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Forever
A legal sci-fi story
By Daniel Gervais
The idea of transferring humans into humanoid bodies has been the theme for many eminent titles. This book’s unique contribution is its exploration of the legal questions and embedded philosophical issues that flow from being able to transfer a copy of a person’s mind into a synthetic body that lives forever.
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About This Book
Christine Jacobs, a law professor with a passion for Russian poetry and film she owes to her mom, teaches the law of AI at a law school in the US Midwest. Her former boyfriend, Paul Gantt, and his Dutch college buddy Bart are cofounders of Eidya, a technology company named after a Greek goddess of knowledge that aims to reach true transhumanism: allowing humans to transfer into humanoid robots that look like them using personal data, including data obtained via a subcutaneous chip Eidya invented,to transfer the personality of humans. The US military is interested in doing the same with its best soldiers just as the UN begins to work on a new international treaty on the use of robots in war. Dr. Jacobs is called upon to provide advice both to Eidya and to the military while teaching her classes, in which she discussed what it means to be human in the age of AI, humanoid robots, and cyborgs as her boyfriend prepares the world for what’s next. Are the Transfers persons? Will they behave like the humans they are replacing? How will they relate to humans, and to each other? How will governments react to their presence? What legal responses will their arrival trigger? The situation develops in unexpected ways on several continents.
Another distinguishing feature of the book is its use of poetry to build a triangular relationship between humans, robots, and death. The story ends with a nod to climate change activism and the recent trend in publishing dubbed “doomer lit.”
The main character is Christine Jacobs, a law professor who teaches Robot Law and loves Russian poetry and movies. The other main characters are Paul Gantt, founder and chief of Transhuman Technologist at Eidya and wine connoisseur, and his boss, Bart Van Dijk, a Dutch multibillionaire. The supporting cast includes Koharu Tanaka, Chief Biologist; Jeremy Sigall, Chief Engineer; Jane Armstrong, a US Army General in charge of robot warfare; and a number of law students.
Reviews
“Daniel Gervais has produced something truly new: an amalgam of science fiction and legal education that together comprise a meditation on humanity’s future in a world of pervasive and rapidly advancing artificial intelligence and robotics. Daniel’s story, which is at turns engrossing, profound, learned, funny, and profane, aims ultimately at one eternal question—what makes us human.”—Christopher Jon Sprigman, Murray and Kathleen Bring Professor of Law, Co-Director, Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy, New York University School of Law, USA.
“This book is both riveting story and profound.”—The Rt. Hon. Professor Sir Robin Jacob, Faculty of Laws, University College London, UK.
“Daniel Gervais, one of the world’s leaders in the field of intellectual property, has created both a fictional approach to AI and a kind of legal casebook. This is an effective and accessible way to encounter and address crucial issues in this critical field.” —Robert Barsky, Guggenheim Fellow (2023), Professor of Humanities and Law, Vanderbilt University, USA.
Forever is a thrilling book that navigates through complex matters such as human cognition, identity issues and humanness while eloquently addressing the Law and ethics of AI in light of technological developments. This legal sci-fi story is a far-reaching title comprising a gripping narrative and insightful discussions, which would undoubtedly delight audiences in diverse fields, either as introductory AI material, a teaching resource or a science fiction novel. - The IPKat
Author Information
Daniel J. Gervais is Professor of Law specializing in intellectual property and the law of artificial intelligence.
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