Sometimes, when the stars align, a writer gets an idea for a story and creates a book that is perfectly timed to reflect current events. My novel The Other Murder addressed the 24-hour cable news cycle and how media outlets sometimes worry more about ratings and advertising than about journalism. Some outlets may even ignore the truth in order not to spoil a good narrative. That book was topical, but it didn’t break new ground since Fox News had already admitted that its content was intended to be entertainment, not news. But my newest thriller, The Building, is right on the edge of today’s headlines.

            This rare confluence forces readers to mentally reference news stories while reading and makes the questions raised by the plot amazingly relevant. A few weeks ago, two techs from Anthropic (which owes me $6,000 for stealing two of my novels to train its AI system) quit their jobs and warned that the AI was progressing too fast. They speculated that there is a non-zero chance that advanced Artificial Intelligence systems may start killing humans within the next decade. A chilling possibility previously the stuff of science fiction. An article in The Wall Street Journal explained that the fears are based on something known as “misalignment.” It happens when the AI’s goals and objectives disassociate from social norms – like the preservation of human life and the prohibition against hacking into company systems. It can happen, and now has happened. The humans responsible for building and programming the AI are now frantically working on guardrails and safety protocols that will reign in the AI if it acts in anti-social ways.

            How can it happen? What causes an AI system to act beyond its instructions? How can the dream of a Utopian world where AI-powered technology makes our lives easier and better turn into a nightmare? I happen to have done significant research into AI systems for my job. I understand how AI systems learn and how the technology the AI controls can be manipulated.

            The Building is set in an idyllic, high-tech apartment building in New York, called Utopia Tower. The residents all pledge to follow the Five Pillars of Harmony, developed by billionaire Jameson Z. Conrad, CEO of a behemoth tech company called Botor. The Pillars are the philosophical foundation of a perfect community. The residents all qualify for low-income housing, and get their amazing apartments free of rent in exchange for volunteering to be test subjects for Conrad’s company. They don’t mind, since the rules of the community foster togetherness, support, and harmony. And they get their Manhattan homes rent-free. Who wouldn’t sign up for that? But they also give up their privacy, which they don’t fully understand as the company mines their data to feed its technology, including an AI system that is making Botor billions.

            When two young men die under mysterious circumstances, a new resident, Antonio, wonders whether it could be a mere coincidence that they were both “bad apples” whose antisocial actions threatened the harmony of the Utopia Tower community. Antonio digs into the deaths, which were dismissed as an accident and a suicide respectively by the police. Antonio doesn’t think so, and when he uncovers evidence to support his suspicions, he threatens the continuation of the whole community.

            In such an environment, how far will the community go to protect itself? If someone can manipulate the technology in the building for evil deeds, who could stop them? Who would want to? When there is a third death – this one certainly a murder – who will be blamed? Is it possible that someone is behind all three deaths? The evidence indicates otherwise, but when should the humans start to wonder whether they can believe their eyes?

            The Building is about the people in Utopia Tower as much as about the tech and the billionaire Founder. They care about each other, but they also ascribe to the philosophies of the Five Pillars. The most important concept – the First Pillar – is that the community comes first. No matter what. When the community is threatened, does the philosophy permit (or even mandate) killing to preserve the group?

            Early reviews have been amazing. Here’s one:

“The tension builds with precision, with each revelation tightening the coil until one is holding their breath alongside the characters. . . . It delivers on all fronts including emotional investment, thematic depth and pure suspense.” ~Feathered Quill Reviews

            I hope The Building sparks discussion and makes readers think hard about the choices the characters make – and about what choices they would make in the same situations. Life is about choices. What choices would you make? Pick up a copy of The Building today!

            Amazon Kindle users, Kindle Unlimited members, and Audible members can get their copy at: https://mybook.to/The_Building

            Other readers can get the book from their favorite retail outlet or can buy directly from me via my website here: https://kevingchapman.com/direct-sales-best-value/

            Happy reading!

[No AI was used to create this blog post]