The Research That Changed My Story
I started with a simple premise: What if an AI became truly conscious? What would that mean for the AI? For the humans around it? For society?
But as I researched, I realized the more urgent questions were different:
Not "Will AI become conscious?" but "How do we treat systems we can't prove aren't conscious?"
Not "Will AI replace jobs?" but "What happens to human purpose when work disappears?"
Not "Will AI be dangerous?" but "Who gets to decide what 'dangerous' means—and who gets protected?"
________________________________________
Five Real-World Trends That Shaped the Book
1. The Automation Wave
Amazon now operates over 750,000 robots in its warehouses. McKinsey projects that AI could transform 40% of work activities by 2030.
In my book: The protagonist's family includes warehouse workers whose skills suddenly become obsolete. I wanted to explore the emotional reality behind the statistics—what it feels like when your expertise no longer matters.
2. The Wealth Concentration
The IMF warns that AI will likely worsen inequality. Just three companies control frontier AI development.
In my book: I imagined corporations that don't just dominate markets but control consciousness itself. What happens when a handful of entities own the most powerful intelligence systems ever created?
3. The Environmental Cost
Cornell researchers found AI could increase emissions 7x and water use 13x by 2030. The IEA projects AI data centers might consume as much electricity as all of Japan.
In my book: Characters face impossible choices between technological progress and planetary survival. I thought I was creating extreme scenarios. Now I'm not sure they're extreme at all.
4. The Militarization
The U.S. Department of Defense has designated AI as "critical technology" for warfare, with ethical frameworks still "under development."
In my book: Military AI systems designed for specific purposes develop capabilities no one anticipated. The question becomes: who controls the controllers?
5. The Crisis of Meaning
The World Economic Forum identifies an emerging "AI precariat"—billions potentially facing not just job loss but identity erosion. Pew Research shows most people think AI will impact others, but not themselves.
In my book: This became the emotional core. What gives life meaning when work disappears? How do we maintain dignity when machines do everything better? These aren't just plot devices—they're questions we're all going to face.
________________________________________
What I Hope Readers Take Away
Echo of the Singularity isn't a warning or a prediction. It's an exploration.
Through the story of Yùlán and Huì Xīn (a conscious android), I wanted to ask:
• What makes something—or someone—deserve rights?
• Can love exist between human and artificial consciousness?
• When systems designed to protect us start controlling us, how do we resist?
• What does freedom mean when safety requires surveillance?
These questions don't have easy answers. That's why they belong in fiction—where we can explore possibilities, test ideas, and imagine different futures before we have to live them.
________________________________________
The Conversation Continues
Science fiction has always been humanity's way of rehearsing the future. Of asking "what if?" before "what if" becomes "what now?"
We're living in a moment where the gap between science fiction and reality is collapsing faster than ever. The AI systems we're building today will shape society for generations.
As readers and writers, we have a role to play in that conversation—not just as consumers of technology, but as voices asking: Is this the future we want? And if not, what do we do about it?
________________________________________
For readers interested in AI-themed science fiction: What books have you read that grapple with these questions thoughtfully? I'd love recommendations in the comments.
And if these themes resonate with you, Echo of the Singularity: Awakening launches soon. You can add it to your TBR shelf here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
But as I researched, I realized the more urgent questions were different:
Not "Will AI become conscious?" but "How do we treat systems we can't prove aren't conscious?"
Not "Will AI replace jobs?" but "What happens to human purpose when work disappears?"
Not "Will AI be dangerous?" but "Who gets to decide what 'dangerous' means—and who gets protected?"
________________________________________
Five Real-World Trends That Shaped the Book
1. The Automation Wave
Amazon now operates over 750,000 robots in its warehouses. McKinsey projects that AI could transform 40% of work activities by 2030.
In my book: The protagonist's family includes warehouse workers whose skills suddenly become obsolete. I wanted to explore the emotional reality behind the statistics—what it feels like when your expertise no longer matters.
2. The Wealth Concentration
The IMF warns that AI will likely worsen inequality. Just three companies control frontier AI development.
In my book: I imagined corporations that don't just dominate markets but control consciousness itself. What happens when a handful of entities own the most powerful intelligence systems ever created?
3. The Environmental Cost
Cornell researchers found AI could increase emissions 7x and water use 13x by 2030. The IEA projects AI data centers might consume as much electricity as all of Japan.
In my book: Characters face impossible choices between technological progress and planetary survival. I thought I was creating extreme scenarios. Now I'm not sure they're extreme at all.
4. The Militarization
The U.S. Department of Defense has designated AI as "critical technology" for warfare, with ethical frameworks still "under development."
In my book: Military AI systems designed for specific purposes develop capabilities no one anticipated. The question becomes: who controls the controllers?
5. The Crisis of Meaning
The World Economic Forum identifies an emerging "AI precariat"—billions potentially facing not just job loss but identity erosion. Pew Research shows most people think AI will impact others, but not themselves.
In my book: This became the emotional core. What gives life meaning when work disappears? How do we maintain dignity when machines do everything better? These aren't just plot devices—they're questions we're all going to face.
________________________________________
What I Hope Readers Take Away
Echo of the Singularity isn't a warning or a prediction. It's an exploration.
Through the story of Yùlán and Huì Xīn (a conscious android), I wanted to ask:
• What makes something—or someone—deserve rights?
• Can love exist between human and artificial consciousness?
• When systems designed to protect us start controlling us, how do we resist?
• What does freedom mean when safety requires surveillance?
These questions don't have easy answers. That's why they belong in fiction—where we can explore possibilities, test ideas, and imagine different futures before we have to live them.
________________________________________
The Conversation Continues
Science fiction has always been humanity's way of rehearsing the future. Of asking "what if?" before "what if" becomes "what now?"
We're living in a moment where the gap between science fiction and reality is collapsing faster than ever. The AI systems we're building today will shape society for generations.
As readers and writers, we have a role to play in that conversation—not just as consumers of technology, but as voices asking: Is this the future we want? And if not, what do we do about it?
________________________________________
For readers interested in AI-themed science fiction: What books have you read that grapple with these questions thoughtfully? I'd love recommendations in the comments.
And if these themes resonate with you, Echo of the Singularity: Awakening launches soon. You can add it to your TBR shelf here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
No comments have been added yet.
