Autopilot

In 2048, we gave bodies to AI. Our bodies. It was a massive success. The result: the new era of Innova, a generation of intellectuals and thinkers who elevated humanity beyond our wildest imaginations. Happiness skyrocketed, medicine evolved, progress became standard while education became obsolete and society collapsed. It had been on the brink of ruin anyways. Rowan is what most of the Augmented, those who integrate technology into their own bodies, would call a "manual." Then, their school winds up two blocks from the target of a directed electromagnetic pulse, better known as a dead zone — the one thing every Augmented is vulnerable to. Suddenly, power beyond what even Innova has achieved is thrust upon the one person in all of Palise incapable of withstanding even a single piece of Autopilot tech, and Rowan is living on borrowed time. -- EXPECT:      • Futuristic sci-fi that is NOT a dystopia.     • Personal AI assistant with a twist     • First person POV, with few or no alt POVs (for the foreseeable future)     • Somewhat fast-paced plot, with worldbuilding woven into scenes     • Weak-to-strong MC, with emphasis on gaining new abilities     • "Any technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic" with GameLit aspects (the Hive acts like the System with a more hands-off approach) NO:      • Harem, sexual content or themes — any romance will be subplot and wholesome     • AI-generated content — this story might look at futuristic artificial intelligence in a positive light, but it's a science fiction for a reason. This is one of my first few committed stories; it has been in the making for years now. Open to constructive feedback and suggestions! My hope is to settle into a weekly schedule eventually, so expect 1-2 chapters per week, word count ~1600-1900. Chapters are at 2:30 PM PST. [AS OF 6/14/2026—current schedule is back to every Sunday!] Thank you for listening, and stay tuned!