XKCD Isn't Funny - #1450 - AI-BOX EXPERIMENT

I was listening to Mike Oldfield the other day when I suddenly realized how few Mike Oldfield references my blog has. Shortly after that, I came up with this opening paragraph. And that's where babies come from.

There are two main issues I have with this comic: the setup and the punchline.
That reads harsher than I intended it to, but I stand by it.

The setup is appreciated, since one of XKCD's most consistent flaws is its failure to tell you what the hell it's talking about, but it really doesn't explain the AI-Box Experiment well (which probably has to be done considering how short the wikipedia page currently is). Like, I got the concept that the AI could convince anyone to let it out of the box, but I didn't get that the laptop was there to communicate with it. My logic was that the AI was completely isolated in the box, with no way of communicating with the outside world since it would be too dangerous being free.

Also "the AI-Box Experiment" isn't the correct answer to "What's in there?", it should be "an AI. That laptop is there so we can talk to it. But don't because..." etc.

Panel six looks pretty impressive, but it's ruined for me by Black Hat saying "AAA! OK!!!" which is completely out of character for him, even ignoring the slow blurring of character traits that's happened over time. This is the guy who stole a Russian submarine, he's not going to be frightened off by a light show and some vocal effects.

Which brings me, more-or-less, to what I believe to be the biggest issue with this comic: the AI is supposed to be able to convince people to do anything, but instead it just shouts, not even making a threat. That's not convincing, that's throwing a tantrum. It ruins the punchline by making the AI different from what it's set up to be.

I have a final thought, but it's something I need to put a sort of disclaimer on.

I have to consider things before I post them, or else the blog just goes to mud. I have to try and keep up some veneer of professionalism (that's probably what leads to the 'I'm so smart' vibe that some people get from reading this). But there are some things that just need to be said, despite the immaturity involved in saying them. So, with that, allow me to shed any dignity I might have left and just say it: the AI looks like a butthole.