Culpability (Oprah’s Book Club): A Novel

A tale that explores AI which in highly readable, whodunit style. Great character development and a plot that is difficult to predict. The best part, though, is the manner in which the author makes ethical distinctions and prioritizations more compelling by embodying them in the emotions of a fatal car crash and the familiar tensions of family dynamics

“We do the world no good when we throw up our hands and surrender to the moral frameworks of algorithms. AIs are not aliens from another world. They are things of our all-too-human creation. We in turn are their Pygmalions, responsible for their design, their function, and yes, even their beauty. If necessary, we must also be responsible for their demise. And above all, we must never shy away from acting as their equals.” (343). “These new beings will only be as moral as we design them to be. Our morality in turn will be shaped by what we learn from them, and how we adapt accordingly.” (343) “Perhaps, in the near future, they might help us to be less cruel to one another, more generous and kind. Someday they might even teach us new ways to be good. But that will be up to us, not them.” (343) “But I can’t help my reaction, will never escape the churn of dreams, mistakes, regrets, and terrors that is fatherhood.” (353)

I picked up Culpability expecting a solid AI thriller—nothing more. What I got was a book that blew past every expectation, with twists I never saw coming and characters who felt painfully real ( I had a hard time liking most). It’s the kind of story that doesn’t just keep you up reading; it keeps you thinking, arguing with yourself, and desperate to talk it out with someone else. The way it digs into AI isn’t through dry debates but through people—flawed, relatable people making impossible choices. My only gripe is the ending. I wanted more time to sit with the fallout. That said, it’s a small complaint in a book this strong. I can’t wait to bring Culpability to my book club. It’s going to spark a lively conversation. Read it. Then clear your schedule, because you’ll need to talk about it.

Lots of thought-provoking discussion on this one! Just a glimpse into the legal, ethical, and moral challenges that are ahead in our high tech world.

I didn’t love the book on a personal level but it was a great discussion book for a book club.