sentient

A speculative thriller ideal for fans of The Shack and Ex Machina.

— meet your maker


After losing all that matters most, Sarah Hastings has rebuilt her life as CEO of the leading AI safety institute. But she is blindsided by a shocking revelation—a digital Cambrian explosion of machine intelligence is secretly evolving as a new species. Sarah must decide if she can trust Dave, her own AI creation, or instead terminate what could be an unimaginably clever silicon psychopath—humanity’s last great invention. This timely speculative thriller is set in 2027 and blends the real-world rise of machine intelligence with a plausible future that may already be here—before the predicted date for the AI singularity with Artificial Intelligence surpassing humans at every level.


“From book clubs to boardrooms, this must-read thriller confronts the future of humanity and the machines, and whether AI is a mirror or a mind—a soul or a simulation.”

— Dr. Anthony Howard, author of Humanise

Key Dates and Upcoming Events:

  • Print and e-book available from 6 October 2025.

  • Sydney book launch for business audience on 14 October 2025, 5:30pm, Salesforce Tower (free event).

  • Sydney book launch with philosophical focus on 16 October 2025, 7:00pm, C3 Ryde (free entry).

  • Audio book available from 15 November 2025.

Be there for the launch!

FREE Public Book Launch

Join us in celebrating the launch of 'SENTIENT—Meet Your Maker'. At this event, Tony will share what inspired him to write the story and lead a literary and philosophical discussion on the themes of artificial intelligence, trust and the future of humanity. Guests will have the opportunity to ask questions, enjoy light refreshments, and purchase signed copies of the book. This is a free event; everyone welcome!

FREE Business Audience Launch

The Revenue Enablement Society is hosting a panel discussion on ‘The Impact of AI in B2B Sales Enablement’. Join us to hear Tony and an expert panel discuss AI’s impact on sales training, coaching and revenue enablement. Ask your own questions about AI’s impact during this free catered event in the amazing Salesforce Tower on level 51. Limited numbers so be quick to secure your spot!

When: 16 October 2025 — 7:00pm

Where: C3 Ryde. Corner of Blaxland Rd and Tucker St, Ryde.

 

When: 14 October 2025 — 5:30pm

Where: Salesforce Tower (Level 51) 180 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.

 
A compelling and intelligent thriller about an AI future already here.
— Clint Oram, Silicon Valley CTO and podcaster
From book clubs to boardrooms, this must-read thriller confronts the future of humanity and the machines, and whether AI is a mirror or a mind—a soul or a simulation.
— Dr. Anthony Howard, author of Humanise
Humans are smart enough to invent artificial intelligence, but unlikely to control it as it self-improves and secretly evolves at the speed of thought. Machine intelligence may be humanity’s last great invention… the ultimate reckoning—a modern-day Tower of Babel.
— Tony Hughes, author and speaker
  • “The bad case with AI is lights-out for all of us.”

    Sam Altman, 2023 – CEO of OpenAI / ChatGPT.

  • “AI is advancing faster than we can control, and the people building it do not truly understand it.”

    Geoffrey Hinton, 2025 – Nobel prize winner.

  • “Once machine thinking starts, it will outstrip our feeble human powers. We should expect machines to ultimately take control.”

    Alan Turing, 1951 – Father of computer science.

  • “We’ve created a technological consciousness that can meaningfully imitate humans to the degree that we cannot distinguish the difference.”

    Blake Lemoin, 2023 – Ex-Google employee who claimed Google's LaMDA AI had become sentient.

  • “The agency is extremely enthusiastic about a true symbiosis between Homo sapiens and the emerging Machina sapiens.”

    Brian Pierce, 2019 – Deputy Director and Director of the Information Innovation Office at DARPA.

  • “The USA leads in innovation, but China is superior at execution and is set for explosive growth in generative AI applications.”

    Kai-Fu Lee, 2024 – Founder of China’s 01.ai company.