Bookends with Mattea Roach Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us human?
Feb 16, 2025
Helen Phillips, an accomplished author and creative writing teacher, dives deep into the implications of technology on our humanity in a dystopian future. She discusses her latest novel, which reflects a world ravaged by climate change and dominated by superintelligent AI. Helen candidly shares her creative process and how personal experiences influence her writing. The conversation highlights the balance between technology and authentic human connections, emphasizing the importance of nurturing joy and wonder in our children despite overwhelming consumerism.
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Writing from Anxiety
- Helen Phillips uses her anxieties about climate change, AI, and surveillance as inspiration for writing.
- Her research process involved reading extensively to understand and confront these fears, which influenced Hum.
Writing as Coping Mechanism
- Helen Phillips attributes her lifelong writing habit to coping with alopecia at age 11.
- Writing transformed her anxiety into shareable language, lifting burdens through connection with readers.
May's Desperate Choice
- May, the protagonist of Hum, lost her job because artificial intelligence replaced her.
- Desperate for money and hope, she agrees to an experimental surgery to alter her face and evade surveillance.
