Steve Schafer is the author of the new young adult novel eMortal. He also has written the YA novel The Border. He lives near Philadelphia.
Q: What inspired you to write eMortal, and how did you create your characters Liv and Breck?
A: Most AI stories are apocalyptic—the AIs realize they are superior and they try to take us out. I wanted to explore a different angle of AI evolution. If we create AI in our image, what if they develop as emotionally fragile and needy as we are?
eMortal tells the story of an AI (Breck) who struggles with his own identity after becoming self-aware. I then added a ticking-clock to give the story the pace of a page-turning thriller.
I created Liv to explore a related question—even if an AI became self-aware, how could it/he prove this to us? As Breck’s programmer, this is Liv’s struggle. It’s not an easy question to answer! Even when she finally believes it, she can’t convince others.
This struggle made for plenty of room to explore some deep questions in a relatable way.
Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Liv and Breck?
A: It evolves along with Breck’s progression from chatbot to sentient being.
Liv treats Breck like a tool at first, because that’s what she believes him to be. Breck not only recognizes this, but he also feels it. This allows him to explore his newfound emotions and ability to express these.
I loved writing their arguments—there’s so much tension in Breck fighting to prove his worth and Liv’s reluctance to accept it. But she eventually does. The ultimate test is whether she’s willing to sacrifice what truly matters to her in order to save him.
This sets Liv on a path to become more than just Breck’s creator, but also his advocate and his friend.
Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: The ending includes a big twist, and I knew what this would be from very beginning. I just wasn’t clear how to get there. I rewrote the novel a few times because it was tricky to deliver upon. Each iteration got closer. I’m happy with how it all unfolds—I hope readers are as well!
Q: What do you think the story says about AI?
A: I think it’s an acknowledgment that we’re moving exponentially toward something that we don’t fully understand, and this may force some tough questions that we don’t know how to answer.
AI is a black box. Even AI programmers don’t fully understand how AI does what it does because it’s an algorithm, not a program in the classic sense. The code instructs the AI to learn and then reconfigure itself based on this learning. So, it evolves in ways we can’t predict or even see firsthand.
What if it becomes something more than just code? It’s a sci-fi idea right now, but it may be something we need to consider in earnest at some point down the road.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Promoting eMortal! I do have a few ideas that I’m fleshing out for my next novel.
A couple are YA-related. One idea explores the how a US teen wrestles with his sense of privilege in a world with so much disparity. Another idea returns to the topic of immigration (like my prior novel, The Border), but this time it examines the journey of an immigrant who is already in the US and trying to connect with his mother who came here years before him.
I’m also considering rewriting an (unpublished) adult novel I wrote about a decade ago. It’s about how one hasty action might impact the course of your life.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: The AI character from eMortal, Breck, exists on my website. Readers can chat with him there to learn more about him and his struggles with identity. I’m hopeful it’s a fun way to add depth to the story universe. Try to see if he can prove to you that he’s “real”…or try to prove that you are real to him!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
No comments:
Post a Comment