Artificial laughter: V. Pelevin’s "iPhuck 10"

The article is an attempt at studying the laughter of AI in V. Pelevin’s novel "iPhuck 10"(2017). Porfiry Petrovich’s laughter is examined from two angles, from its semantics and from its pragmatics. The problem of AI laughter in the novel leads not only to considering the possible capabilities of future AI, but also to the revelation of how laughter becomes a special kind of reality formation. The comic traits of Pelevin's hero are revealed by examining him based on modern AI models of laughter, the main feature of which is feigned humanity. By violating the reader's expectations on how he should behave, and by parodying his literary prototype, Porfiry creates a pretext for the reader to laugh. The second part of the article focuses on the meaning of Porfiry’s laughter in the novel. The apparent absence of the author due to the fact that he is an algorithm is refuted in the analysis, after which another narrator is revealed who controls Porfiry’s narrative. Playing with the author's death allows Porfiry to fit into the false image of a writer who supports freedom and resists authority. The analysis of laughter as a narration event helps identify how Porfiry's laughter becomes a propaganda tool. Porfiry mocks those who break the law and turns their crimes into funny stories, but his "mirthful" laughter allows him to fool the reader and makes him see the world the way he wants to.