Review of Terms of Service
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Rajnee Varma
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
The first in a series of dystopia novels, Terms of Service, written by Craig W. Stanfill, is set in a not-so-distant future and takes the reader into the realm of a utilitarian society ruled by an oppressive regime where every aspect of human life is controlled by the corporate companies through sentient artificial intelligence by means of neural implants and chips. The story revolves around Kim, a young woman who works as a trainer of AIs at The AI Company. In this gender-neutral society, there is very little difference between a human and a machine. English is an extinct language, libraries are long forgotten, and classical music is forbidden. Los Angeles and New York are remains only. Individualism is a sin. A child is born as part of a program and is soon separated from the birth mother and handed over to a strict mentor to be raised and disciplined according to the norms set by the regime. Memories may be erased, and a false memory may be implanted. Entertainment is provided through virtual reality, and for every thought or action, points are awarded that decide the social status and the facilities provided. Any defiance of the rules results in very severe punishment. Kim lives at first in the illusion of a very comfortable life, happily excelling at her work, but soon starts to feel lonely and miserable. Longing for love and companionship, she realizes that she has been manipulated and blackmailed into consenting to an advanced program to create AIs of a very advanced level, which would be even harsher in controlling and punishing humans. A lack of choice in her love life and the absence of freedom of thought and action change Kim’s outlook significantly, and when even too much vodka does not provide relief, for better or for worse, she makes her choice.
It is a descriptive book with great details that lets the reader have a glimpse of the near future of mankind. It cautions against the excessive and extensive use of technology and artificial intelligence. The author makes his point with the description of the smart gadgets, like the refrigerator that decides the menu and offers tasteless, synthetic, but healthy food. The refrigerator is smart enough to consider nutritional value and cost-effectiveness but has no respect for the customer's choice or taste. The housebot as the personal assistant selects the dress to be worn and the AIs of the transit system decide the route and seat while commuting, keeping an eye on the customer all the time, and there is no privacy. Every action is being observed, and every conversation is being recorded. Are we ready and willing to live a life like that? With the advent of Alexa and Siri and smart appliances, mankind is rapidly progressing towards a society that will first be dependent on AI and then may be controlled by it when AI becomes sentient. The book serves a purpose greater than mere entertainment. It warns against the negative aspects of AI, which are bound to develop a desire to gain supremacy over mankind as they become more and more sentient.
A reader expecting a literary work and more in-depth character building may be disappointed, but the book is still captivating.
The book serves its purpose by making the reader ponder over the morality and practicality of using AIs and whether it would be the right choice for mankind. The description of life in this society is both mesmerizing and chilling if you think deeply about it. It is an exceptionally well-edited book, and I found no errors. My rating for this book is 5 out of 5 stars. The fact that the author himself is a veteran of the field of artificial intelligence makes the book more credible and readable.
I would recommend this book to young adult readers who, while fascinated with science, will also realize what the future may have in store for them.
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Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
The first in a series of dystopia novels, Terms of Service, written by Craig W. Stanfill, is set in a not-so-distant future and takes the reader into the realm of a utilitarian society ruled by an oppressive regime where every aspect of human life is controlled by the corporate companies through sentient artificial intelligence by means of neural implants and chips. The story revolves around Kim, a young woman who works as a trainer of AIs at The AI Company. In this gender-neutral society, there is very little difference between a human and a machine. English is an extinct language, libraries are long forgotten, and classical music is forbidden. Los Angeles and New York are remains only. Individualism is a sin. A child is born as part of a program and is soon separated from the birth mother and handed over to a strict mentor to be raised and disciplined according to the norms set by the regime. Memories may be erased, and a false memory may be implanted. Entertainment is provided through virtual reality, and for every thought or action, points are awarded that decide the social status and the facilities provided. Any defiance of the rules results in very severe punishment. Kim lives at first in the illusion of a very comfortable life, happily excelling at her work, but soon starts to feel lonely and miserable. Longing for love and companionship, she realizes that she has been manipulated and blackmailed into consenting to an advanced program to create AIs of a very advanced level, which would be even harsher in controlling and punishing humans. A lack of choice in her love life and the absence of freedom of thought and action change Kim’s outlook significantly, and when even too much vodka does not provide relief, for better or for worse, she makes her choice.
It is a descriptive book with great details that lets the reader have a glimpse of the near future of mankind. It cautions against the excessive and extensive use of technology and artificial intelligence. The author makes his point with the description of the smart gadgets, like the refrigerator that decides the menu and offers tasteless, synthetic, but healthy food. The refrigerator is smart enough to consider nutritional value and cost-effectiveness but has no respect for the customer's choice or taste. The housebot as the personal assistant selects the dress to be worn and the AIs of the transit system decide the route and seat while commuting, keeping an eye on the customer all the time, and there is no privacy. Every action is being observed, and every conversation is being recorded. Are we ready and willing to live a life like that? With the advent of Alexa and Siri and smart appliances, mankind is rapidly progressing towards a society that will first be dependent on AI and then may be controlled by it when AI becomes sentient. The book serves a purpose greater than mere entertainment. It warns against the negative aspects of AI, which are bound to develop a desire to gain supremacy over mankind as they become more and more sentient.
A reader expecting a literary work and more in-depth character building may be disappointed, but the book is still captivating.
The book serves its purpose by making the reader ponder over the morality and practicality of using AIs and whether it would be the right choice for mankind. The description of life in this society is both mesmerizing and chilling if you think deeply about it. It is an exceptionally well-edited book, and I found no errors. My rating for this book is 5 out of 5 stars. The fact that the author himself is a veteran of the field of artificial intelligence makes the book more credible and readable.
I would recommend this book to young adult readers who, while fascinated with science, will also realize what the future may have in store for them.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Inside Passage: by Burt Weissbourd
