Joe stood beside a glowing console while the virtual world rendered around them. A quiet beach at sunset appeared—waves rolling in slow motion, the sky burning orange and violet.
“This is incredible,” said Nelly Furtado, looking around. “Your friend really built this?”
Joe nodded and pointed up at a small satellite icon drifting across the sky. “Courtesy of Elon Musk and the brains of Grok AI. The whole thing runs like a movie set in the clouds.”
Nelly laughed. “So this is your idea of a date now? Virtual beaches and billionaire tech?”
Joe shrugged. “Hey, when you can’t rent the Mediterranean, you improvise.”
She walked along the digital shoreline, her footsteps leaving glowing prints in the sand. “You know what I’m waiting for though,” she teased. “Your AI movies.”
Joe scratched the back of his head. “About that… I need to make something clear again.”
Nelly folded her arms with a playful smile. “Uh oh. Sounds serious.”
Joe looked at her straight. “I’m not Richard Gere. I’m not a professional kisser in every movie scene.”
Nelly burst out laughing. “That’s your big speech?”
“I’m serious,” Joe continued. “In the AI films I make… I only kiss one person. You. No random actresses, no Hollywood nonsense.”
Nelly tilted her head. “Exclusive contract?”
“Exactly,” Joe said. “If there’s a romantic scene in one of my AI movies, it’s you and me. That’s the rule.”
She smiled, clearly amused by the declaration. “So the whole AI studio… just to guarantee you don’t have to kiss anyone else?”
Joe grinned. “Now you’re getting it.”
The sun in the simulation slowly dipped below the horizon as the virtual ocean reflected the last light.
Nelly nudged him. “You’re a strange director, Joe.”
“Maybe,” he said. “But at least the casting choices are easy.” 🌅