For Denver-based author Jan Thomas, a love of science fiction, a fascination with artificial intelligence, and a heart for middle schoolers all collided in her upcoming novel The AI Incident. Set to release July 8, 2025, this sharp and funny story offers insight to the evolving use of AI and what it means to be human. I got to chat with Thomas and hear what inspired her to write the book, the value of human connection in an increasingly digital world, and why she’s a big believer in short chapters and big laughs.

The AI Incident centers on Malcolm Montgomery, a 12-year-old navigating Colorado’s foster care system—and middle school—when he crosses paths with Francis, an AI-powered robot sent to his school to boost standardized test scores by any means necessary. With humor and heart, the story quickly becomes a battle of wits between boy and bot, raising questions about trust, truth, and what it really means to be a friend.

“I wanted to make it clear in this book that the robot is driven by algorithms. It’s driven by math. It might use emotional terms that are really appealing, like it might say joy… or happiness and glee. Or it might say ‘It’s wonderful that we are friends,’ but those are statements generated by algorithms that are designed to produce a specific response from the human characters,” explains Thomas. “I really wanted to show the difference between how a machine carrots human speech… and by doing that, delve into the difference between human and computer-generated friendships 

As inspiration for the book, Thomas credits her lifelong love of science fiction, the growing concern over youth loneliness, and the rise of AI as a supposed “solution” to isolation. 

Thomas says she understands why young people turn to technology when they’re lonely, saying, “One thing I remember from middle school and high school is that human friendships are a twisty, convoluted, messy kind of process. But those are the lasting friendships.” 

A Book for Kids, and Their Grownups

Though geared toward readers ages 8–14, Thomas says The AI Incident is a hit with parents and teachers, too. “There are doors that parents can use to ask kids, ‘Hey, what’s going on? How do you feel?’” Thomas hopes families will read the book together, just like she did growing up. 

“My mother would record books and play them back for me. That was… my and my brother’s audio book library.”

Making Space for Reluctant Readers

One of the most thoughtful features of The AI Incident is its accessible structure. Inspired by research on “reading stamina” and the sharp decline in reading for fun after age nine, Thomas designed her book with short, manageable chapters and lots of humor. “This book has short chapters purposely… so that kids who are either reluctant readers or uncertain readers or are building their reading stamina can progress through the book,” says Thomas. 

Whether you’re a parent looking for a fun read-aloud, a teacher hoping to spark meaningful conversations, or a middle schooler curious about the line between technology and truth, The AI Incident is one book you won’t want to miss. 

The AI Incident will be available on July 8, 2025, and is available for pre-order now. For more information about the author and her other books, visit jethomasauthor.com