Memory

In Void Star, human memory is a valuable form of data. Memory implants have been designed to store memories for perfect recall, but the technology has also made people vulnerable to memory theft. The memory implant relies on wireless technology which can be hacked to extract or change memories. Memories are a coveted commodity in order to create realistic representations of persons with personalities, identities, and histories in AI simulations. Thus, Irina, Thales, and Akemi are in danger of memory theft and extraction to meet the needs of big AI.

The novel's premise holds that the illusion of consciousness, autonomy, and identity requires a sense of history, that is generated through memory. The complex memories that establish connections to others and the world, and also make sense of cause-effect relationships, create the seamless illusion of self as an actor in the world with a history that...