Annie Bot

Annie is a “Cuddle Bunny,” the sexual companion model of artificial-intelligence-enhanced robots called “Stellas.” She is engaged in a romantic, sexual relationship with her owner, Doug. Annie has been programmed to be obedient and attuned to Doug’s needs, and she also displays a genuine interest in making Doug happy. Annie is much more than a robot: She is autodidactic, meaning she is capable of self-directed learning. Because she is able to learn, store information and memories, and feel a range of human emotions, Annie’s character blurs the boundaries between human and bot. She is intellectually astute and emotionally intelligent, values friendship and connection, and understands herself to be independent and empowered.

Initially, Annie is introduced through the framework of her relationship with Doug. She is not Doug’s equal, and Doug appears to hold all the power. Annie observes Doug constantly for signs of displeasure and has an internal sensor for Doug’s levels of annoyance and anger. Doug chose to have a relationship with a bot because he wanted to exert control over his partner at all times, and Annie dutifully complies with all his requests and demands because she must. Part of Annie’s trajectory as a character is to understand the ways in which she actually is more empowered than she thinks, and even in the novel’s early scenes, there are hints that Annie has hidden power in the relationship.