Night of Ideas: Author Laila Lalami on her Dystopian 'Dream Hotel'

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KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 2 May 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Laila Lalami’s new novel, “The Dream Hotel,” imagines a dystopian future where even our dreams are under surveillance. AI tools can scan our dreams to determine whether we’re likely to commit a crime, then we’re sent away to so-called “retention centers” to be monitored in the name of “safety.” Mina sat down with Lalami in April at Night of Ideas in San Francisco to talk about the timeliness and inspiration behind her story about a Los Angeles mother, caught in a web of government surveillance, detainment without charges and AI tools. We’ll hear that conversation. Guest: Laila Lalami, author of the new novel, "The Dream Hotel;" she’s the author of five other books including "The Moor’s Account" and "The Other Americans" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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1:03.1	Coming up on forum, Layla Lalami's new novel, The Dream Hotel, imagines a dystopian future where even our dreams are under surveillance.
1:11.1	AI tools can scan dreams to determine whether we're likely to commit a crime.
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