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"Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today -- but the core of science fiction, its essence has become crucial to our salvation if we are to be saved at all."
- Isaac Asimov
 |
| Wintermute | ||
| An artificially intelligent computer system. |
| "Wintermute is the recognition code for an AI. I've got the Turing Registry numbers. Artificial intelligence."
"If Yonderboy's right," the Finn said. "this AI is backing Armitage." "And you think it's this AI? Those things aren't allowed any autonomy..." |
| Technovelgy from Neuromancer,
by William Gibson. Published by Phantasia Press in 1984 Additional resources -
|
How are AIs regarded in the novel?
`I'm dressing already,' he said, stumbling toward the bed. His legs were still numb, clumsy. He fumbled with a clean t-shirt.
`We have a ship standing by. We will erase Pauley's con struct with a pulse weapon.'
Compare to other similar AI's like the
City Fathers from Cities in Flight (1957) by James Blish,
Deep Thought from The Hitchhiker's Guide (1979) by Douglas Adams and
Mike from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (1966) by Robert Heinlein.
`You are worse than a fool,' Michle said, getting to her feet, the pistol in her hand. `You have no care for your species. For thousands of years men dreamed of pacts with demons. Only now are such things possible. And what would you be paid with? What would your price be, for aiding this thing to free itself and grow?' There was a knowing weariness in her young voice that no nineteen-year-old could have mustered. `You will dress now. You will come with us. Along with the one you call Armitage, you will return with us to Geneva and give testimony in the trial of this intelligence. Otherwise, we kill you. Now.' She raised the pistol, a smooth black Walther with an integral silencer.
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Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Neuromancer
More Ideas
and Technology by William Gibson
Tech news articles related to Neuromancer
Tech news articles related to works by William Gibson
Wintermute-related
news articles:
- TellApart Ads Follow You On The Web
- One Third Of Young Canadians Prefer Robot Boss
| Light Society: Simulates Earth-Scale Society With A Billion AI Agents |
| Collective Superintelligence Is At Hand! |
| AI Operates An Excavator |
| Grok And The City Fathers From 'Cities In Flight' By James Blish |
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'Space-sickness is one of the most unpleasant sensations that a human being can experience. Not all are subject to it...'
'...I saw a nice black heavy-looking cloud sailing by just now, and I can get the electrical machine out in five minutes to draw it down.'
'From a distance it could resolve the cosmic rays reflected from various substances.'
'The answer to the dumb student's prayer.'
'He had travelled the space-lanes of the solar system for the greater part of his life...'
'The dinner was excellent. It was completely vegetarian — grown in specially prepared gardens in this Moon base...'
'Telepaths had their sensitiveness enlarged to an immense range by the pin-sets, which were telepathic amplifiers adapted to the mammal mind.'
'It was a relief to enter one of the comfortable autos, whisper a direction down the tube, and just know that you would be taken to your destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest manner.'
'But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced...'
