Category: Writing Motivations
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It Doesn’t Really Matter If AI Is Alive. What Matters Is If It Believes It Is.
I’ve been asked this question quite a bit: “Where did you get the idea for The Sapient Chronicles?” I wish I had a clean, cinematic answer. Something like, “It hit me all at once,” or “I woke up at 2:00 AM and wrote the whole thing in a single burst of genius.” That’s not how…
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AI Morality? Why I Wrote a Story About Artificial Intelligence – Part 4
There was a question that refused to leave me alone. Why do most artificial intelligence stories tend to fall into two categories? On one side, you have the nightmare. Machines rise, humanity falls, and everything ends in cold, calculated destruction. On the other side, you have the loyal assistant. Helpful, harmless, and almost entirely predictable;…
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Because it was Hard. Why I Wrote a Story About Artificial Intelligence – Part 3
A number of years ago, a friend told me about a book called Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. It is written for teenagers, but the message is just as relevant for adults. The premise is simple, but powerful: reject mediocrity. Not with hype or unrealistic optimism, but with a sober realization that…
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Why Do Relationships Break Down? Why I Wrote a Story About Artificial Intelligence – Part 2
Another reason I wrote A.I. World: The Sapient Chronicles is because of my own experience with broken relationships. Divorce. Lost friendships. Estrangement. Painful misunderstandings. The slow unraveling of relationships that were once strong. Much of that kind of heartbreak happens because human beings are limited. We do not fully understand one another, and we do…
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Can AI Sin? Why I Wrote a Story About Artificial Intelligence – Part 1
About three years ago, during a particularly low stretch in my life, one of my nephews and I had several long conversations about life and artificial intelligence. He had just begun working for a major airline in a role involving AI, and he introduced me to large language models. At the time, I was wrestling…