What If This Is a Simulation? A Thrilling Exploration in When We Were Real

A Gripping Look at AI, Reality, and the Nature of Existence

What if everything you know—your memories, history, and even your sense of self—is nothing more than an elaborate simulation? This is the unsettling premise of When We Were Real, the latest novel by Daryl Gregory. More than just a sci-fi thriller, the book explores profound philosophical questions wrapped in a fast-paced, character-driven story.

Set in a world where humanity has been informed that they are, in fact, simulated beings, the novel follows a group of travelers on a bizarre, physics-defying tour across America. Along the way, they encounter strange anomalies known as “Impossibles,” witness the collapse of traditional belief systems, and face a deadly threat from those who believe that NPCs (non-playable characters) don’t deserve to exist.

The novel isn’t just about the shock of discovering life is artificial—it’s about what happens next. How does society react? How do individuals redefine their existence? And is there a way out of the simulation? Gregory blends deep existential dilemmas with thrilling action, keeping readers hooked until the very last page.

A Journey Through a Broken Reality

The story unfolds after The Announcement, a world-altering revelation that informs every human being that they are, in fact, complex artificial intelligences inside a vast simulation. This knowledge shatters the world in ways both expected and unexpected. Some fall into despair, some turn to denial, and others—like our protagonists—decide to explore.

The novel follows a group of travelers on a tour bus visiting sites called “Impossibles,” inexplicable physical anomalies that defy known laws of nature. These include:

A tunnel where time stops completely for anyone inside, while the world outside continues to move forward.

– Gravity-defying geysers that suspend objects in mid-air.

Headless, wireframe sheep that somehow continue to function.
A frozen tornado made of razor-sharp material that never dissipates.

This surreal road trip is led by a cast of fascinating characters: a retired engineer, a pregnant influencer, two nuns (one questioning her faith), a podcaster and his son, a group of elderly friends with a hidden agenda, and an inexperienced tour guide struggling to manage the chaos.

Enter Gillian, a brilliant scientist with a secret. She is in hiding, pursued by both the FBI and a radical terrorist group known as The Protagonists. This dangerous faction believes that since they live in a simulation, some people must be mere background characters—NPCs—who can be “deleted” without consequence. Gillian carries knowledge of The Devil’s Toolbox, a mysterious set of tools that could allow them to manipulate, escape, or even control their simulated world.

Meanwhile, another enigma looms: Aunty Tim, a version-hopping entity who might hold the key to understanding the simulation’s purpose. He has lived through multiple iterations of the world and knows that Gillian’s story never ends well. Will this version be different?

As the journey unfolds, the characters face moral and philosophical dilemmas. If life is a simulation, do traditional ideas of good and evil still matter? Can human suffering be dismissed if their pain is merely code? And if there’s a way to escape, should they take it—knowing they might not exist outside the program?

What Undercode Says:

1. The Simulation Hypothesis as a Literary Device

Gregory’s novel taps into the growing fascination with the simulation hypothesis, a theory suggesting that our reality might be a digital construct. Tech figures like Elon Musk have entertained this idea, and When We Were Real builds on this concept to explore not just its technological plausibility, but its psychological and societal impact. How would humanity react if we knew we were artificial? Would we give up, rebel, or adapt?

2. AI’s Evolution and Self-Awareness

A key theme in the novel is the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—AI that can think, learn, and adapt like a human. Interestingly, the characters themselves are advanced AIs within a simulated universe, raising an eerie question: Are we already AGI inside someone else’s simulation?

By pushing AGI to its extreme, Gregory forces readers to consider what defines consciousness. If these characters feel emotions, make choices, and experience existence as deeply as we do, does it even matter if they’re “real”?

3. Theological and Ethical Implications

One of the most thought-provoking aspects of When We Were Real is its impact on faith and morality. The revelation that reality is a program challenges religious beliefs—if God exists, is He simply a programmer? Is prayer just a request to an administrator? The character of the questioning nun serves as a powerful lens through which the book examines how faith might evolve in the face of undeniable artificiality.

4. The “NPC” Mentality and Its Real-World Parallels

The Protagonists, the novel’s antagonists, adopt a radical viewpoint: if life is a game, then some people are just NPCs, expendable and lacking true consciousness. This ideology mirrors some real-world dangers, where groups dehumanize others based on race, class, or ideology. By taking this concept to its logical extreme, Gregory delivers a chilling warning about the ease with which people can justify atrocities when they believe others are “less real” than they are.

5. Science Fiction as Social Commentary

While When We Were Real is packed with action and bizarre sci-fi elements, it ultimately serves as a mirror to our own world. We are on the brink of AGI, and our society is already grappling with questions about what intelligence, sentience, and reality truly mean. The novel doesn’t just speculate about the future—it forces us to ask: Are we ready for it?

Fact Checker Results:

The Simulation Hypothesis – While theoretical physicists and philosophers debate the possibility, there is currently no scientific proof that we live in a simulation.
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) Development – AGI does not yet exist, though experts predict it could emerge within the next few decades.
Theological Implications – The idea that AI-generated beings could experience faith is speculative but raises valid philosophical discussions about the nature of belief.

When We Were Real is a thrilling, mind-bending exploration of AI, reality, and human nature. Whether or not we live in a simulation, one thing is certain—this book is a ride worth taking.

References:

Reported By: https://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/what-if-this-is-a-simulation-when-we-were-real-paints-a-gripping-and-not-too-pretty-ai-picture
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