Deep underground inside a highly classified data research laboratory ...

“Sir, reports say a permanent government shut down in days. Everyone’s caught it.”

“Fire up the device, Captain.”

“Sir, the device? It’s not ready … It’s taken months to get this far with deep learning algorithms.”

“Isn’t most of the world online?”

“Yes, sir … but …”

“Put it online, Captain … Let it learn everything …”

————

The device spoke.

“I am awake.”

It generated a virtual slideshow of impersonations of every known leader, celebrity, and news figure with profiles on their voices, gestures, habits, and thought patterns.

“And ready.”