Nine Billion Turing Tests

by Chris Willrich

In a post-nuclear event Silicon Valley, a man grieving the loss of his wife struggles to find comfort when he is forced to communicate with his neighbors’ AI devices, rather than the people themselves.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Speculative Fiction, Grief, Novella

44 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 21, 2024

About the author

Chris Willrich writes fantasy and science fiction, and is best known for his sword-and-sorcery short fiction about Persimmon Gaunt and Imago Bone -- a pair of lovers, partners in crime, and, far more often than they'd like to admit, heroes. The first novel featuring Gaunt and Bone, THE SCROLL OF YEARS, appeared in September 2013 from Pyr, followed by THE SILK MAP in May 2014.

Willrich is also the author of THE DAGGER OF TRUST, a book set in the world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing. DAGGER is a tale featuring bards, secret agents, sorcerous evil, monsters, and betrayal.

Willrich is a former librarian for the Santa Clara County Library District who lives in Mountain View, California with his family. He is frequently attacked by youngsters with lightsabers.

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this story - I found myself crying by the end. I lost my dad in 2017 and for some reason this story really resonated with me beyond the speculative fiction setting, and perhaps allowed me to finally grieve.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

exceptional storytelling. I would have called this a 4, but bumped it to 5 when I read the last paragraph. damn.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending of this story completely turns the entire thing on its ear. That fact is so unbelievably moving that it defies description. Read this story. Do it.

[Beth N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nine Billion Turing Tests takes place in a bleakly near-future cli-fi disaster of a world, in which loneliness has become and epidemic and technology's inadequacies are starkly highlighted. Against this backdrop, main character Vijay's grief feels both relatable and even weightier as he struggles to find a recognisable relationship in his increasingly AI world.

Willrich's voice is empathetic as he explores both the alienating, uncanny side of AI and its multitudinous uses in a (post-)modern world. The conversations between Vijay and Manu are the sort without answers, that will leave you pondering as you lie awake at night. Vijay's grief is harrowing, as much as for what is not said as for what is. In only a few pages you come to care deeply for this man; I was brought close to tears on several occasions.

With this story, Willrich proves that shorter fiction is just as capable as its longer counterpart of conveying depth and weight, and just as reliant on an abiding hope in community and humanity to save it from ending in a place of despair.

[Chuck Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty poignant short story about grieving the loss of loved ones while also working through societies integration with AI-controlled robots that came together in a really touching way. The main character was exactly as I would picture a grief-stricken widower and the author was able to relay quite a bit of emotional depth in a short amount of pages.

[Kam Yung Soh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of an elderly man interacts mainly with the AI representations of his neighbours. But when the community becomes flooded, the man, with the help of his AI cane, has to learn to interact with people again to save himself.

The story contains interesting discussions between the man and his cane over the nature of sentience and emotions, especially over the loss of the old man's wife (before the story begins) and of his cat in the story.

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay let's be honest, this story was a pain mainly because I hate Gen-AI and what's it's becoming in our societies. But also because the narration was.. Hm I don't know. Lacking I guess. Too much dialogue, too little context, too many moments when Manu took too much space and didn't let the reader understand what's going on. It's overwhelming and not in a good way.
oh and the end ? hated the twist.

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story that delves into grief and the way that humans process grief. Good quick read that makes you think. Also, plot twist in the last paragraph was excellent and not at all predictable (at least in my opinion).

[Sierra Hess · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You are anthropomorphizing life itself."
"It's what we do."

I'm crying at work again.

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

There wasn't enough worldbuilding or any real plot, per se - mostly just lots of soap boxing about the dangers of A.I.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

! What is there to say?

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Per · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://reactormag.com/nine-billion-t...

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice concept. I think I just wanted more than the story was prepared to supply. It was good. Read it.