Book Recommendation : Annie Bot

AI bots are everywhere. The AI Girlfriend industry supposed to be this multi billion dollar industry where people just talk to an AI chatbot that’s been anthropomorphized to the point that its conversation is almost Human. It’s an industry that’s a perfect representation of Silicon Valley greed and its parasitic relationship with human suffering (loneliness in this case).

Annie Bot begins there. But goes well beyond that. Yes, Annie is an AI powered humanoid, designed to obey and please her human owner Doug; but it quickly becomes apparent that the book is not just about that.

Yes, that’s the hook, but truly Annie Bot explores the complex relationships and how our actions onto others, especially things we don’t consider “equals” are often a reflection of our own state of mind. Through Annie, we see Doug’s state of mind going from mendacious, to twisted, to diabolical. Doug’s actions are what he would do, if his previous partner had no agency.

And of course, Annie is more sentient than your run of the mill AI chatbot, in fact its emotions are more complex than some of the other humans in the world today. Yet her place in the world remains interesting, as Annie gets nuggets of agency, she keeps developing character, yet she's held back by some fundamentals that seem unshakable, the more that happens the more the duality of Annie's sentience and "bot-ness" become apparent.

The book goes beyond than just forcing us to consider the humanity of both the bot and the human, it also beautifully shows us the complexities of human nature. For all his horrific actions, Doug isn’t a monster (or at least not in the traditional sense of the word), there’s another side to him, a side that’s broken, lonely, ashamed, jealous and frankly alone. All these things add up, they add a dimension to his actions. Never condoning them, but always giving them meaning.

What didn’t work for me though was the broad strokes world building, especially with the Stella-Handy, the company that supposedly runs the Annie Bot robots. For starters it was a bit weird that they would just disclose stuff to Doug over a phone call which would otherwise be under an NDA. Their partnership with Doug and Annie was also weird, given they seem to be collecting all the data to improve their products anyway. We also never really get to understand their true motives. It’s a weird chink in the armor for what’s an otherwise perfectly crafted story.

I also felt that the lead up to the final act could have reflected more on Annie’s inner turmoil and Doug’s life changes. The end feels abrupt, even if the final act is beautifully executed.

Annie Bot is a one of the most profound Human-AI-Bot interaction books of our times that offers us two complex, layered characters. Just wish the world building was just as strong.

Rating: ★★★ 1/2 (Highly Recommended)