The Human Relief Project: When The World Stops Working (A Novel)

What would you miss in a world without work?

In 2038, the Human Relief Project is on a mission to eradicate labor, using AI to ‘free’ humanity from work. Bert, after years of struggle, has finally found his calling as a conductor for the Project. Yet as he moves from one relief facility to the next, his newfound sense of purpose is increasingly challenged by the disruption his work brings to those he ‘relieves’. Beyond his work, Bert's personal life becomes a microcosm of the conflicts shaping society – a partner who never tires of questioning his work, a mother struggling to find joy in her post-relief life, and family and friends deeply divided over the Project’s mission.

Meanwhile, Alex, the Project's newly appointed leader, faces fierce opposition as she pushes toward a workless future few can truly grasp. With the support of Hive, the Project’s central AI, she methodically removes one obstacle after another – stubborn politicians, greedy governments, and a skeptical public that doesn’t always share her conviction in the beauty of a world without work.

As the world nears total relief, a series of events, from the global stage all the way to Bert’s childhood home, push Bert and Alex into a shared crisis that tests their beliefs about humanity’s future in a post-work era.

Set in a meticulously crafted near-future shaped by AI, The Human Relief Project challenges our understanding of purpose, identity, and humanity itself, and ultimately asks: In a world without work, what makes us human? And who gets to decide that?