# Any 'realistic' sci-fi novels depicting what might happen if human-like AI were created? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2010, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702 "2010-12-19T09:12:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kim\_o\_the\_Concrete\_Jungle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ee7513/32.png) [@Kim\_o\_the\_Concrete\_Jungle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kim_o_the_Concrete_Jungle)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/41 "2010-12-21T02:31:49Z")
I’d mention “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream” but that probably doesn’t fit the realism requirement. ---
**Author:** ![raspberry\_hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@raspberry\_hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raspberry_hunter)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/42 "2010-12-21T03:42:35Z")
Ted Chiang’s novella “The Lifecycle of Software Objects,” available online [http://subterraneanpress.com/index.php/magazine/fall-2010/fiction-the-lifecycle-of-software-objects-by-ted-chiang/](http://subterraneanpress.com/index.php/magazine/fall-2010/fiction-the-lifecycle-of-software-objects-by-ted-chiang/), sounds almost exactly what you are looking for. Well, bullets 1-3. Spoiler: doesn’t really get beyond that. I think one of the reasons it is hard to find what you’re looking for is that in a reasonable timescale you can really only do some of your bullet points. At any rate, even if it’s not _exactly_ what you’re looking for, Ted Chiang is awesome and everyone should read him anyway. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/43 "2010-12-21T04:22:24Z")
Wiki article: [Artificial intelligence in fiction.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence_in_fiction) TVTropes: [Robot Roll Call](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RobotRollCall) Index of many, many AI-related trope pages. Explore! ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/44 "2011-02-13T07:52:33Z")
Two more I’d add to this list are Greg Bear’s _Blood Musi_c and _The Metamorphosis of the Prime Intellect_, by an “amateur” author named Roger Williams. You can read the latter [online](http://www.kuro5hin.org/prime-intellect/). How its AI evolves is always how I figured my Commodore 64 would do things when I was in grade school, if I could just write the correct code to start it down the process! Reminded of this thread because the cover story of Time Magazine this week is on the concept and possibility of a technological singularity. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/45 "2011-02-13T08:34:57Z")
[R.U.R.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R.) is from the 20s but it gave us the word robot which is cool and touches on questions of robotic autonomy and what makes something human. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/46 "2011-02-13T09:35:36Z")
Robert Silverberg: [Tower of Glass](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Glass) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/47 "2011-02-13T20:44:21Z")
> [@iamnotbatman](#): > > **njtt** – I don’t agree. Suppose there is a significant leap in raw computing power in the near future (not unlikely). Suppose the lab is trying to simulate the human brain exactly, neuron for neuron. Since the human brain is incredibly sensitive, slight tweaks in neuron and brain structure models could mean the difference between “utterly schizophrenic incoherent mess” to “exact simulation of human brain.” In other words, one day it could all just “click.” Then, since the computational power may mean that the simulation can run many times faster than a real human brain, it could be trivial to make it not only as smart, but smarter than a human. It could also be trivial to incorporate other desirable attributes to the model ad-hoc, such as a perfect and nearly infinite memory, etc. I think your analogy with aircraft design is completely wrong: AI improvement could be a highly non-linear process. Yea but faster doesn’t necessarily mean smarter. The first computer had the IQ of a rock. Current computers are much faster, but still have the IQ of rocks. Consider it another way. If you simulated a cat’s brain perfectly at 900x normal speed would it ever likely crack String Theory? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/48 "2011-02-13T20:48:05Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Yea but faster doesn’t necessarily mean smarter. The first computer had the IQ of a rock. Current computers are much faster, but still have the IQ of rocks. > > Consider it another way. If you simulated a cat’s brain perfectly at 900x normal speed would it ever likely crack String Theory? String is not a theory. String is a toy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/49 "2011-02-13T21:54:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [“Oracle”](http://gregegan.customer.netspace.net.au/MISC/ORACLE/Oracle.html) (novella) by Greg Egan (2000). Reading that was time very well spent. Thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/50 "2011-02-13T22:53:18Z")
> [@Noone\_Special](#): > > Robert Silverberg: [Tower of Glass](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Glass) Ah, yes. I read that just a few years ago. A bit dated now, 30-some years after it was written, but still pretty interesting. By the end you’ll definitely be wishing someone had thought to install the Three Laws in those androids. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/51 "2011-05-18T02:18:46Z")
Ian MacDonald - River of Gods and Cyberbad Days. Great books. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/52 "2011-05-18T14:46:00Z")
> [@wintertime](#): > > I remembered another book that you might find interesting: [_Accelerando_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerando_%28novel%29) by Charles Stross. This was the book I came in to mention. Does Stross still have it up for free download? ---
**Author:** ![wintertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c68b51/32.png) [@wintertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wintertime)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/53 "2011-05-18T21:14:49Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > This was the book I came in to mention. Does Stross still have it up for free download? [Yes, he does](http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/fiction/accelerando/accelerando-intro.html). ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/54 "2011-05-18T21:34:20Z")
How about [The Adolescence of P-1](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adolescence_of_P-1). A bit dated (it’s from 1977) but it does examine the creation of and reaction to an AI and it tries to be “realistic” about it. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/55 "2011-05-18T23:03:48Z")
Artificial Intelligence yes, but not robots in the modern sense, and otherwise pretty much exactly what you want: [R.U.R.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R.), a Czech play from the early 20s. Also considered the first use of the word “robot”, actually. It’s a play, but quite a good read. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/56 "2011-05-19T01:48:17Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Artificial Intelligence yes, but not robots in the modern sense, and otherwise pretty much exactly what you want: [R.U.R.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R.), a Czech play from the early 20s. Also considered the first use of the word “robot”, actually. It’s a play, but quite a good read. See post 45. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/57 "2011-05-19T04:06:36Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > See post 45. Doh! I read the post before and the post after, i ran a search for Universal Robots and RUR, but not R.U.R. Oh well, its pretty dang close to’ the OP and deserves another mention. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702/58 "2011-05-19T04:53:09Z")
Well, points 3 and 4 are the plot of Asimov’s _Bicentennial Man_. Don’t know if you’ve read it; it’s sometimes included with his Robot stories. It has the Three Laws but none of the cutesy detective stuff. I see your point about some of his Robot stuff, but if you haven’t read _Robot Dreams_ (the short story) it’s point 3 in just a few pages. Frederik Pohl’s _Midas World_ is a mildly dystopian look at post-scarcity economics, and is related to your points 3, 4, and especially 5. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-realistic-sci-fi-novels-depicting-what-might-happen-if-human-like-ai-were-created/564702.md?page=2)