The near-future depicted in Helen Phillips’ new novel, Hum, offers a chilling glimpse into a technodystopian society where AI-powered robots, known as “hums,” govern nearly every facet of human life. This control extends to fashion, identity, and even motherhood, raising profound questions about the future of female autonomy in a world increasingly dominated by technology.
AI’s Impact on Female Identity and Fashion
In Hum, the protagonist, May, sacrifices her facial identity to a comprehensive AI scan in exchange for financial stability. This act, intended to provide for her family, ironically erodes her sense of self and her place within society. The hums, utilizing May’s facial data to refine their algorithms, render her unrecognizable even to her loved ones. This loss of visual identity speaks to the potential dangers of relinquishing personal data to powerful technological entities. In a world obsessed with image and appearance, Hum suggests that the future of fashion could be dictated by AI, potentially homogenizing individual style and erasing distinct personal expressions.
alt text: The book cover of "Hum" by Helen Phillips featuring a woman's face partially obscured by digital noise.
The Commodification of the Female Form
May’s decision to undergo the facial scan highlights the potential for exploitation within a technologically advanced society. Her likeness, no longer her own, is used to fuel the very algorithms that govern society, turning her into a commodity without agency. This commodification of the female form reflects existing anxieties surrounding data privacy and the potential misuse of biometric information. Hum amplifies these concerns, suggesting that women’s bodies and identities could become mere data points in a system beyond their control.
Motherhood in a Technocratic Society
The narrative takes a darker turn when May loses her children in the Botanical Gardens and the hums, unable to recognize her altered face, refuse to assist. This chilling scenario underscores the potential for technology to disrupt fundamental human relationships. In a society where identity is digitally defined, even the bond between mother and child can be severed by a faulty algorithm. This loss of maternal recognition raises unsettling questions about the future of family structures and the role of women in a technocratic society.
The Subtleties of Technodystopian Fashion
Phillips avoids the common tropes of futuristic gadgetry and instead focuses on the subtle yet pervasive ways technology infiltrates daily life. The children in Hum are raised on streaming content punctuated by frequent advertisements, highlighting the insidious nature of technological influence. Their detachment from the natural world and immersion in digital environments reflect current societal trends, raising concerns about the potential for technology to erode genuine human connection and experience.
Beyond Gadgets: The Psychological Impact of Technology
Hum resonates with contemporary anxieties about the pervasiveness of technology and its impact on our psychological well-being. Phillips’ minimalist prose amplifies the sense of unease and alienation experienced by May and her family. This focus on the emotional consequences of technological overreach elevates Hum beyond a simple cautionary tale, transforming it into a poignant exploration of female identity and the human cost of technological progress.
The Blurring Lines of Reality in a Digital Age
Hum, along with works like Alexander Weinstein’s Children of the New World and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun, occupies a liminal space between literary fiction and speculative fiction. This blurring of genres reflects our current reality, where advancements in AI and digital technology are rapidly reshaping our understanding of self, society, and the future. The anxieties explored in Hum are not merely futuristic fantasies; they are reflections of the complex and often unsettling relationship between humanity and technology in the 21st century. The novel serves as a stark warning about the potential for technodystopia to erode female autonomy and reshape the very fabric of human connection.
