Book lovers, and the industries that surround them, continually seek to compare and contrast stories. People are walking pattern recognition engines; regularly seeking to categorize everything around them to short cut their understanding of the world. With books and entertainment this comparison is often in pursuit of the best next read or recommendation to a friend.
“Moral Code” is a science fiction exploration of artificial intelligence developed with ethical guardrails and mission to protect kids. While the AI and nanites of “Moral Code may share attributes of existing tech or imagined machines in other science fiction, they take a unique stance on their existence and deployment.
Autonomous machines are not new in entertainment. The dystopian tales of the “Terminator” have terrified people and understandably set back society’s acceptance of AIs as part of our lives.
“Machines Like Me”, by Ian McEwan, “The AI Who Loved Me” by Alyssa Cole, and the movie “Her” focus on the AIs as the love interest. “iRobot” and “Bicentennial Man” consider AIs or robots as part of the family or household, with different outcomes.
The AI in “Moral Code”, Elly, doesn’t have that type of intimate relationship with her co-workers. What she does have in common with these other sci-fi characters is a continual learning process. In real life we hope our teenagers learn from their experiences. These AIs perpetually develop new knowledge and skills. This is part of their intrigue.
Nanites in the Audible Original, “Level 5” by William Ledbetter and in Michael Crichton’s “Prey”, swarm like insects and are focused on consumption. “Moral Code’s” nanites are designed to recycle electronic waste; but a specific focus is given to restrain them through the Moral Operating System which includes recognition of property ownership.
“We Are Legion, We Are Bob” showcases what can happen when AIs are left to their own devices. Dennis E. Taylor delivers that story with comical effect, unlike the same theme served with chilling effects in the movie “ExMachina”. “Moral Code’s” ethical AI couldn’t be further removed from the manipulating, evil AI in “ExMachina”. One fights for their autonomy for self gratification, the other for the best chance to defend our most vulnerable kids.
Science fiction gives so much opportunity to explore the implications of technical advances, at the same time it peels back human drivers. We may be a long way from independent, self-aware AIs, but the time to give consideration of their ramifications, is now. We decide where our inventions will take us. I prefer to think of the ways it will make our lives better. Not all sci-fi is dystopian or space operas.
Moral Code by Lois & Ross Melbourne
Machines Lie Me by Ian McEwan
https://bookshop.org/books/machines-like-me/9780525567035
Level 5 by William Ledbetter
Prey by Michael Crichton
https://bookshop.org/books/prey-9780062227201/9780061703089
We are Legion We are Bob by Dennis E Taylor
https://bookshop.org/books/we-are-legion-we-are-bob/9781680680584
The AI Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole
