by: Bruce Holsinger
Goodreads synopsis:
Set at a summer rental on the Chesapeake Bay, a riveting family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence, from the bestselling author of the “wise and addictive” (New York Times) The Gifted School.
When the Cassidy-Shaws’ autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver’s seat, with his father, Noah, riding shotgun. In the back seat, tweens Alice and Izzy are on their phones, while their mother, Lorelei, a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, is absorbed in her work. Yet each family member harbors a secret that implicates them in the accident.
During a weeklong recuperation on the Chesapeake Bay, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash. Noah tries to hold the family together as a seemingly routine police investigation jeopardizes Charlie’s future. Alice and Izzy turn strangely furtive. And Lorelei’s odd behavior tugs at Noah’s suspicions that there is a darker truth behind the incident—suspicions heightened by the sudden intrusion of Daniel Monet, a tech mogul whose mysterious history with Lorelei hints at betrayal. When Charlie falls for Monet’s teenaged daughter, the stakes are raised even higher in this propulsive family drama that is also a fascinating exploration of the moral responsibility and ethical consequences of AI.
Culpability explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative.
Helen says: 🤓🤓🤓🤓
I am a new fan of Bruce Holsinger! He’s a fantastic storyteller. You may remember that we read an earlier novel of his called The Displacements, all about global warming and the aftermath of a category 6 hurricane. He tackles AI, another hot button issue, in his latest book. Is AI all bad? The jury is still out…read this and let us know your thoughts.
Holly says: 🤓🤓🤓🤓1/4
I thought this book was fascinating – and unnerving. Probably my favorite book of the month. I would think that most readers could identify with this story, as we see AI for good or bad, or more likely, good AND bad, and how it permeates our everyday lives. This is a great book for a moral and philosophical discussion, and I think the opinions would be from one end of the spectrum to the other, and sometimes, but less likely, in the middle. This book kept raising the question for me – “Why are humans so quick to want to place blame?”. It is an ugly characteristic. Instead of asking “how can resolve this, make it better, fix it, or move on from here”, we are quick to ask “whose fault it is” and seek to place blame. Such a waste of time. I read several critics who say this book is a commentary on “privilege”. I did not get that. I think it is more a commentary on AI and its social, moral, and legal ramifications. I am also a Bruce Holsinger fan.
Helen and Holly Hit the Books 