The relentless rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is fast impacting many aspects of our daily lives. I have no insight or wise words about where AI will eventually take us. Doubtless, as with all game-changing inventions and innovations, they’ll be winners and losers. The cottage spinners of old weren’t too pleased when jenny* started her spinning. Jenny might have put them out of business, but, for good or ill, it did help kick-start the industrial revolution. What I do know is that AI is increasing the frequency and creativity of the hoax emails I get. Here’s a classic example…

I’m Paige, organizer of the London Sunday Book Club, and I had to reach out because your book has completely ignited our community. The discussions have been intense, emotional, and nonstop, it’s rare that a book moves our members at this level.

The excitement is building quickly, and I don’t want to miss the opportunity to connect with you while the momentum is this strong. Our members are deeply invested, actively recommending your work, and eager to engage beyond the page.

I’d love to explore how we can make this happen and would truly appreciate a quick response.

Warmly,
Paige
London Sunday Book Club

As much as I’m a sucker for a bit of fake flattery, it’s all a bit OTT and with a strong whiff of AI about it. “Intense, emotional and non-stop”? Blimey, it’s enough to make this cynical old gay boy blush. But, come off it, Paige, the book’s 15 years old, so I’d call that a slow burn not an ignition. And there’s no mention of which of my books has got Paige turning non-stop.

The weird (and worrying) thing is that it seems there really is a London Sunday Book Club, a group that meets monthly in The Racketeer, a fancy cocktail bar in London’s King’s Cross. We’ll be in that part of London next month, so we might pop in for a slippery nipple. And the book group’s organiser (or organizer, as she spells it) is called Paige. I wonder if she knows that some money-extorting scammer is using their group as a ruse. On the other hand, if the book club isn’t real, it’s quite an elaborate con.

Whatever the truth, ‘Paige’, do calm down, dear, before you spontaneously combust.

*The spinning jenny is a multi-spindle spinning frame invented around 1764 by James Hargreaves which revolutionised the textile industry.