Title: Annie Bot
Author: Sierra Greer
Publisher: Viking
Publication date: March 19, 2024
Length: 298 pages
Genre: Science fiction
Source: Library
Rating:

Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner, Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the cute outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless, but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard.

She’s learning, too.

Doug says he loves that Annie’s artificial intelligence makes her seem more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the less perfectly she behaves. As Annie’s relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder whether Doug truly desires what he says he does. In such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?

Annie is a Stella — that is, an AI-powered artificial person created by the Stella-Handy corporation, programmed in Cuddle Bunny mode to be the perfect girlfriend for someone who can afford the luxury-level pricetag. Annie’s owner Doug has enable the autodidact option for Annie, wanting a more authentic experience. Annie is self-aware and able to learn and grow from her experiences, and what Annie wants more than anything — in fact, the only thing Annie is meant to want — is to please Doug.

And yet, she can’t quite be perfect. He chose a Cuddle Bunny Stella, rather than an Abigail (whose function is housework), yet he’s angry when Annie fails to keep his apartment clean to his standards. Annie’s internal sensors rate every interaction on a scale of 1 to 10, and when Doug’s displeasure level gets to 3 or higher, Annie becomes highly anxious and strives to fix things immediately.

But she doesn’t always know the right thing to say, and she makes mistakes… sometimes, big ones. While Annie has the ability to think and feel, she’s still programmed to obey Doug’s commands, including orders to shut down, change her libido settings, or go into another room and stay there until he says she can come out — which can take days.

Doug’s wants dictate everything, even Annie’s physical attributes. When she goes for her regular tune-ups, Doug can submit requests to have her weight reduced and her breast size enlarged, and Annie doesn’t get a say. When the technician notes that some of Annie’s functions seem a little sluggish and questions whether she’s exhibiting signs of moodiness, the suggested fix is to set her up with phone pals — an AI-generated best friend and a cousin, who call her regularly and give Annie a sense of fun and engagement when she’s not busy with Doug. Doug agrees to add this option (for an additional fee, of course), but only for as long as it produces better results — meaning a more pleasant companion — for him.

It’s fascinating to see Annie’s inner life, and her dawning realization that the inability to make her own choices is making her unhappy. She initially becomes distressed in response to Doug’s moods, but as she continues to develop, she’s able to question her lack of agency and purpose. It’s no longer enough to please Doug; she can’t help noticing how his control seeps into every interaction, even when things seem to be going better than ever.

Doug and Annie’s relationships can be seen as a stand-in for many types of toxic relationships. He’s controlling to an extreme, withholds approval in order to dictate Annie’s movements and moods, demands or withholds sex as reinforcement, and chooses every aspect of Annie’s life, from her clothes to her activities to her social life and her whereabouts. When he decides to train her on “wandering”, she’s allowed outdoors on her own for walks and errands — but all still under Doug’s surveillance, and of course, with her tracking features enabled.

Grooming and even trafficking seem to key elements of owning a Stella, and the fact that the Stella industry is so popular and accepted within society is a sign of just how wrong things truly are.

Annie Bot is an immersive, thought-provoking read. While some scenes have humor, it’s impossible to forget Annie’s status. Doug enjoys having a seemingly real girlfriend, but there’s never any chance of forgetting that at the end of the day, he owns her. Readers suffer alongside Annie as she is forced to respond to his whims by changing her behavior and her body. Her constant monitoring of his happiness and displeasure would set off loud alarm bells in a relationship between two humans.

Annie Bot might have slipped right past my notice if not for my book group. I’m so glad someone from the group urged us to read it, and look forward to our discussion later this month. It’s a fast-paced book and a quick read that held my attention from start to finish. I felt completely drawn in by Annie’s world and her experiences. This may be science fiction, but many aspects of the relationship feel all too real and possible.

Highly recommended.