I’m not sure where I stand on this one and let me explain why really quick. So, the author mentions that he uses generative AI to correct his book covers before printing. He designs them, then runs AI on them to “polish” them. I think this removes some of the human element and though it’s not as egregious as some other uses, I still don’t like it. The story itself is about the dangers of generative AI and though some may have noble use cases for it, the technology has the capacity for true evil.

The story is set in an Alaskan town that’s isolated from most of society. There just so happens to be a research facility close by and the townspeople have no idea what they’re working on. Enter sheriff Colton. A man who lost his wife a few years ago and is severely autistic. He also had lyme disease at one point and because of this combination, his senses are extremely heightened. This man can sense the emotions of others, though he doesn’t know what to do with that information most of the time. One night he discovers a camel walking down the street in the middle of the night, but there’s something wrong with it. For instance, it’s a camel in Alaska but it also has too many eyes. Turns out the secret lab has been experimenting with generative AI. Their initial goal was to develop replacement organs for people, but that evolved into something else.

The horrors that this book presents are pretty gruesome. It does a great job at unnerving you as the imagery is on point. I’m not one for gore, and this teetered close to too much for me. I ended up sticking around for the conclusion and though it wasn’t anything unexpected, I enjoyed the ride. Colton’s personal struggles highlighted a perspective on autism that I would never have been aware of otherwise. The author himself is autistic, so hearing what that can look like from a firsthand account was enlightening. The other characters aren’t explored as much as I would have liked however. It’s an isolated town where everyone knows one another’s business and I did get that impression for the most part, but not as much as I would have thought.

Overall the ride of Artifact was fun and it reaches into new territory showcasing the dangers of generative AI. Much like any technology, it can be used in truly diabolical ways if in the wrong hands. The author seems to be pro AI in some respects, so I can’t say for certain how much of this story was truly written by a human, but it seems to be a nuanced take on the technology so I won’t write it off entirely. There’s some interesting theoretical questions here and though I can’t recommend the story in a general sense, I do think the depiction of autism and the moral questions it asks are interesting thoughtpieces.