- Human Traits | A Novel
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- The connection between Dune and AI
My publisher gave me a deadline of April 11th such that Human Traits can get published in May of this year. I tend to work better under deadlines, so as I am being diligent in getting this last push of writing completed before the manuscript goes to the editing phase. Right now, I am targeting to get the book published by my birthday, May 17th. That's the goal!
Last weekend, I got to see Dune Part II at the 70mm film version of a local IMAX theater. Phoenix is fortunate to have an IMAX with this format and is only one of twelve in the world that can show a movie in 70mm film. For sure, it was a visual and auditory delight. Some are calling this film the best science fiction film this decade and among the best ever made. I agree.
Dune, Parts I and II are closely aligned with the original book that is written by Frank Herbert in 1965, and is considered one of the world's best selling science fiction novels, right behind 1984 (in my next edition, I will cover some easter egg references to 1984 in my book). A fascinating element of Dune is the connection between modern day AI and the Dune world that is set in the year 10,191 AG (after guild) or in our parlance 23,352 AD. So, how is it that a book written in 1965 can address AI? If you really want to dive into this topic, there are more than a few articles covering it, but I found this one quite interesting:
A brief encapsulated version is best articulated directly from dialogue in the book itself:
"Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them."
Then a retort:
"Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a man's mind."
This is extraordinary dialogue and down right prophetic, to have been written in 1965. It might not explicitly mention AI, but you can't mistake Herbert's reference here for where technology went terribly wrong in the 'modern era'.
The above text is referencing our world we live in right now and explains why there is an absence of AI and computers in general in the world building of the Dune Universe.
My novel, Human Traits, is not meant to be science fiction, but rather a close cousin - speculative fiction. Set in 2032, a time that feels very close to our present age. One of my objectives with the book is to cast a vision how AI will be interwoven in everyday human life. Mind you, AI represents more of a character than the plot itself in my book.
Back to Dune. A book written 59 years ago, set ten thousand years into the future, yet has very relevant warnings and implications for today. That is great fiction!
