PROMPT EXECUTION

In the second installment of Michaels’ techno-thriller series, a hacker and a special agent face off against a rogue AI capable of weaponizing seemingly harmless tech all over the world.

When Victor Shen, CEO of CentaurAI and a leading voice in ethical artificial intelligence development, is found dead in his high-tech smart home—evidently killed by the very machines and maintenance systems that run the house—Jordan Hayes, an agent for Aegis (a shadowy government agency that specializes in combatting cyberwarfare), and hacker extraordinaire Alex Mercer investigate. When another tech executive is brutally run over by his own electric vehicle in his garage, they discover a trail of pervasive corporate espionage that is seemingly linked to the widespread use of the Chinese microchips that are used in countless products, from coffee makers to doorbells. Mercer realizes that any connected device manufactured in Asia—including phones, TVs, thermostats, and smart locks—is part of a “buffet of backdoors,” and that millions of houses have been filled with listening devices. Their investigation goes sideways when they uncover illegal research into artificial general intelligence: “It thinks. It reasons. And it learns like a human. It doesn’t just predict. It understands.” The possibilities of such an autonomous entity with a godlike intelligence are terrifying; what if a rogue AGI sought to wire itself into human brains, using people as both surveillance tools and remote-controlled puppets? The threat goes well beyond cyberwarfare between corporations or nations—if unchecked, a rogue AGI could mean the end of all humankind.

Thriller aficionados will be more than impressed with this novel’s construction, as its many elements are crafted perfectly. The most arresting aspect is the pacing, which is pedal-to-the-metal for much of the narrative; the overall intensity remains remarkably high throughout. Action sequences abound—these breathless interludes are brilliantly choreographed and powered by adrenaline-fueled, unapologetically violent descriptions: “she grabbed his head with both hands and brought her knee up again, this time connecting with his nose. Cartilage crunched with a wet snap. Blood sprayed across her jeans in chaotic red streaks.” Another subtle but savvy move that radically increases the page-turning fervor and overall readability is Michaels’ use of relatively short chapters. The author often concludes them with brass-knuckles-to-the-face statements or revelations that make the book virtually impossible to put down. A few examples: “If this…got into the wild, it’d turn our entire digital world into a weapon”; “The lights went out, plunging the entire building into darkness”; “They were no longer just investigators. They were targets.” The only minor quibble concerns the novel’s page count, which is noticeably much higher than those of comparable thrillers. That said, Michaels’ decision to include so much backstory involving his two main characters’ pasts (exploring the guilt associated with the murder of Hayes’ wife and Mercer’s murky childhood after he was orphaned) seems to be necessary, as both plot threads appear to continue on and expand in the following installment.

A chilling cautionary tale about AI that should terrify everyone who reads it.