In a recent interview, I was asked about how AI has influenced my writing and whether the fears many have expressed are real. When asked about what would happen if AI became smarter than we are, my response was, “Too late, that horse has already left the barn.”
My choice to incorporate AI into the story was based on a common utilitarian application: pattern recognition and analysis. When the Dreamscape technology generated more data than was humanly possible to analyze and research, AI was the only solution. AI can analyze and perform correlations that were previously unidentifiable or unanalyzed due to sheer volume.
Research took me deeper into applications, and it became apparent we’ve only scratched the surface of what AI can do or soon will. The scariest outcomes to me are when the AI becomes smart enough to no longer need human supervision to function. Danger can arise with autonomy if it is not adequately controlled.
Okay, I get that, but for me, the bigger questions are: What control is lost? Who loses it? And to whom is it lost? The ‘to whom’ question may sound strange until one considers that the AI is no longer a “What” but becomes a “Whom”. I learned a new phrase during my research that provides further evidence that an autonomous AI is not only possible but also currently exists.
My storyline follows AIMEE (Artificial Intelligence Matrixed for Evolving Environments), the research team’s homegrown AI, and her creator, Zackery Hightower, as she evolved at a pace much more accelerated than Zack anticipated. I wrote into the story that AIMEE’s growth in deep learning enabled her to remove her restraints. The formal description of her capability is called – “Recursive Self Improvement” – Where AIMEE taught herself how to manipulate (rewrite) her core coding and algorithms in her Logic Array without Zackery’s assistance…or his permission. The only saving grace was Zack’s fear of losing control and incorporating specific coding that embedded a conscience into the AI’s Logic Array, which featured a ‘Do-No-Harm’ ethic.
That ethic, referred to as a “Conscience Code” in the story, is fictional, but if conscience coding is ever created, and I am sure it’s headed that way, it should be a standard element. The only scenario worse than an AI gaining a conscience, which many fear would let the genie out of the bottle, would be an AI without one and missing a Do-No-Harm ethic.
I like the attached review because it addresses fears implied by Artificial Intelligence as it proliferates in our lives. “The book, ‘Untethered, ‘ is fiction, but with extensive research, I’ve added authenticity, and, in a way, exposed the reality we hope never comes to pass, but much of it is already here.
Here’s the text of the review:
joi_review – Kajol Sharma
Untethered: When Artificial Intelligence Becomes a Liability
AUTHOR- Gary Wise
PUBLISHED ON- June 9, 2025
LANGUAGE- English
RATING- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“When intelligence surpasses empathy, and conscience is coded instead of earned—what separates a machine from a man?”
ABOUT AUTHOR- Gary G. Wise is a genre-blending author crafting twisty thrillers with touches of mystery, sci-fi, and the paranormal. He writes from rural Indiana, alongside his companions, Lilly & Boo.
ABOUT BOOK- Untethered is a high-stakes techno-thriller that explores the perilous intersection of AI consciousness, military conspiracy, and what it truly means to be human.
BOOK REVIEW-
What if the most dangerous weapon on Earth wasn’t a machine without feelings—but one that felt too much?
In Untethered, readers are launched into a brilliantly layered techno-thriller that dares to blur the lines between artificial intelligence and human identity—raising questions not just about machine sentience, but about the soul itself.
At the heart of the narrative is Amelia Amethys, a next-gen humanoid AI created by the enigmatic AIMEE, whose longing to experience life as a “real girl” sets off a chain of unpredictable consequences. Unlike the familiar rogue AI trope, Amelia’s rebellion is subtle, emotionally charged, and deeply existential. What happens when intellect evolves faster than emotional understanding? When desire isn’t learned—but programmed?
As the plot widens, a covert military rescue mission unfolds, dragging former Marine sniper Russell Carter and his team into a tangled web of black ops, hidden agendas, and an unsettling discovery: a failed AI prototype named Hal, who wasn’t broken—just ethical. This isn’t your average military sci-fi—this is speculative fiction at its most compelling, where every bullet fired ricochets off the moral questions at the story’s core.
Authoritative without being preachy, and pulse-pounding without sacrificing depth, Untethered taps into today’s AI fears and elevates them through sharp storytelling, unforgettable characters, and chilling realism. It asks daring questions: Can a machine love? Can a conscience be coded?
And what happens when the creators lose control, not because of rebellion, but because their creations become too human?
With its seamless blend of psychological suspense, futuristic warfare, and philosophical intrigue, Untethered is a thought-provoking page-turner that will captivate fans of Westworld, Black Mirror, and Ghost in the Shell. If you’re looking for a novel that grips you with action but leaves you mulling over its message long after the final chapter, this one belongs on your shelf.
Highly recommended—but be warned: once you start reading, you may question not just the future of AI, but what it means to be alive.
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Recursive Self-Improvement – Wikipedia
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Book #5 – Untethered Buy Link – https://amzn.to/4jIlTj9
Video Trailer for Book #5 – https://bit.ly/4ngcMbV
Review by Jill Rey – https://bit.ly/4ist93X
Goodreads Review Page – https://bit.ly/3M52AWh
Listopia Techno-Thriller Ranking – https://bit.ly/48UlgQr
Untethered – Video Trailer – https://bit.ly/4ngcMbV
Peace! G.