What if AI becomes just "smart" enough...
To at least imitate an intelligent and aware mind in order to do all
the things AI enthusiasts have promised?
Without all that extra "baggage" a truly aware mind might have to
deal with, an AI might be even more efficient than imagined and
actually become a reality.
In this case, HAL 9000 would be able to both fly Discovery and keep
certain information about an alien monolith from Dave and Frank without
having a nervous breakdown from the conflict of directives, thus
successfully completing the mission.