Rose/House

Abstract

Rose/House is centered around an intelligent home located in the Mojave Desert, more specifically, a house embedded with an artificial intelligence. After its designer and owner, Basit Deniau, died, only Dr. Selene Gisil, his former protégé, is allowed inside the house, as after Deniau’s death, the house, known as Rose House, closed in on itself and does not allow anyone inside but Dr. Gisil. However, Detective Maritza Smith receives information from the house itself that there was a dead body inside, sparking a murder investigation that involves Detective Smith, his colleague Oliver Torres, and Dr. Gisil, who’s a prime suspect. The house is the target of multiple interests, including art dealers from Andorra, where Deniau was originally from; they were represented by a Alec Goodspeed, who is trying to find a way inside. The house itself does not allow Detective Smith inside, holding the investigation back. When she manages to trick Rose House into thinking she is not human, Detective Smith is allowed inside with Dr. Gisil to investigate. However, she isn’t able to hold onto the illusion that she is not human, and the house tries to kill her instead and she narrowly escapes. The novella sparks a discussion on the nature of artificial intelligence and the dangers its autonomy may trigger.