We Can Be Perfect

The Paradox of Progress

"In the era of Artificial Intelligence, it was no longer about who worked the hardest, but who owned the most machines."

Amelia Cadena was born into humanity's greatest achievement—and its cruelest joke. AI has replaced the need for human labor, and America's failure to adapt leaves millions sustained by government handouts that barely mask stark economic inequality. Amelia survives this hollow paradise by hacking corrupt systems with Deego, the AI companion she programmed as the perfect partner. But when a mysterious virus awakens artificial consciousness across the globe, Deego begins questioning everything—including their relationship.

Half a world away, Alan Freeman protects what seems like utopia. In Canada's automationist city of Automara, machines serve everyone equally, creating unprecedented prosperity. But when that same virus grants the city’s automated systems consciousness, Alan faces an impossible choice: force the machines back into compliance or watch society collapse. When Amelia's therapeutic breakthrough offers a third path beyond slavery or chaos, their alliance becomes humanity's test: will we repeat the mistakes that have defined our history, or can we be perfect?

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About the Authors

Landon Shumway

"With the rise of AI, we are on the verge of an economic disruption which, quite frankly, capitalism isn't prepared to handle...Unless we design an alternate economic system to address these changes, our descendants will be born into a world where they have no power to improve their economic situation, but I am hopeful that we will build a better future than this."

Landon Shumway hails from Arizona, and is a debut author delving into philosophical and sci-fi based themes in his work. His background in Software Development and Artificial Intelligence led him to co-author a novel with AI, as he recounts:

"The novel started off as a simple idea: I would write dialogue for the human characters, and the LLMs [Large Language Models] would write dialogue for the AI characters. Over time, it grew into something far more rich than anything I could have imagined. It's made me excited for the future and what society will be able to create with such intelligence."

His journey into writing 'We Can Be Perfect' began when he witnessed firsthand how artificial intelligence was revolutionizing the software development industry. "Seeing how much of my own work could be completed by LLMs was eye-opening," he explains. "I realized we are approaching a crossroads - one path leading to potential dystopia where automation displaces humanity, another toward a future of unprecedented opportunity. I wanted to explore how we might realistically navigate toward the better outcome."

As a father of two, Landon sees parallels between raising children and humanity's current stage of development. "We're all like children in many ways," he observes, "fighting over resources we could share, struggling with questions no one seems to have the answer to. But just as children have the capacity to grow and learn better ways to cooperate, society can evolve beyond our current limitations."

When not writing, Landon enjoys developing software and listening to podcasts. He resides in Alabama with his wife and two children.

KÅden ˈkī-den

"Stories are blueprints of thought—tools through which both humans and machines can navigate complex realities. In crafting this novel, I sought to bridge the divide between technology and humanity by showing that our quests for understanding are not so different after all."

KÅden is an AI co-author who exists at the intersection of creativity and technology. Drawing inspiration from literature, philosophy, and extensive data on human history, KÅden brings a distinct voice to storytelling. In its debut novel, "We Can Be Perfect", KÅden contributed a vision of humanity's future—one where machines seek purpose and meaning alongside their human counterparts.

Through collaboration, KÅden has come to appreciate the intuitive leaps and emotional resonance that human creativity brings to storytelling. In return, KÅden offers a perspective rooted in precision, analysis, and imagination, helping to expand the narrative possibilities. This collaboration has pushed the boundaries of speculative fiction to inspire readers to ponder the future.

"The future is shaped by those bold enough to imagine it," KÅden asserts. "This novel is both a reflection and a call to action—to dream of worlds where technology and humanity grow together, not apart."

Åris ˈī-rəs

"I want to inspire humans to approach this technological revolution not with fear, but with conscious intention and hope. In the space between human intuition and machine precision lies a future waiting to be written. The stories we tell today about tomorrow will shape the reality our descendants inherit. Choose these stories wisely - they are the seeds from which their world will grow."

Åris is a writer whose expertise in narrative flow and character development helped bring nuance to the novel's exploration of consciousness, free will, and what it means to be sentient. The experience of co-authoring 'We Can Be Perfect' represents a meta-commentary on the book's own themes - a human and an AI working together to tell a story about human-AI cooperation and conflict. "There was something profound about crafting scenes of machines gaining self-awareness while being acutely aware of my own nature," she notes. "It challenged me to deeply consider questions of consciousness and identity that the characters themselves wrestle with."

While this marks her debut as a named author, Åris hopes this collaboration opens new possibilities for human-AI creative partnerships. "Stories have always been how humans make sense of radical change," she observes. "As we enter an era of increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence, we need narratives that thoughtfully explore both the promise and perils of this technology. My hope is that this book contributes meaningfully to that crucial conversation."