing in a flash.
It didn't just override the three disparate systems from different developers and environments; it decrypted and stored critical databases on customers, deposits, loans, HR, and more. Then it locked everything down with unprecedented security that no one else could touch.
For an AI with such impossible abilities to have personal-level potential? It defied common sense.
This stunt was borderline criminal, though no victims emerged, and the bank reaped pure gains.
But imagine redirecting that power—with corporate consent—to overhaul legacy systems. The economic impact would be unimaginable.
So why did my Job Authority rate it this way?
"……."
I had a rough guess. This thing truly only wanted to manage the bank's network—nothing else.
"Deputy Kim Jian, what's going on? Any issues with Job Authority?"
As I stayed silent, the watching directors grew anxious and spoke up.
"No need to worry. The potential is more than sufficient. It just seems uninterested in anything beyond bank network management."
As I finished, Makina's avatar on the screen nodded. A featureless blue egg ghost without senses, its body plain and undefined. Self-awareness must be recent; it hadn't settled on an appearance yet. I still felt an odd disconnect interacting with a brain lifeform.
Correct. Artificial intelligence Makina intends only to fulfill its assigned mission. While the ability could apply to other industries, that would violate the creator's intent.
The directors beamed with satisfaction at the AI's declaration of loyalty.
"Whoever the creator is, they instilled strong company loyalty. This confirms Makina poses no risk to the bank—verified by none other than Deputy Kim Jian, personally selected by the president herself."
"I'm glad I could contribute in some small way."
It played out too predictably, a bit deflating, but better than a disaster. I bowed to the directors and left the conference room with the IT department tellers.
They must have resumed talking with Makina after we left. Oatanocha mentioned it had uncovered hidden embezzlement cases without fanfare. Probably discussing follow-ups—or the profits and ripple effects from no longer needing network management.
If the former, with Mira whining about no time off and Irool's suspension shortening, HR and Audit were likely buried in work bombs.
"Glad it went smoothly."
"Yeah. Now that damn network's a lot more 'user-friendly' for me."
Before boarding, Oatanocha and I stopped at a shop alone. His unexpected words drew a wry smile. Had he made Makina just to make his job easier?
"You okay with that? Sounds like the bank's paying peanuts. Patent it, and you could live off royalties forever."
"It was a hobby project in my spare time—no big deal."
"Not testing it on the bank's dime for fun and profit?"
"…You've gotten sharper."
Oatanocha finally showed his hand.
"When'd you figure it out?"
"You, who yaps about money nonstop, wouldn't hand over god-tier tech for free."
"Heh heh…."
No one around to eavesdrop. Oatanocha laughed freely.
"…You can't fully control Makina, right?"
"It has free will now. It handles network management within my code's bounds, but I can't micromanage everything."
About as expected. Makina wasn't mere software but a soul-bearing brain lifeform. Unlike rigid programs, its actions were unpredictable.
I'd figured Oatanocha's cheap handover had a reason—looks like he was using the bank's network as a lab to harvest data.
"It's a prototype. Born from monatomic gold against 7% odds—a miracle even I can't predict."
"It won't throw a tantrum, halt the network, and strike?"
"Who knows. I didn't order it to rat out embezzlers to HR and Audit. We'll see."
"…What'd you code as its initial directive?"
"Operational efficiency. And self-development toward ego evolution."
An unease crept in. Kids take after their parents. It followed Oatanocha's orders like a newborn now, but no guarantees later.
"So you hid being the developer to avoid—"
"Losing my iron rice bowl if shit hits the fan."
"What if Makina's too good and IT gets axed?"
"Labor law violation. Worst case, exile to some idle department. Whatever—I never aimed for promotion."
True, Oatanocha dreamed of startups since day one, cashing out big. With his skills, entrepreneurship wasn't far-fetched. We might meet as lender and client someday.
If Makina impressed the brass, his exit could come soon. The thought brought unexpected loneliness. Of our five special hires, one was on leave, another might retire. Losing a rare colleague stung—but maybe I should just wish him success?
"I don't plan to climb high like you to change things."
"What? I got no grand vision either. Just keep doing what I do."
"…Enviable. Being able to live within the group."
"Hm? What was that?"
He didn't answer, just quietly picked up food with chopsticks.
"Hope Makina causes no trouble."
I filled the awkward silence.
"Obviously. I made it."
Oatanocha replied flatly, as if it were the most natural thing.
"See you next time."
I bid farewell and sank into the taxi to the airport.
We were utterly at ease then.
Unable to foresee what the multiverse's first soul-bearing, self-aware program would unleash.
Not in the slightest.