Culpability is the book of the summer. It's Oprah’s July pick and a buzzy novel everyone’s talking about. Is it worth the hype? Sure, why not? I’ve read better books, but I can see why this one is sparking conversations. It’s a timely, accessible dive into AI ethics and the role algorithms play in our lives. Are the questions it raises new? Not really. But the fact that this novel will get a broad audience thinking about those questions is a win.

At its heart, it’s also a family drama, complete with secrets, grief, and a messy entanglement with a mega-rich tech mogul. The two plotlines don’t always mesh seamlessly, but I was entertained the whole way through.

I loved this book! In fact, I knew I would love it from the moment I read the synopsis. It had all the elements that draw me in. Legal, moral, ethical and incredibly relevant to our time, AI.
The Cassidy-Shaw's are heading off for a holiday but on the way their driverless minivan fatally collides with an oncoming car. 17 year old Charlie is in the drivers seat, his father Noah, beside him supervising. His two sisters and mother, Lorelei, are all in the back. Later, during a weeklong retreat on the Chesapeake Bay, the family wrestle with the fallout and the ongoing investigation.
I don't want to say more about this, save for spoilers, but it was so much more than just a story about AI. It was the family dynamics, secrets, twists and so many revelations that I seriously could not put this down. What's more, you could reasonably see all these things happening and the story was terrifyingly realistic and thought provoking. This will be an absolute favourite for me this year and I am just in awe of the author having written such a extraordinary novel🎉

A gripping family drama meets a timely AI ethics thriller. Holsinger keeps the tension high with a self-driving car accident, fractured relationships and questions of blame in the age of machines. At times it felt like it tried to cover too many themes, making it a little busy and overloaded, but the characters are vivid and the story is definitely one to think about.

his book is very buzzy ( It is an Oprah Book Club selection which I didn't realize until now) relevant to this point in time. It is a mix of family drama, suspense set predominantly in a summer rental on Chesapeake Bay centering around moral responsibility in the age of AI.

The Cassidy Shaw family are travelling in their self driving minivan when they are involved in a crash. 17 year old Charlie in the driver seat, his father Noah beside him and his mother Lorelai and two younger sisters are in the back seats. The family of five survive the crash relatively unscathed, the occupants of the other car involved in the collision are killed. The family retreat to a holiday rental for a week afterwards coming to terms with their minor injuries and the major consequences from the collision. Each of the five family members are struggling in their own way and all of them have to confront their role in how and why the accident happened.

This book has a really strong start and its well paced throughout. It poses intriguing questions about artificial intelligence and individual accountability, scratching the surface on morality enough to provoke thought without going deeply philosophical. There is an character resembling Elon Musk and an obnoxious display of wealth although it is Lorelai the matriarch of the family , holder of a double doctorate and a renowned AI researcher who is the most fascinating, I would have liked more from her perspective in the book. The characters aren't particularly likeable but they are interesting. The suspense builds as the book progresses and it is quite the page turner. I have thought about elements of it since finishing reading mainly confirming my discomfort around artificial intelligence and the uncomfortable reality of knowing how little I control, as a person and as a parent.

It is a great choice for a book club, good work Oprah! Very much recommend.