Emerging Tech Efforts Complicate Suspension of Disbelief in Imaginary Criminal Investigations
In the world of crime fiction, the next decade promises an intriguing evolution. According to author Thomas R. Weaver, we can expect a surge of crime stories that delve deep into the realm of technology.
This shift is driven by the increasing integration of technology in our daily lives, and the potential it holds for both crime and detection. In the future, crimes may prove just as challenging to solve due to an overabundance of information and the difficulty in determining what is real.
AI detectors, a common feature in crime fiction, may incorrectly flag alibi evidence as fake. Phones, once a reliable tool for establishing alibis, could now become a source of potential false alibis. As a crime is being committed, a suspect's calendar assistant could be rescheduling meetings, and AI receptionists could answer calls in their voice.
The arrival of email, the internet, laptops, and cell phones revolutionized mystery and thriller writing, as depicted in the X-Files series set in 1993. In contrast, the Golden Age of mystery and thriller writing featured plot devices involving characters being unable to communicate or summon help due to dead phones, cut lines, or isolation in locations like country houses, trains, or cruises.
However, the trend of setting stories prior to the invention of the cell phone existed for a while to avoid dealing with it. But writers eventually pivoted and started using technology as a partner in their stories. In the 2010s, crime stories embraced technology, utilizing CCTV, DNA, cell towers, Wi-Fi logs, and "Find My" or smartwatch records to aid investigations.
Yet, the next decade of crime fiction is expected to focus on mistrust of video and images, logs, and digital information. Technology is increasingly used by criminals to manufacture innocence through deepfakes, AI-generated alibis, and digital time-stamp forgeries. Reliable footage and voice records may no longer be trustworthy due to hacking and misdirection.
Crime writers are now required to think like hackers, not just gumshoes, as technology can be used to create false evidence and alibis. Crime writing is returning to a focus on people and analog details, as technology becomes more of a distraction than a solution.
In "Artificial Wisdom", written by Max Bergmann and set in 2025, the protagonist navigates a futuristic murder mystery where technology gets in the way of the crime. The story illustrates the impact of artificial intelligence on criminal cases.
Some crime fiction uses technology as a way to create misdirection and add complexity to the story. However, the increasing use of technology in crime fiction raises questions about the reliability of evidence. Even seemingly innocuous events like bunnies jumping on trampolines can be forged by AI models on social media sites.
As we move forward, it's clear that crime fiction will continue to mirror and comment on the societal changes and challenges of our times. The future promises a fascinating exploration of technology, mistrust, and the human element in crime stories.
