Book Summary and Reviews of Culpability by Bruce Holsinger

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Cathryn_Conroy

A Gripping Page-Turner with a Profound and Philosophical Message About the Power—and Hazards—of AI
As much as this is a gripping page-turner, it is also an incredibly thoughtful, profound, and philosophical novel about the power, future, impact, and horror of the emergent field of artificial intelligence as it takes over so many aspects of our lives—like it or not.

Written by Bruce Holsinger, this family drama is peppered with suspense, secrets, and a smart storyline that will keep you glued to the novel.

A wealthy and privileged family of five is traveling from their home in tony Bethesda, Maryland in an AI-controlled minivan to son Charlie's lacrosse tournament on the Eastern Shore of Delaware. In a few months, handsome and athletic 17-year-old Charlie is headed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a lacrosse scholarship. Charlie is driving…well, the AI system is actually driving, but Charlie is in the driver's seat. Riding shotgun is Charlie's dad, Noah Cassidy, an attorney for one of the top law firms in the country. But unlike many of his colleagues, Noah grew up with little money and attended less-than-prestigious schools. Riding in the backseat is the children's mother, Lorelei Shaw, a brilliant, double Ph.D. who is a world-renowned expert on artificial intelligence ethics and its future. Next to her is Alice, the middle child at age 13, and behind her in the very back is the youngest, Izzy, age 10.

As they are tooling along on a Delaware highway, it is Alice—not Charlie, whose head is down looking at his phone—who sees what is about to happen. A Honda Accord traveling in the opposite lane is crossing over and is about to hit them head-on. Alice screams. Charlie reacts to his sister's scream, but not quickly enough. Because Charlie jerked the wheel in a futile attempt to avoid the crash, the AI autonomous-mode controls switched off and did not take evasive action. The two cars collide, and the elderly passengers in the other car are killed, burned to death. Only Charlie and Noah escape without injuries. The Delaware State Police investigation begins. (This is not a spoiler. All of this happens in the opening pages and sets the premise for the rest of the book.)

So who is to blame for the fatal collision? Who has culpability? Is Charlie at fault for vehicular homicide? Could he land in prison for the next 20 years? Or is Noah to blame, as the responsible adult in the front seat? And the biggest question of all: What is the difference between legal guilt and moral responsibility?

In an attempt to recover emotionally and physically from the crash's horrors, the family retreats for one week to an isolated summer cottage on the Chesapeake Bay located on Virginia's Northern Neck. Nearby is a mammoth estate, a ridiculously ostentatious mansion owned by an AI billionaire named Daniel Monet. As the two families interact, beginning with Charlie falling head over heels for Daniel's 18-year-old daughter, Eurydice, secrets start to unravel—secrets big and small and some so big, so dark, and so insidious that they could tear apart the family.

This is a super-timely novel that has a fast-paced, compelling plot and a provocative, thoughtful message. In addition to being the perfect summertime read, it's ideal for book clubs because there is so much to discuss.

And for what it's worth: When I was not reading, I often thought to myself, "Oooh! I want to go read that book 'Calamity."" Except that is not the title. The title is "Culpability," but it might could also have been subtitled "Calamity." Because for this family, what happens is truly a calamity…a catastrophe or disaster.

labmom55

Perfect for a book club discussion
Culpability screams out to be a book club selection, which is probably why Oprah chose it. There is just so much to unpack in this story. The book starts with a car accident. Seventeen year old Charlie is behind the wheel of an AI assisted car. His father is in the passenger seat, but busy working on his laptop. Mom and his two pre-teen sisters are in the back. The accident results in the two people in the other car being killed. To aid in their recovery, the family takes a weeklong vacation along the Chesapeake Bay where they interact with a billionaire tech mogul and his lovely daughter.

The book is aptly named. Who or what has culpability for the death of the two people in the other car? Who is ultimately responsible for what AI does? Are we fooling ourselves to think we have control over this Frankenstein monster we’ve created? It also delves into all aspects of guilt and remorse - of surviving, of keeping secrets or making poor choices.
Holsinger has wisely made the mother, Lorelei, a professor of engineering and philosophy who focuses on AI. This allows the introduction of ideas like situational ethics. Each character felt real. Which means they alternated between being sympathetic and irritating. This was especially true of Noah, the father. The book flips between Noah’s POV and that of the thirteen year old daughter whose “best friend” is an AI generated companion. These sections are interspersed with clips from the mother’s work.

The book took several twists I didn’t see coming and pointed out legal aspects I hadn’t thought of. I’ll admit to being someone who is scared of where AI may lead society. So, parts of this book came across a little like a horror story to me. And throughout the story, I kept seeing the parallels of those working on AI and those creating the atomic bomb. Hoping they’re doing good for humankind without really knowing how their creation could be used.

I listened to this and there was a full cast that did a great job of projecting the story.

Janine_S

The power of AI
Fascinating and suspense-filled book on the impact of Al. The Cassidy-Shaw family is driving to their eldest child's, Charlie, lacrosse game in a self-driving car when a tragic accident occurs. Who's at fault?

The book explores this and what happens when secrets are kept. This book grips from the start. It's clever and well written. And the ending twist is the best. Loved it.

Other books by Bruce Holsinger at BookBrowse