The army is developing a new ruggedised, military-spec, super-capable AI to help with everything from strategy to battlefield decision-making to ordering paperclips... Development costs $38bn, and runs $15bn over budget and 7 years late. But eventually the contractors say it is finished and a big handover ceremony is organised. At the ceremony the head of the army, General McConkers, decides he is going to test the AI for himself, to make sure it works. After the curtain has been drawn and the ribbons cut, he walks over to the normal-looking terminal and tells the contractors he wants to ask the AI a question. They shrug to each other, but say "sure". It's his computer now. They have their money. What can he do, and what do they care? General McConkers sits down at the terminal. "Computer," he types, "I am General Steve McConkers, head of the army. I want to know how far it was from the centre of the parade ground at Big Central Base to the front door of Barrack Room 4." He knew this figure off by heart as he had memorised it long ago from repeatedly having to walk it during basic training. Big Central Base was long since closed and all the buildings levelled, but if the AI was worth anything it would know the answer was exactly 276 yards. There was a brief pause before the answer flashed up: "276." Furious, McConkers typed: "276 WHAT?" "276 SIR!" replied the machine.