I gotta admit that I am kinda tired of always seeing the same sci-fi references (Asimov, Black Mirror, Terminator and the other usual suspects) at every single debate on the law of AI. (1/N)

While I think that science fiction is a useful tool for thinking, especially about tech, it feels like we are missing some potentially useful insights by always using the same examples. (Not to mention how it gets boring to read the tenth recap of the plot of Blade Runner) (2/N)

For example, Frank Herbert's Dune is centred on a spacefaring civilisation with no artificial intelligence, as "thinking machines" were considered too much of a threat. If we think about AI through Dune-tinted glasses, we will have a different threat model than... (3/N)

...the in-world logic that led to Asimov's laws of robotics. Since I left Brazil, I keep telling myself that I will write a blog post about Dune and AI, and I hope to finish it soon. But, for the sake of this thread, it is interesting to consider the side-effects... (4/N)

...that the AI ban has provoked on that fictional universe. For a radically perspective on hyper-intelligent AI, one might look at Iain M. Banks's Culture series of books as a contrast to paperclip optimisers and basilisks.

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But, to conclude this rant, my own sci-fi references seem to be biased towards the classics, so I would appreciate any recommendations of recent (or underrated) sci-fi that you have found insightful when it comes to human-tech relations. (6/N, N=6)