Chiang’s perspective challenges the notion that AI could ever fully replace human artists.
“AI is just becoming more and more prominent in science fiction, which I think is just a reflection of the times we’re in right now,” says Allan Kaster, a veteran editor of sci-fi story collections for over 15 years.
“It’s getting harder and harder to see a story that doesn’t include some sort of AI.” Kaster, who runs the sci-fi publishing house Infinivox, explores the evolving relationship between real-world science and fiction in the latest episode of the Fiction Science podcast.
The Historical Roots of AI in Science Fiction
Intelligent machines have been a staple in science fiction for nearly a century, dating back to Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927), Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics (1942), and HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
These early depictions of AI set the stage for today’s writers, who now have the opportunity to explore new parallels between cutting-edge technology and speculative fiction.
