In the book, Sylvie, who works for an AI company, uncovers her colleagues’ illegal activities. Torn about what to do, she confides in her personal trainer, who’s dismayed not only by the choices she faces but also by her advocacy of AI, a technology he considers dangerous.
In this book, Joan talks about what inspired the book, gives insight to her main character, and shares her take on this technology.
What inspired you to write a book centered on AI?
So many people don’t understand what AI is or don’t believe they need to worry about it yet. They associate the risks with the distant future when robots might take over. AI is already in our lives. When a fictional character uses a GPS or talks to Siri, that person is using AI. So, the question is, why isn’t AI part of every novel and not just speculative fiction or nonfiction? “The Deepfake” is a story about its characters, but for them, AI moves from a topic of debate to an influence on outcomes.
Who is Sylvie and what is her stance on the technology?
Sylvie is a young woman working in sales for a software company that sells businesses AI-powered solutions. To Sylvie, AI is a wonderfully promising technology. As the story unwinds, she finds herself defending AI to a man she falls in love with. He takes the opposite view and sees AI as dangerous. Events unfold that give both of them reason to reconsider their views.
What is the big secret Sylvie discovers and what’s the risk that it poses?
There is more than one secret in “The Deepfake.” I don’t want to provide spoilers to potential readers, but Sylvie learns AI can be a tool that alters our perception of reality in both our personal and professional lives.
Does the book take a page from recent AI-related news?
Recent AI-related news has been both enlightening and a thorn in my side. The technology and the news about it changed so fast, I had to keep going back in my manuscript as I was writing it to change aspects of the story that were obsolete.
What would you say are the pros and cons of AI becoming more prevalent in our lives?
This question invites a PhD-sized thesis for an answer. I can best respond with an example. There has been plenty of publicity around the failures of self-driving cars. I keep wondering how the AI software in those cars decides the correct course of action in a potential accident. Is it better to let the driver die to save pedestrians who are children? That would be for the greater good, but would I buy such a car?
What values inform AI’s choices: an eye for an eye? Turn the other cheek? Die for a cause, or live to fight another day? We all have different values (and religions), but what are the values of the software engineer who develops the AI software intended for a specific application? What will the software decide after it has digested all our religious and philosophical literature? It teaches itself. AI will bring fabulous advances into our lives but not without terrible risks.
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