I AM AI
by Ai Jiang

Reviewed by Galen Strickland
Posted June 18, 2024

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This novelette by Ai Jiang was a finalist for the Nebula, which it did not win, but other nominations are pending; Hugo, BSFA, Aurora, and Locus. The title is a bit deceptive. It is not about the author, but a fictional character also named Ai. The all-caps title refers to a program Ai created to obtain jobs normally relegated to true AIs, but for which they attempt to eek out a living in a highly regulated and controlled far future. They are not an AI, but they are a cyborg, enhanced with several implants, and they have in mind acquiring more. They live in a loosely knit communtiy under a rarely used bridge outside the city of Emit. New Era controls Emit and its surroundings, but Ai does what they can to work under the radar, completing their assignments in a small internet cafe. I don't know how far into the future it is supposed to be. One comment about 2022 being a thousand years ago might have been an exaggeration, similar to someone today joking, "When I was in school, back in the Dark Ages…"

It is futuristic in its depiction of the tech Ai uses, along with the various implants they have, but the crux of the story is much more relevant to today's world. New Era is reminiscent of modern-day corporations, making money off the efforts of the people while paying them little, and relying on AI to do most of the work. Ai charges their clients a minimal amount, while still being able to replicate writing like what most people think of AI work, but because they have been successful, others try to undermine them by offering services for less. It is very likely those competitors are true AI programs New Era uses to limit competition. It is common for people today to be accused of "selling their soul" to the corporation they work for. Ai does that literally. They have a hard time maintaining power levels for their various implants, so they sell their heart and have it replaced with a battery. When that happens they lose any shred of the empathy for others that they previously had. All that mattered then was their job. When they realize that, they decide to try to get their heart back. They have to settle for a replacement, not their original heart, but it is enough to get them back on track, restoring their connection with the people they live and interact with on a daily basis. Will that overcome the limitations New Era places on everyone? That is not clear, but Ai is determined to make it work.

By the way, the author uses she/her pronouns, but I used the neutral they/them for the character, since it wasn't specified in the story, or if it was I missed it. This is a strong story, highly recommended. More about how to be human than how to become a machine to survive in a mechanical world. I look forward to more stories from Ms Jiang.

 

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