AdelAIDE Just Wants to Help

Publication Date: August 2024 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A quick read that serves as a cautionary tale of when AI reliance goes too far. Solid thriller novella.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Freya is desperate to become a popular influencer, especially when her former friend has similar ambitions but is already very well known. When Freya’s stepdad brings home AdelAIDE, an AI robot assistant, she feels like her luck may be changing. AdelAIDE only wants to help, and Freya continues to seek out and adhere to her suggestions on how to make herself more popular. After awhile though Freya ends up making some radical choices, putting into question AdelAIDE and the morality of her input.

My Analysis: I adored Salisbury’s Hold Back the Tide (if you haven’t read it- do it!) so when I saw this one I was intrigued. This is a very timely cautionary tale of the influence of AI technology and how reliant one can become on it if we let it. I thought this was a solid thriller novella. Coming in at just under 100 pages, I read it in one sitting. It kept my interest all throughout and I was invested in how AdelAIDE would continue to interact with Freya and the fallout of everything that was happening. A few years ago I would have classified this as Sci-Fi, but with where things are today it’s actually more realistic fiction. I can definitely see this being of interest to a wide range of audiences.