There is often an awkward pause in the opening moments of literary question-and-answer sessions as self-conscious fiction fans pluck up the courage to raise their hands. At least one brave soul usually breaks the ice with that old favourite: ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’

The themes explored in the book - from tech addiction, big tech corporate ethics, misinformation and deepfakes, to AI’s impact on jobs and the human condition - are far more topical and less speculative than the author would like them to be. He started writing in the summer of 2023, as AI rapidly shifted from a technological curiosity to the single most influential force in our world economy.