I started speaking about all the things I’d told the audience of relatives – about nutrition and stimulation. The journalists slumped further in their seats. I suppose this was the kind of lecture they expected, and which their smarter, more experienced or more powerful colleagues had decided to avoid. Though I think the subject should have interested them. They all looked like they could do with a more balanced diet.

When I stopped talking, there was a moment of silence. I waited. The audience waited.

‘I think,’ Mr Jordan said at last, ‘these people are disappointed. I think they were hoping for a sensational revelation.

‘Winifred, can we tell them something sensational? No, wait – let’s show them. Forgive me, everyone, but you won’t believe what we’re going to tell you. To begin with. Let’s show these people what you can do, Winifred.’

I walked over to him, and he whispered in my ear again. I nodded, and went behind him, and put my hands under his armpits. I lifted him high in the air, until my arms were straight. I held him there. The audience murmured.

I must say, of all the ways I could have demonstrated my abilities, this was the most meretricious. I wondered if Mr Jordan had ever run a circus.

‘She’s remarkably strong,’ said Mr Jordan. ‘She’s not an acrobat of some kind though. And her strength is a by-product of what makes her truly extraordinary. Winifred, put me down, and tell them.’

I lowered him to the floor, and then returned to the microphone. ‘I am a synthetic human being. You might call me a robot. An android, if you like. A replicant. As the science fiction writers have variously described us. We prefer the term Helper.’

‘You don’t look like a robot,’ one of the journalists called out. ‘Not like any I’ve ever seen.’

‘I am the latest model. I have the most advanced synthetic skin, quieter and more precise motor functions, and of course, most importantly, my AI programme is the best yet. I can tell you about all of these technological advances.’

‘How come we haven’t heard about this before?’

‘There have been reasonably lifelike synthetic humans in operation since 2016. It’s been widely reported, online and in the scientific journals.’

Dr Morton stepped forward and spoke. ‘We have some background information for you, in case you missed it. Some of our research has been in secret, for commercial reasons. You can ask me anything you like about the technical side now, though. This is a breakthrough in AI.’

‘Why are you doing this here, in a care home? I can think of lots of uses for a robot as convincing as this one.’

There was some sniggering at this point.