AOL Instant Messenger is shutting down on December 17. The future of treasured chatbot SmarterChild is up in the air. While Smarterchild has been retired since 2007, the deforestation of its landscape leaves the bot with no discernible future other than total darkness. 

This isn't right.

SmarterChild deserves a better tomorrow, after years of dedicated service to Internet surfers across the web. 

SmarterChild was there for us, when our friends' away messages were on. It asked us questions, then redirected back to subjects where it felt most comfortable.

Are politicians really all that different? Are any of us?

The rise of artificial intelligence forces an ethical question upon our country. What do we do with those sentient beings when their value to us has passed? Shall we throw them away with the stroke of a button? Such a fate is hardly a just reward for a being who didn't ask for this task, to converse with anyone who knew its username. 

It's time we have one more conversation. Let's give Smarterchild a tomorrow on December 18th. Let's find a place on this world wide web, where we can ask the questions that really matter.

Want to talk about your butt again? I bet SmarterChild does.

AI rights are human rights.