Another AI list. I know. But what can I say. I'm loving all things AI right. now.
It’s summer. It’s hot. It’s muggy, regardless of where you live.
Summer means there’s nothing better than a tangy Blood Orange Margarita and a fun novel to read poolside. Or in the living room, under a fan, with the AC cranked.
Try these novels. They’re better than anything on TV. Promise.
Klara is an AI humanoid — really an Artificial Friend (AF) — hired, well bought, to be a friend to 14-year old Josie.
The novel is narrated by Klara. Unique. We start and end with the perceptions of an AI humanoid.
Klara sits in a store. Think AI orphanage but she’s waiting to be bought instead of adopted. Josie, a teen with a mysterious illness, connects with her and the family takes her home. Klara adjusts, becomes deeply involved in Josie’s life, and the two form a tight bond.
Klara ponders her obsolescence — will she be replaced by a newer machine — and the replacement of humans by machines.
Klara yearns for a connection in their technologically advanced society. She yearns for a friend.
As Josie worsens Klara is convinced the power of the sun will save her.
This story blends sci-fi with sacrifice, love, the human condition, and the evolution of society as everything is continually ‘improved’ and replaced.
Is it moral to create intelligent machines? What happens when these ‘machines’ experience the world and influence human society?
This is short. And prescient.
Ai is a writer. The world is bleak and dark and capitalistic. Ai can no longer compete. AI pumps out content faster and easier than human writers.
She’s starving. And falling behind.
She’s working hard but it’s not enough. Gradually, she begins to replace her body parts with more productive machine parts. She’s becoming more cyborg than human. Will it be enough?
Will she be able to keep up?
Will she remain human?
It’s a classic for a reason. If you don’t know, this is the source material for the movie Blade Runner. You can’t call yourself a sci-fi fan unless you’ve read this book.
Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter. He eliminates androids that have escaped the work colonies. He doesn’t call it murder. But as the androids continue to become more human-like in appearance and behavior he begins to re-evaluate.
The environment is ruined. Animals are mostly dead and gone. The popular status symbols are fake, artificial animals as pets.
Rick tests possible androids for empathy. They lack it. Don’t understand it. But do humans with their artificial pets and empathy boxes still retain any level of empathy for their world?
For the environment?
Where’s the line?
This one is graphic, as in it’s a graphic novel. Some genres lend themselves to alternate styles of story telling. Sci-fi and AI are perfect examples. It’s a great story and beautifully drawn. The writing and the illustrations work together to create a layered story all will find entertaining regardless of their exposure to AI.
Clementine is ecstatic. And she’s just moved to Mars, works for her hero Dr. Lin, a pioneer of AI. What could be better?
Lin turns out to be a control freak. Demanding. He treats humans much the same as he treats Kye, his humanoid AI.
Who will form a more human relationship? Kye and Clem? Clem and Lin? Lin and Kye?
Chiang is my favorite sci-fi writer currently cranking out short stories and books. The movie Arrival was based upon his work. He takes complicated themes and concepts, and turns them into accessible, entertaining, and thought-provoking stories.
Ana Alvarado, a former zookeeper, and Derek Brooks, a former animator, are hired to develop and nurture digients — digital entities designed to evolve and learn within virtual environments. Think of them as digital parents raising their family. These digients are simple and child-like.
They are easy to manipulate. And eager to learn.
Soon they bond with, and trust, their all-too human parents.
They grow.
Do they grow to be responsible ‘adults’? Is it the parents’ responsibility to ensure they are contributing members of their society?
What does it mean to be human and a parent?
Final Words
Alright, these themes sound heavy. They are. But mostly these books are just great, fun, and entertaining stories. You won’t feel like you’re sitting in a philosophy class. You’ll be turning pages, eager to get through the stories, and sipping your margarita.
Happy reading.
Join my weekly Substack Newsletter — Brain Slap — I will help you think more thoroughly about life. About businesses of all shapes and sizes. About your sanity. And how to take a punch and come back swinging. Plus reading lists and an occasional crazy thought or two…
Comments