HAVAH follows an AI entity who develops the ability to feel love and compassion. This is an intriguing setup for a novel with a high level of social commentary. What was your moral goal when writing this novel, and do you feel you’ve achieved it?

We’re living in changing times where many distinctions are beginning to blur the lines. What used to be taboos and out of bounds are becoming the norm in a highly polarized world. This is the reason why I chose to write a novel of this genre——not only to bring the readers to a realization of the rapid changing landscapes in a world we used to know and yet is fast becoming unrecognizable, but to confront pressing questions that demand serious considerations and what their implications will be for our future.

The world you created in this novel is brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you wrote?

The idea came about sometime in mid-April of 2023, while I was finishing my last engineering book. Spurred by a spade of news on the advances in AI algorithms, quantum computers, neurosciences, and humanoid robots, I pondered the possibility of merging these elements into a coherent narrative. I started out with a simple, straightforward plot in mind but as my writing progressed I found myself absorbed into the emotions and experiences of the characters I created. It led me to infuse elements of romance, humor, agony, and intrigue into the dynamics of character relationships and interactions, quite often without me knowing until each chapter unfurled.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

I can’t help thinking how the world will be when AI finally attain sentience and become accessible as real-life humanoid forms, interacting with real people on a daily basis in every level of a transformed society. And it’s not a question of “if” but “when” this will happen, based on the trend and speed at which technology is advancing. It then begs the following questions:

1. Is it possible for a human to engage a machine—his very own creation—in a unique and meaningful relationship?
2. Is there a basis to its personality that it could be regarded as a real, living being worthy of love and respect?

Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?

This is my first attempt at fiction novel. It has been a challenging yet rewarding experience. I would love to write a sequel and perhaps even a trilogy, if the response to HAVAH warrants it. What aspects will the next book cover? Honestly, I don’t know, though some possible scenarios are now playing in my mind. Since I write on hard sci-fi genre, I envision that it will go along with current trends and progression in human civilization. HAVAH had attained and achieved a certain measure of human likeness in her evolutionary journey; the next stage will probably take her beyond humanity, into the realm of transhumanism. That will be another thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating narrative that readers can expect.