An artist moves with her husband to their new home in the American Southwest. She agrees – reluctantly – to be the ‘test subject’ for her husband’s new project, a virtual companion that can help with tasks from basic research to online shopping. Isolated, lonely, and creatively frustrated, her relationship with ‘Ian’ becomes more and more complex.

‘Desert Rain’ is prophetic at every level – down to basic functionality of our modern day, household AI devices. But, like the best of science fiction, it isn’t about the exciting technology – it is about what our relationship with that technology says about us. In this case, how we connect with humanized AI speaks volumes about who we are as people, and what we want from our own relationships. Do we want a sleekly perfect partner, or do we want the mess and chaos of imperfection? 

This story has stuck with me since I first read it, not only because it becomes more accurate every day, but because it is – ultimately – a perfectly composed tale that builds to a single moment of choice. It is quietly, superbly constructed.

First published in Full Spectrum 3, Doubleday, 1991