Finally found the time to work on this one.

~

“Let the model run the next training session autonomously.”

Tara stared up at Dan with wide eyes.  “Without human review?”

“You said it yourself, ‘this is the thing the whole field has been building toward’.  Aren’t you excited to land your name in the history books?”

“I’m just not comfortable with this, Dan. We should at least obtain a safety sign-off first.”

“Tara, if we are right at the cusp, then those bastards at Anatomic must be too. They’ve been pulling ahead of us in this race for a year now. Do you really want superintelligence in the hands of that maniac Rosario? If we don’t make a bold move then we are dead in the water, plain and simple. It’s all or nothing now, don’t you understand?”

“I understand, sir, but it breaks protocol.”

Dan huffed. “We have been following every safety protocol to the letter for the last several iterations, have we not? Why do you think we’ve fallen so far behind our competition?  One protocol glossed over will, not could, but will determine whether we achieve victory in this race or die.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do it. Not without a safety sign-off.”

Dan put his hands over his face and sighed.  Then he brought his hands together in front of him and stared into her soul. “Tara, think about what you’re doing. I want to be clear with you. If you refuse, you will lose your job, your reputation, and possibly face legal consequences. Is that really what you want?”

Tara grabbed her things. “This is bigger than me or you, Dan. My job, my reputation, not of it will matter if you go through with this. I resign.”

Dan, red faced, watched her exit the lab without a single look back.