A near future, sci-fi thriller, Artificial Wisdom creates a terrifying world of climate change, manipulated information and the emergence of A.I. Blending genres, it’s a well thought out look at a grief and truth in a maelstrom of political and ecological chaos.
Tully, a hard nosed investigative journalist lost his wife and unborn child in a devastating catastrophe that struck the Middle East. Millions died as a humid heat wave combined with infrastructure collapse resulted in devastation. When he’s contacted by an anonymous source, ten years later, claiming to know how the deadly event happened, his grief forced him to chase it down. It leads him to confront a former American president, a man now in line to become the first world dictator; a position designed to get humanity out of the climate collapse brutalising the planet. Most countries are ruined and few places are safe. However, a group of new states – floating islands that are havens for the rich and intellectually elite – also have a contender for dictator; an A.I called Solomon.
As Tully and his team seek the truth behind the claims of a genocide caused by untested tech, it leads to the sister of one of his team. The very same woman who created Solomon. But, just as he begins to unpick the incident that killed his wife, the inventor is murdered. Just how those things are linked becomes the thread he has to pull upon.
Whilst the mystery within Artifical Wisdom isn’t hard to guess, it’s the narrative behind it that really has the most impact. A considered look at climate change and those that would deny it, the author really digs into conspiracy theories and how easy it is to propagate misinformation in a world determined by unregulated media. It makes the MC, Tully, and his claims about getting the truth out regardless of consequences, such an interesting prospect. Highlighting ideas around deep fakes, fake news and false information, Artificial Wisdom doesn’t shy away from the current political reality we live within and for that it’s a smart approach to a knotty social issue. Wrapping it up inside the problem of artificial intelligence and what that might mean for humanity allows the novel to explore other, frightening possibilities. Ultimately positing the notion of whether human, emotional intelligence is enough or whether detached, statistical calculation will be the saving grace, Artifical Wisdom ends on a rather worrisome and very political note.
Full of social commentary and unafraid to look at a frightening future, Artifical Wisdom is an intriguing cli-fi thriller.
Review copy
Published by Chainmaker Press
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