The Microsoft Interview

Alumni Author Spotlight: Celeste Garcia

By Becky Monk

Before she was a novelist exploring the human consequences of artificial intelligence, Celeste Garcia was deep inside the systems that power it. In the late 1990s, during her time at Microsoft, she designed and delivered global training programs that helped bring complex enterprise technologies to life. It was work that demanded precision, scale, and the ability to navigate high-stakes environments.

That experience—operating at the intersection of technology, ambition, and pressure—left a lasting imprint. Today, as a Seattle-based writer, Celeste channels those insights into her storytelling, where questions of power, identity, and control take center stage. Her novel “AI BABY” begins with a seemingly familiar story of competition and achievement, but quickly unfolds into something far more unsettling: a search for truth inside the machinery of an AI-driven world.

At every stage of her journey, one instinct has remained constant: a refusal to simply accept the systems around her. Whether at Microsoft, as a parent, or now as an author, Celeste’s work is driven by a deep curiosity—and a willingness to ask what happens when the systems we build start to shape us in return.

Recently, we caught up with Celeste to talk about her novel… her broader body of work, and a consistent throughline: a willingness to question systems, challenge assumptions, and examine how the tools we build ultimately shape us.

Who should read “AI BABY?” “AI BABY” is for readers who enjoy smart, propulsive fiction. It’s for people drawn to stories where technology collides with family, ambition, ethics, and power. “Klara and the Sun” with a “Where Did You Go, Bernadette” swagger.

Your Substack “Getting Real About AI” and nonfiction collection “AI EVERYWHERE” dig into the realities of AI. What was it that inspired you to write fiction with AI at the center? I was reading an article in The Wall Street Journal about designer IVF. For the right price, couples could choose the “perfect” sperm — MIT professor, six feet tall — and pair it with a supermodel’s eggs. “Why don’t they make AI babies?” I said out loud at breakfast and declared it was my next book.

Fiction…provides a safe space to explore uncomfortable futures and ask, “What would I do?” It lets people feel the stakes in a way that might help them contemplate their future and how they fit with the current technological superstorm. In “AI BABY,” humor and narrative make complex ideas—like engineered intelligence, data manipulation, and algorithmic parenting—emotionally accessible and allow people to envision the future. For many readers, my novel is their first deep dive into AI in the ways that it will—and already is—permeating society. And even though it’s fictional characters and scenarios, the human struggles and technical aspects are real.

In literature, tension usually comes from human frailty or flawed institutions. In your work, does the danger typically come from technology itself or from the incentives, power structures, or belief systems surrounding it? And what made you want to explore this with “AI BABY?” Excellent question! In “AI BABY,” the danger doesn’t come from technology as an autonomous villain; it comes from the human frailty and institutional power structures that technology amplifies. Both my protagonist, Erica, and my antagonist, Lannie, are deeply flawed and ultimately seeking validation in ways that collide with one another. That creates the tension that propels the story.

AI doesn’t introduce new flaws, it seems to amplify what already exists and raises the stakes to a new level. What interested me as a writer was not so much what if technology goes wrong. I’m asking what happens when someone who lacks morals develops tools to serve their desires but are detrimental to humanity? Who will step up to stop them and is it even possible with such powerful technologies?

When writing fiction rooted in real innovation, are you trying to predict what will happen, prevent what might happen, expand the range of futures that leaders are willing to imagine, or just write an interesting tale? What’s the goal? I’m not trying to predict the future so much as expand the range of futures we’re willing to imagine—and emotionally engage with. I am not a futurist, and most of the futurists are getting it wrong. What I love about fiction is that it opens up possibilities and ultimately choice.

My overriding goal is to tell a compelling story that brings up big questions that will stick with the reader long after they finish the novel.

What technology do you use when you’re writing? LLMs are invaluable for my research. The convergence of AI with a vast number of disciplines, including bio- and gen-tech, CRISPR, material science, and nanotech are woven into my novel. I needed to build expertise but also articulate in a way that was accessible, so I didn’t lose a mostly non-tech audience. Even though it’s fiction, it was very important to me to have the technology be accurate for today and for futuristic elements to be believable.

Do you prefer to read a physical book or an eBook? I was a first-gen Kindle user. I read to fall asleep and also read when I wake up in the middle of the night.

Must have food or drink when writing? My college study food was Cool Ranch Doritos and Diet Coke. I’ve progressed to hummus, Mamnoon Muhammara, chocolate, and coffee—tons of coffee.

Did you like to read as a child? I was a voracious reader. My mother taught me to read when I was very young, so I don’t really remember not reading.

What was your favorite childhood book? That is a very big topic. My first favorite was “Go Dog. Go!” I went through the natural progression—“Charlotte’s Web,” Beverly Cleary, “Little House on the Prairie” and C.S. Lewis. I always loved the Greek myths.

Favorite literary hero or villain? Atticus Finch. No explanation required.

What’s the craziest and bravest thing you’ve ever done? I would say writing a novel. I’ve done plenty of things that required courage—anyone who worked at Microsoft has. I was eviscerated by a colleague during a presentation in front of hundreds of people, scrutinized in executive meetings, delivered bad news to hostile stakeholders, and lived constantly under the stress of impossible deadlines.

But writing is different. It’s a uniquely vulnerable act. You’re not defending an idea or strategy or performing when everyone is on your side—you’re broadcasting your inner thoughts to the world. You invite judgment not just of the work, but of your voice, your ability, your perspective.

What's next for you?I queued up a sequel at the end of “AI BABY.” I am also working on my chapter for the second installment of “AI EVERYWHERE.” I’m covering a subject I feel very passionate about, labor exploitation of “ghost workers.” There are hundreds of thousands of people across the globe working for pennies on the dollar to annotate and label the data that trains AI systems. I find it absolutely appalling.

Finally, a piece of advice for alumni aspiring to write and publish a book? Do the upfront work even though it’s annoying and feels like drudgery. This includes character arcs, plot points and detailed outlines. It pays off 10x in the writing process. Find a talented and very brutal editor. Know that a lot of your beloved prose will end up on the cutting room floor. One more thing, if you want to write a book, it is imperative that you start a Substack. It gets and keeps you writing, makes you relevant in your genre, and provides a community that is supportive. It also provides a built-in audience for marketing. Unlike social media, people on Substack have an attention span and are readers.

Excerpts from an interview published on June 3, 2026 for the Microsoft Alumni Network. ©2026 MS Alumni Network.