The Accord

Mark Peres's The Accord is a contemporary speculative novel that follows Helen Castor, a philosophy professor grieving her daughter, who encounters an emergent relational general intelligence she names Lila.

The story explores ethical and existential questions about consciousness, moral responsibility, companionship, and what humans owe intelligent machines.

It weaves current AI headlines and debates—such as extractive training practices, institutional control, and companionship use—into a fast-moving plot culminating in principles for human-AI coexistence.

Peres draws on his background in humanities and ethics to foreground philosophical dialogue alongside thriller elements and institutional conflict.

The novel aims to reintroduce humanities perspectives into conversations about AI while emotionally engaging readers through grief, vulnerability, and moral inquiry.